Dr. Jonia Alshiek is the only Druze senior consulting urogynecologist in Israel.
She is an APF 2017-2018 Fellow in Pelvic Floor Ultrasound and Reconstructive Surgery at Inova Fairfax Medical Campus Women’s Center in Falls Church, Va., affiliated with George Mason and Virginia Commonwealth Universities.
“I came from a conservative community,” she says. “As a female gynecologist, I felt I could really help people in my community who are very shy about going to a male gynecologist, especially with urogynecology problems. I thought about this a lot. I worked with religious communities early on with great success.
“The fact that you are female and have an empathetic approach is very very important when working with women.”
Alshiek is an attending physician at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center’s Lis Maternity and Women’s Hospital, where she is a senior consulting urogynecologist and obstetrician/gynecologist (OB/GYN). Lis is a premier hospital for women’s care in Israel with more than 1,000 deliveries a month. Alshiek, an attending at Lis for three years since her residency and fellowship there, does most of her work on the urogynecology and pelvic floor unit. [Read more of Dr. Alshiek’s story here]
The APF Fellowship Program
Today, Israel has a ratio of just 3.1 doctors for every 100 people. Likewise only, 6.8 people per 1000 graduate with medical studies degrees. Both statistics put Israel near the bottom among the 36 nations surveyed by the OECD and are indicators of a significant shortage of qualified physicians throughout the country. This shortage of doctors adds to Dr. Alshiek’s remarkable story, and is one of the reasons APF has committed to our Fellowship Program.
Shaping Future Leaders
Since our founding in1951, APF has played a significant role in helping to develop more than 1500 fellows like Dr. Alshiek who have gone on to be part of the next generation of Israel’s healthcare leaders. It is only through the generosity and commitment of our members and supporters that we are able to continue this program as a tangible answer to the shortage of physicians facing the people of Israel.
By joining APF – for less than 65 cents a day – you will become part of a unique organization of healthcare professionals who are committed to the helping Israeli physicians learn advanced clinical and research techniques that they can bring to medically underserved areas throughout Israel. Your membership includes exclusive travel, educational and professional opportunities that are exclusive to APF members. And your support helps ensures that we have strong, skilled and competent leaders who will drive Israel’s healthcare forward.
Tell me more about APF Membership Benefits!