Chicago, IL – The Central Chapter of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (CCSMMI) will honor Medhat Sam Gabriel, MD, Professor of Radiology, section of Nuclear Medicine
at Loyola University Medical Center with the presentation of the Steven M. Pinsky, MD Distinguished Service Award, the highest honor the CCSNMMI can bestow upon a member. The Distinguished Service Award or Gold Medal will be presented to Doctor Gabriel at the March 11-12, 2023 CCSNMMI Annual Spring Meeting at the Doubletree Hotel Chicago in Oak Brook Illinois, to recognize his outstanding leadership in organized medicine and his many years of dedicated service to radiology and nuclear medicine, much like Doctor Pinsky during his career.
Born and raised in Egypt, Doctor Gabriel (Sam to his friends) received his medical degree in 1981 from Assiut University College of Medicine in Assiut, Egypt, a seven-year program combining undergraduate and medical school. Following graduation, he received postdoctoral training in infectious diseases and worked in Infections Disease Hospital in Assiut from 1986 – 1990 followed by a scholarship at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston from 1991-1992, a 10-month training program in Infectious Diseases and Public Health arranged by the US Government and the Egyptian Ministry of Health. In 1998 he changed is specialty to nuclear medicine with a one-year residency at the University of Illinois at Chicago followed by a two-year residency at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Illinois.
Following his residency, Doctor Gabriel served for five years as attending physician in nuclear medicine for now Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois. He returned to Loyola in 2006 as Assistant Professor of Radiology and then Associate Professor of Radiology in 2012 to become a full Professor in 2019, a position he holds today. He was the Director of the Nuclear Medicine Residency Program at Loyola University Medical Center from 2009-2020. During this time he also served as a consultant in nuclear medicine for Clinical Associates in Des Plaines, Affiliate Medical Director for the Nuclear Medicine Technologist Student Program for Hines VA in Hines, Illinois as well as a consultant in nuclear medicine at Hines VA. From 2010 to 2021 Doctor Gabriel also served as Affiliate Medical Director for the Nuclear Medicine Technologist Student Program at Triton College in River Grove, Illinois.
With a strong focus on training the upcoming generations, in addition to his teaching, Dr. Gabriel has served on major committees at Hines VA and Loyola related to medical student selection and curriculum and radiology residency programs. Since 2007, Doctor Gabriel has served as a Clinical Nuclear Medicine Lecturer for the Radiology Residency Program for Advocate Illinois Masonic Hospital in Chicago, and for two years served in a similar capacity for the Radiology Residency Program at the University of San Juan in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Doctor Gabriel joined the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging in 2002 and has been active in the Society at the National and Chapter Level ever since. For the Central Chapter, he was recruited to be the Program Chair for the 2009 Annual Spring Meeting after which he was elected to serve on the Board of Governors. In 2015 he was elected Vice President of the Chapter followed by becoming President-Elect in 2016 and then President from 2017 to 2018. He served as the Program Co-Chair for the Central Chapter Annual Spring Meeting again in 2021.
Doctor Gabriel is active with other radiology groups including the Radiological Society of North America, the American College of Nuclear Medicine and the American Board of Nuclear Medicine.
A prolific writer and speaker, Doctor Gabriel has authored or co-authored articles, as well as giving presentations at national meetings, including the 2017 James Quinn Lecture at the Spring Meeting of the Central Chapter. After many years of preparation, Dr. Gabriel with his colleagues from Loyola University Medical Center and other institutions published the “RadTool Nuclear Medicine MCQ” book to help residents prepare for their Board Examination.
In March 1992 Dr. Gabriel married Roula Fakhoury Gabriel, who holds a chemistry degree from Northeastern University in Chicago and worked for many years at Abbotts Laboratories. He has 2 children, Andrew and Christina; both are engineers. Among many hobbies, he enjoys playing the piano the most.
The Distinguished Service Award was created in 2005 to honor Steven M. Pinsky, MD. During his exceptional career, Dr. Pinsky was particularly involved in organized radiology, serving as president of the Central Chapter of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and president of the Illinois Radiological Society. He was awarded fellowship in both the American College of Radiology and the American College of Nuclear Physicians. In recognition of his outstanding work on behalf of radiology, the Chicago Radiological Society awarded Dr. Pinsky its highest honor, the Distinguished Service Award, or the Gold Medal. Dr. Pinsky’s generosity and service extended beyond the scope of radiology, donating a room at Michael Reese Hospital, a conference room at the University of Chicago, and a children’s library at the Jewish Community Center in Northbrook.
In 2000, Dr. Pinsky retired from active practice, but he remained active in the Illinois Radiological Society and the American College of Radiology, sharing his expertise and wealth of knowledge while continuing his love of teaching through mentoring younger radiologists. He also launched the Resident Research Award which has been carried on by his family since his passing. Naming the award after Steven M. Pinsky MD, recognizes a nuclear medicine specialist and radiologist who was an outstanding physician, excellent teacher and superb leader and has trained countless physicians. Dr. Pinsky passed away in 2004.