Bashar Abdulahad

Neurobiology

Town & Gown James P. and Dana Strine O’Neil Endowed Scholarship

Profile:

Bashar immigrated to the U.S. when he was very young, after having spent time as an Iraq war refugee. Despite experiencing hardship himself, he believes his father’s devotion to the poor has helped him understand “the extent to which a single person could ease others’ suffering.” As a young
man he became “fascinated with the fragility of life.” He chose to major in neurobiology in order to explore the questions of how one seemingly small change can lead to serious health issues.

His career goals, research and volunteer work all revolve around “pairing compassion with action.” At Sharp Grossmont, Bashar has assisted with patients recovering from strokes, and he now helps out in the emergency department. He also served with the SoCal Red Cross Chapter, and completed an externship with Cardiology of Southern California. These experiences made him even more “mindful of how language barriers and financial strain reduced access to quality healthcare.” He is Mentoring Chair of the National Arab American Medical Association. His research has focused on underserved communities suffering from cholera, and the “metabolic mechanisms that drive the infection.” 

Bashar’s primary hobby is chess, and he is a tournament level player. He plans on becoming a physician and hopes to focus not only on his patient’s physical symptoms, but also on their “emotional needs” and “the psychological struggles of illness.” He is enrolled in Sixth College.