In light of the recent Bahraini Women’s Day, Bahrain Confidential is featuring women who have made notable contributions in their respective fields. In this series of interviews, we aim to uncover the tenacity of each woman leader, how they pushed boundaries and found balance to rise to the top.
Professor Ghufran Ahmed Jassim
Occupation: Associate Professor in Family Medicine at RCSI Bahrain. Consultant Family Physician.
Professor Ghufran Ahmed Jassim is a Consultant Family Physician, and Associate Professor in Family Medicine at RCSI Bahrain. She is practicing at King Hamad University Hospital, Royal Hospital for Women and Children and AlSalam Specialist Hospital.
As a strong advocate of women’s health, she pioneered in setting up the first women’s health clinic in Bahrain. She was the first to introduce women’s health in the curriculum of undergraduate non-medical students and was also the first woman appointed as the chief editor of the Journal of Bahrain Medical Society.
“The most fulfilling part of my job is when I conduct and publish research that makes an impact in the healthcare industry by influencing the introduction of new policies or changing existing ones. This is especially evident in the area of women’s health where I explore culturally sensitive topics that are considered taboo”, Professor Ghufran said.
Speaking of which, the professor was recently awarded as one of the winners in the ‘Innovation and Creative Award in Therapeutic, Clinical and Medical Research’ category of the first edition of the prestigious Bahraini Doctors’ Award.
When asked about the greatest risk she has taken, Prof. Ghufran shared that it was when she decided to quit her job at the Ministry of Health to move to the academia. “The risk was demonstrated in leaving a secure clinical job at the public sector with a well-established pension and promotion system to an academic post in a private facility with more challenging pathways for promotion”, she added.
Prof. Ghufran’s strategy when it comes to engaging her students is through employing new teaching methods while adding local context and maintaining international standards. She says that she also promotes conflict literacy, self-awareness, reflective practice and leadership skills among her students. She continues supporting them through supervising their research and encouraging their publications in peer-reviewed journals.
Professor Ghufran advises women who want to become successful in their chosen fields to know their strengths and use these as much as they can. “See if you can modulate your life and work so that your key strengths are being routinely expressed”, she commented.
On her free time, Prof. Ghufran regularly attends Zumba fitness classes. She is also interested in fashion which is reflected through her style and aura.