Scholarly Project: Youssef Galal

Meet Youssef Galal

Originally from Cairo, Egypt, Youssef Galal grew up in Southern California. As a young boy, he was infatuated with famous soccer players and superheroes. Initially, he had little exposure to medicine, but he was fond of science; so Galal thought he would one day become a researcher.

The trajectory of his life changed when he embarked on an internship in Aswan, Egypt, at Magdi Yacoub Foundation (MYF) in 2017. MYF is one of the largest fully charity-funded cardiac hospitals in the Middle East and Africa.

“During my internship, I saw dozens of patients who had traveled thousands of miles to seek state-of-the-art care for themselves or their loved ones free of charge,” Galal said. “I observed the bravery and selflessness of the physicians who worked the hospital.”

The physicians at MYF made substantial life sacrifices, such as leaving loved ones behind, turning down higher paying jobs or working incredibly hectic schedules. To Galal, these people were real life superheroes, even greater than the ones he admired as a child.

About His Research

What did you think about completing a four-year research project as part of your medical education?

I believe the four-year scholarly project program was one of the most essential components of my medical school experience. The college does a tremendous job connecting students with prospective mentors who have research projects that could use medical student assistance.

Additionally, the long-term nature of the program allows you the chance to foster a relationship with a mentor who can guide you in your career. Research is not for everyone, and not everyone will do research in residency or as an attending.

However, the foundation of research is essential to understand as a physician. Medicine is a field where the standard of care is ever shifting, and you are required to stay up to date for the sake of your patients. 

What did you learn from the research process?

I learned quite a bit. First and foremost, good research requires a good team. I remember my first year me and Anup Shah, MD, largely worked alone. During my second year, we began recruiting other medical school students and created a research group on campus which now has over 25 students.

The extra manpower had a tremendous impact on being able to push projects across the finish line, proving that research is truly a team-based endeavor. I also learned about the importance of solid study design and project selection. A meticulously planned project at inception helps prevent pitfalls and deficiencies once one has already begun.

I also learned that not all projects are created equal. Sometimes as a medical student you can only work on what you are offered, and this is what often turns students off from research. This is temporary. You should strive to reach the point where you can only work on projects that you feel excited about and will make an actual difference in patient care or will inspire further research that can impact patient care. 

How did you choose this specific research focus? And what was the outcome of the research?

Through my personal hobbies, I always had a love for sports medicine. My first year at the college, I connected with Dr. Shah through the scholarly project program. Remarkably, it was his first year at the college, as well, and he was looking to continue the research he had begun at his previous institution.

Over the four years of medical school, we would not only work on over a dozen projects in orthopedic sports medicine and shoulder surgery, but also develop what I believe will be a lifelong relationship of mentorship.

My main scholarly project would be centered around open reduction and internal fixation of proximal humerus fractures with different shapes of plates and would eventually be published in the Journal of Orthopedic Trauma.

Did your research influence your choice of specialty for residency?

Orthopedic surgery has become an increasingly competitive field. Research is one of the only ways that a student can truly differentiate themselves from other applicants and prove to residency programs that they have an interest in orthopedics. I was asked about my research at almost every residency interview I attended. In many ways, it demonstrated my love and dedication for the field. 

How do you think this project helped to prepare you for your career in medicine?

My scholarly project taught me a lot about the type of research I want to do in my future career. I have become increasingly interested in working on a limited number of projects that are practice changing in the field of orthopedics. To achieve this, you need a substantial amount of time and to build from the ground up.

This begins with setting up the process for how you collect data from patients and what you collect from them, in a standardized fashion. Without data, you cannot draw any reasonable insights. Team selection is also crucial and including people who have skills that can add to the project.

If there is one piece of advice you could give to incoming medical students about this project, what would it be?

My largest piece of advice for any medical student is to look for the right mentor and to look for them early. In these formative stages of your life, it is most important to work with someone who has your best interests in mind and wants to see you progress in your career.

Research is not only about the work itself but also about the relationships you develop throughout the process. A good mentor will put you on the right projects, be patient with you as you learn how to be a great researcher and then support you on your way to your desired career.