Karam Hamada

He/him/his

Karam Hamada is a second-year student at the KU School of Medicine. Karam is the eldest son of two Palestinian refugees. He graduated from Wichita Collegiate High School and earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Kansas. In between college and medical school, he spent a year working as an orthopedic medical scribe at OrthoKansas in Lawrence, Kansas. When the pandemic hit in 2020, he spent a few months working at a Senior Care Psychiatric Hospital in Wichita until starting medical school in July 2020. His passions include building sustainable community initiatives to help bridge the gap between medical providers and members of the community.

Where did you grow up?

Wichita, Kansas

What made you want to come to KU Medical Center?

This region has always been close to my heart. I love KU Medical Center's commitment towards placing students in a variety of different backgrounds, especially diverse urban areas that are similar to what I was raised in. I am grateful for the opportunity to learn medicine in an engaging, hands-on way while still being able to be close to family.

What are some of your hobbies?

I am an avid basketball and soccer fan, spending time playing on the weekends. I also try to explore a new local hole-in-the-wall business every week throughout Kansas City, Kansas, and the surrounding area.

How does the Arab American Heritage Month theme 'A Celebration and Reflection of Arab Culture and Contributions' resonate with you?

It resonates strongly with me because Arab culture is very unique and diverse, as two neighboring countries can have major differences in their cuisine and traditions. Americans have a hard time differentiating between "brown" people of all types due to media portrayal, so events like this are crucial towards helping share our history and respective identities.