Dr. M. Haitham Bakir has joined the faculty at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine as an assistant professor of pulmonary medicine. [Note: He has since been promoted to associate professor.]

Previously, he had a pulmonary and critical care medicine practice in Peoria (1998-99) and pulmonary and internal medicine practice in Rushville, where he also was chief of staff at Culbertson Memorial Hospital (1995-98).

Bakir earned his medical degree at the University of Damascus Medical School (1987. He completed his internal medicine residency at Wayne State University in Detroit (1993) and a two-year fellowship in pulmonary medicine at SIU School of Medicine (1995).

He is certified as a diplomate in pulmonary medicine and internal medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine and is a member of the American College of Chest Physicians and the American Thoracic Society.

Bakir is married to Manar Bakir and has two children, Sarah and Danah.

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