Stritch School of Medicine Commencement Address
Zaher Sahloul
MD • Clinical Associate Professor, University of Illinois at Chicago
Zaher Sahloul, MD, is a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago and a prominent physician, humanitarian, and global health advocate. He is the Founder and President of MedGlobal, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing sustainable healthcare services to vulnerable populations in crisis-affected regions worldwide.
Sahloul is widely recognized for his leadership in humanitarian response and health equity. Through MedGlobal, he has led medical relief efforts in more than a dozen countries, deploying volunteer medical teams, delivering critical supplies, and supporting capacity-building in conflict zones and disaster-affected areas. His work has focused extensively on refugees, internally displaced persons, and underserved communities in areas such as Syria, Gaza, Ukraine, Yemen, and Bangladesh.
Previously, Sahloul served as President of the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS), where he played a key role in coordinating humanitarian and medical aid during the Syrian crisis. He has advised the United Nations, World Health Organization, and United States policymakers on global health and humanitarian issues and is a frequent commentator in international media.
Beyond his clinical and humanitarian work, Sahloul is an advocate for medical ethics in conflict zones, global justice, and refugee rights. He regularly publishes in academic journals and contributes thought leadership to public discourse on the intersection of health, human rights, and diplomacy.
Sahloul received his medical degree from Damascus University and completed his residency in internal medicine and fellowship in pulmonary and critical care medicine at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He currently practices as a pulmonary and critical care specialist at Saint Anthony hospital and Christ Advocate Medical Center.
