In Memoriam: Dr. Salim Firzli

Late Dr. Salim Firzli

It was with much sorrow that the Faculty of Medicine and the Medical Center of AUB, and particularly the Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, announced the passing of Dr. Salim Firzli on March 27, 2008.

Dr. Firzli was born in Beirut on August 29, 1922. He graduated from the AUB Medical School in 1947 and after two years of training in its department of pediatrics, he traveled to London for further training on a British Council scholarship. In 1956, he obtained a Rockefeller Foundation grant to train in pediatric hematology, which allowed him to complete a fellowship in hematology at the Children's Hospital of Detroit (Michigan). In 1957 he was appointed at AUB as assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics, where he rose to the rank of professor in 1980. Dr. Firzli was the acting chairman of the department from 1986 to 1992. He became an emeritus professor in 2002.

Dr. Firzli was one of the fathers of pediatrics in Lebanon and the first pediatrician to specialize in pediatric hematology/oncology in the Middle East. Over time, he established a comprehensive service at AUBMC for the care of children with cancer and blood disorders. He trained several generations of pediatricians, who became leaders in their fields in Lebanon and the region. He was well published in his field; his article on tumors in children that appeared in 1952 was the first study that identified and classified tumors of children in Lebanon.

In his role as chairman of the department during the difficult war years (1986-1992), he kept the department going and even started new programs at a time when most professionals had left the country. Even after retirement, he continued to participate in conferences and departmental activities, eagerly transmitting his vast experience, insight, and thoughtfulness to the new generations.

Dr. Firzli was a very dedicated and empathic person, who took personal interest in his students and settled only for the best for his patients. He also had an amazing love of life, a jois de vivre that he transmitted to all around him Dr. Firzli was a founding and active member of a number of national and international societies. He was the recipient of many honors and awards, including the Cedars Medal from the President of the Republic of Lebanon and the Gold Medal from the Lebanese Order of Physicians.

Dr. Firzli has left an indelible mark on AUBMC, in Lebanon and in his specialty as a leading physician. He will be sorely missed by all who knew him. He is survived by his wife Nabila Milki-Firzli and his sons Nabil, Elie, and Mounir.