His father, a banker in Damascus, died of a myocardial infarction before coronary artery bypass grafting surgery became available, performed by Dr. Eric Hazan in 1968 in Laennec Hospital.
In a pre-mortem testament, his father begged his son to dedicate himself to a medical career and more precisely to treat patients with heart disorders.
In fact, in his conversations, he attributes his vocation as heart surgeon and his devotion to his patients, the quality of care that he provides to each one of them and their family, to this event which marked his life. He talks about rarely and with great shyness and discretion.
In 1971 he joined the Faculty of Medicine of Damascus where his career was on was then mapped out.