Rana Afifi

Rana Afifi

Associate Professor of Vascular Surgery

The University of Texas McGovern Medical School

Houston, Texas, USA

Dr. Afifi is a distinguished vascular surgeon and associate professor in the Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery at UT McGovern Medical School, with affiliations at Memorial Hermann Hospital at Texas Medical Center. She is recognized for her expertise in vascular and endovascular surgery, a specialization that she pursued after graduating from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in 2004.

Her journey into vascular surgery began with a residency at Carmel Hospital in Haifa, followed by specialized training in vascular and endovascular surgery at the same institution. Dr. Afifi's passion for complex aortic diseases led her to the United States in 2013, where she completed a fellowship in complex aortic surgeries at McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth). After completing her fellowship, she joined the Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery at UTHealth, where she has been a prolific researcher, authoring numerous journal articles, abstracts, and book chapters on various topics related to vascular surgery and aortic pathology. She has also been a featured presenter at many national and international conferences, sharing her expertise on aortic pathologies.

Dr. Afifi's commitment to advancing healthcare extends beyond her clinical practice and research. She is deeply involved in education and leadership roles, serving as the program director of the Aortic Surgery Fellowship and Co-Vice Chair for Quality at the Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery Department. In 2018, she founded the Women’s Vascular and Cardiac Health Interdisciplinary Initiative (WVACHI), bringing together experts from various specialties to collaborate on research aimed at improving outcomes for women with cardiovascular disease.

In addition to her roles within her institution, Dr. Afifi is actively engaged in regional societies and the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS). She serves as the co-chair of the women’s faculty forum at UTHealth; and currently serves as the President Elect/VP of the Texas Society for Vascular and Endovascular Surgery (TSVES), and the Treasure of the International Society for Endovascular Specialists (ISEVS).  Her leadership as Chair of the SVS DEI Committee further underscores her dedication to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within the vascular surgery field. Her active engagement in DEI work has included participation in a national program “Equity Matters.” Through this experience, she has acquired essential knowledge and skills aimed at promoting equity practices in health education and patient care, further enhancing her ability to drive positive change in the healthcare landscape.