Michel P. Nawfal, MD

Class of 2003 Lebanon

Dr. Michel P. Nawfal has lived, and continues to live, a very worldly life. He was born in Beirut, Lebanon, but spent much of his time in Paris, France and New York, United States. Studying at a school such as St. George’s University (SGU), with its international focus, was par for the course for someone who had always wished both to study medicine and to travel. He fit right in with the diverse student body, as he speaks Arabic, English, and French fluently.

Prior to beginning his medical studies at St. George’s University, Dr. Nawfal earned a bachelor’s degree in Biology at American University of Beirut, Lebanon, and received a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from that same university upon completion of his Doctor of Medicine degree (MD). It has always been Dr. Nawfal’s plan to follow the complete academic track of MD and PhD in order to practice, teach, and do research. Today, Dr. Nawfal practices as a prescribing clinical psychologist in Lebanon, treating patients that suffer from psychiatric and psychological disorders and providing a much-needed service in a country that has endured 30 years of war and political unrest. In July 2008, Dr. Nawfal was recruited by Eli Lilly Pharmaceuticals and has been appointed as a regional medical advisor for Neuroscience and Psychiatry covering the Middle East and North Africa (15 countries).

Dr. Nawfal has extensive research and teaching experience. He currently lectures at Notre Dame University, as well as the American University of Beirut. Part of his research interest was brain activity during exercise and the implications on mood. He previously worked on a brain study measuring activity patterns in running individuals using PET scanning, a study that was published for the American University of Beirut at a proceeding in Singapore in 2007, titled “The Importance of Bio-Imaging Brain Activity During Exercise.”

Dr. Nawfal makes volunteer work a staple of his medical career. He received the UFE medal in 2007 from the Union of the French outside France for his help in evacuating European citizens who were living in Lebanon during the time of the Lebanon-Israel War of 2006. He provided evacuees with medical treatment and psychological support.

In 2006, he received the Sheikh Fawzi Azar Award for a paper about whether or not the MMPI-2, the most widely used personality test in the world, could be used effectively in the Middle East; the personality test is written in English and published in Minnesota. Since 2005, Dr. Nawfal has been a member of the American Psychological Association and the Lebanese Psychological Association, and is also registered with the Lebanese Order of Physicians.

In addition to his lengthy academic credentials, he has also worked in television as a psychological consultant for both NBC’s Middle Eastern version of The Biggest Loser as well as Abu Dhabi TV’s famous show Ton of Cash. He traveled to Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, and Kuwait to interview potential contestants for their ability to endure the lengthy reality show and capture the interest of the public.

A shining example of the international character of St. George’s University, Dr. Michel Nawfal has traveled throughout Europe, North America, South America, the Middle East, and the Caribbean. He notes that SGU provided him with a strong foundation in medicine, friendships with people from all over the world, and a confidence that stemmed from experiencing life abroad. The reputation, technology, and amazing faculty brought him to the School, and “given the chance to do it all over again, [he] wouldn’t do it any other way.”