Senior Physicians Committee : Q & A with Committee Chair Dr . Yared
by KATHRYN VANCE
Each month , we feature a summary of our Senior Physicians Speaker Series program , but this month we ' re changing it up ! We are featuring the Chair of the Committee , Dr . Sam Yared , and learning about his story and his vision for the committee moving forward .
GLMS : What is your specialty and why did you decide to become a physician ?
My specialty is cardiovascular and thoracic surgery . I am a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada . I participated in more than 5,000 open heart surgeries over the years during my training and practice , more than 1,000 vascular cases , and 250 thoracic cases . I was interested in biology of the cardiovascular system since I was in high school . I followed the work of Dr . Michael DeBakey and Dr . Denton Cooley since I was a freshman in college , and I had the opportunity to do my fellowship at the Texas Heart Institute in the early 80s .
How have you gotten more involved with GLMS and the GLMS Foundation since retiring ?
I worked with the heart team at multiple local hospitals , including Audubon , Jewish and Baptist . With balancing my busy work schedule and time with my family ( my wife and four children ), I did not have the chance to participate with GLMS early on in my career . I knew of the excellent work they do for Louisville and the greater metropolitan area , especially their assistance supporting communities in the South and West End over the last 40 years , so when I retired , I decided to become involved with GLMS . They were very receptive ! I am currently the Senior Physician Committee Chair and continue to donate time and efforts to the GLMS Foundation as a member .
Why do you feel called to volunteer ?
Volunteering is important to me , as it allows me to continue to connect with members of the community . I donate my time to support St . Michael Orthodox Church and St . Margaret Mary Church in Louisville . I have worked with WaterStep , a local NGO that works to provide clean water and sanitation to communities in need , having acted previously as a board member . My other
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