October 22, 2007

Turlock, Emanuel Medical Center is pleased to welcome two new physicians to EMC and the Turlock community. Oussama Dagher, M.D. specializes in Interventional Cardiology. Rim Atoui, M.D. specializes in Pulmonary and Critical Care medicine. But Drs. Dagher and Atoui are more than colleagues; they're husband and wife.

Drs. Atoui and Dagher met while in medical school at Lebanese University in Beirut. Following medical school, both did internal medicine residencies at Lebanese University, St. George Hospital in Lebanon. Dr. Dagher completed a GI fellowship and Dr. Atoui a pulmonary fellowship, both at Balamand University, St. George Hospital in Lebanon.

They married in June of 2001 and six days after their marriage they immigrated to the United States, where they completed internships and residencies at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Bronx-Lebanon Hospital in New York City.

Following his U.S. residency, Dr. Dagher completed fellowships in cardiovascular disease and interventional cardiology at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City. Dr. Atoui completed a fellowship in critical care medicine at Cooper University Hospital. This was followed by a fellowship in pulmonary medicine at Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center. They both completed their fellowships in June of this year.

Of their extensive training in New York City, they say they will always appreciate the high level of training and the hard work. And, after six years in the Big Apple, they are glad to be back in a smaller community. "It seems like a nice place for family - quiet, safe and very friendly!"

Drs. Dagher and Atoui have three children: a five-year-old son, a three-year-old daughter, and a six-month-old son.

Husband and wife look forward to serving Turlock and nearby communities and providing the same level of care that is available in a big city like New York. As the only interventional cardiologist in Turlock, Dr. Dagher looks forward to helping develop Emanuel's Cardiovascular services. Dr. Dagher has joined the cardiology practice of Reza Vafadouste, M.D.

Dr. Atoui is equally excited about opening her new Pulmonology office in Turlock at 2141 Colorado Avenue.  Appointments can be made by calling 634-2600.

Dr. Dagher is located at 1801 Colorado Avenue, Suite 210 in Turlock and can be reached at 216-3570 for an appointment.