Kurdish Doctor Makes History at Harvard-Affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital
Dr. Jagar Jasem of Duhok becomes the first Kurdistan Region medical graduate to join MGH as a hematologist, marking a milestone for Kurdish medical achievement on the world stage
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) - A Kurdish doctor has made history at one of the world's most prestigious medical institutions, becoming the first graduate of the Kurdistan Region to join Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston as a hematologist.
Dr. Jagar Jasem, a graduate of Duhok School of Medicine in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, has joined Massachusetts General Hospital, a Harvard Medical School-affiliated teaching hospital consistently ranked among the top hospitals in the United States and the world. His appointment as a hematologist at MGH marks the first time a graduate of a Kurdistan Region medical school has held such a position at the institution.
The achievement is a landmark not only for Dr. Jasem personally but for the Kurdistan Region's medical education system, which has invested significantly in building internationally competitive universities and medical schools over the past two decades. Duhok School of Medicine, from which Dr. Jasem graduated, is one of the Region's established medical faculties, producing graduates who have gone on to careers in medicine across Iraq and internationally.
Massachusetts General Hospital, founded in 1811, is the oldest and largest teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School and has been ranked the number one hospital in the United States by US News and World Report for multiple consecutive years. Its hematology department is among the most advanced in the world, treating complex blood disorders including leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, and other hematological malignancies, as well as conducting cutting-edge research into blood diseases and their treatment. An appointment to its medical staff represents one of the most competitive and distinguished positions available to a physician anywhere in the world.
Dr. Jasem's achievement adds to a growing record of Kurdistan Region graduates making their mark at top-tier international institutions. Beijing Foreign Studies University launched its first formal Kurdish language programme in September 2026, reflecting the growing international recognition of Kurdish culture and language, while the Kurdistan Region's universities have continued to expand their international partnerships and academic exchanges.
The story of a Duhok medical school graduate reaching Harvard's flagship teaching hospital reflects the aspirations of a generation of Kurdish students and the progress the Kurdistan Region's educational institutions have made in preparing their graduates for competition at the highest levels of global professional life.