Georgette Kidess, the First Female Neurosurgeon in Palestine.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to detail the background, training, and career of Dr. Georgette Kidess, the first and still the only female neurosurgeon in Palestine. In addition, we mention the obstacles that women face during their neurosurgical career and how to overcome them. Also, we discuss different methods to attract female medical students to neurosurgery.

METHODS

Information was gathered only from direct face-to-face interviews with Dr. Kidess.

RESULTS

Georgette Kidess was born on May 2, 1952, in Nablus, Palestine. She received the degree of Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) at Eberhard Karls Universität, Tübingen, Germany in 1979. She worked as a neurosurgeon at the Hadassah EinKarem Hospital in Jerusalem and subsequently established the first neurosurgical department at the Ramallah Governmental Hospital in Ramallah in 1986. Thereafter, she has continued a career in private practice, currently at Saint Luke's Hospital, Nablus. Dr. Kidess played a major part in establishing neurosurgery in Palestine. She was among the founders of the Palestinian Neurosurgical Society in 2014.

CONCLUSIONS

In this article, we recount Dr. Kidess's contributions and achievements to neurosurgery in Palestine. Her commitment, persistence, and diligence enabled her to overcome great odds and become the first female neurosurgeon in Palestine. We hope that her story will inspire and open the doors for subsequent women to enter and enhance neurosurgery, especially in the Middle East.