Professor Rashad Barsoum FRCP Edin

Born: 03/07/1941
Died: 25/10/2022
Speciality: Nephrology
Designatory Letters: MD (Cairo), 1969, FRCP Edin, FRCP.

Professor Rashad Barsoum (1941-2022)

Professor Rashad Barsoum was born in Asyut Governorate in 1941. He graduated from the Kasr El-Aini Medical School (Cairo University) in 1962 and was awarded Gold Medals in Physiology, Toxicology, and Internal Medicine. The Diploma in Internal Medicine (DM with Distinction) and Doctorate in Internal Medicine (MD) followed. He was awarded MRCPE in 1972 and Fellowship of the College in 1982, and he became the Overseas Regional Advisor of the Edinburgh College.

Barsoum was successively Registrar in Internal Medicine, Lecturer in Internal Medicine, Associate Professor of Medicine, and Professor of Internal Medicine (1979) at Kasr El Aini School of Medicine, Cairo. Before his appointment to these Chairs, he held training positions at the University of Paris (Hôpital Tenon), the Institute of Urology London, and the University of Minnesota (WHO Fellow). He was appointed Head of the Nephrology Unit within the Department of Internal Medicine and Chairman of Cairo Kidney Centre. He was the recipient of many awards, including the Egyptian Nile and State Appreciation Awards, the International Award of the American Society of Kidney Disease, and the Rosco Robinson Educational Award of the International Society of Nephrology.  Barsoum was the Founding President of the African Association of Nephrology, President of the Egyptian and Arab Societies of Nephrology and Transplantation, Secretary-General of the International Society of Nephrology and Director of the International Fellowship and Sister Renal Center Programs. He published more than 240 scientific papers. For a time, Barsoum was personal physician to Pope Shenouda III, from whom he received Pope Shenouda's Award for Wisdom and Sympathy.

In 2000 Barsoum accepted local responsibility for organizing the first MRCP(UK) Clinical Examination in Egypt in 2001. Many considered that it would be very difficult, if not impossible, to organize such an examination successfully. However, Barsoum recruited two outstanding colleagues to assist with the organization, Professor Hesham Tarraf and Professor Hady Gobran; the former succeeded him as College advisor in Egypt. In addition, a team of first-rate trainees ensured that the patient selection was outstanding. Since its inception, 53 successful diets of PACES have been held. A former Medical Director of the Examination has written: "It was such a pleasure to work with Rashad in organizing the Examination. He was an outstanding organizer, superb physician and examiner and generous friend. For many diets of the Examination, he entertained the UK examiners at his club at his own expense. These dinners were very special events not only because of the superb food but also because Rashad was a great raconteur".  

Barsoum comes from a distinguished family of doctors; his two brothers, Maged and Mohsen, are prominent in their respective fields of surgery and oncology. In addition, his wife, Mona Tawfik Farid, is a psychiatrist and his daughters Noha, Nadine, and Mireille are all medically qualified. 

A close colleague has written: "For me, Professor Barsoum will always be my idol. He was a perfect example of kindness, knowledge and true meaning of a Professor". A former trainee has written: "Professor Barsoum will be greatly missed yet will be forever in our hearts. Professor and mentor of many students and a doctor of many appreciative patients. Endless hours, days and years of dedication and hard work, always going this little extra step to be on top of what he does. Whose wisdom, knowledge, support, and love for teaching always inspired us. An icon in Nephrology worldwide and a role model that will always be respected and will never be forgotten. His intelligence, resilience, genuine humility, kindness and compassion make him a shining star in the sky of Medicine. Our hearts are heavy with grief for the loss of a legendary and outstanding scientist, professor, doctor, mentor and human being".

In his autobiography, My journey in and with Nephrology,1 Rashad wrote:

One more year to go before I complete half a century on this exciting journey. I am content with its outcome, the hardships and failures, as much as the successes and rewards. In many areas, my achievements have exceeded the most extravagant of my ambitions, thanks to God’s will, the support of my family and the help of all those mentors, colleagues, students and assistants. If I am to grade the order of what gives me the highest pride, I would put at the very top those successive generations of students that I had the chance to teach or train, who still remember the days or years they spent with me at university or elsewhere, and care to mention my name in meetings or private conversations, to call me for a seasonal greeting, or to send me a Christmas or Easter Card. May God bless them all.

Hesham Tarraf

Allister Vale

1. Barsoum RS. My journey in and with Nephrology. Saudi Journal of Kidney Diseases and Transplantation 2005; 16:383-396.