BWHC President Betsy Nabel with Nihed Riahi

For five days last month, Nihed Riahi, MD, PhD, a general practitioner in Tunisia, visited Boston and shadowed BWHC President Betsy Nabel, MD, as part of the George W. Bush Institute’s Women’s Initiative Fellowship.

Over the course of her stay, Riahi was able to tour the hospital, attend various meetings at BWH and talk with Nabel about her work as a physician in Tunisia, a country on the Mediterranean coast of North Africa.

“Dr. Nabel is warm, friendly and a real example to follow,” said Riahi, who recently completed her medical studies at the Faculty of Medicine of Tunis at the University of Tunis El Manar.

Riahi is interested in improving the quality of health care and services in the poorest areas of her country. She is also a volunteer for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the world’s largest humanitarian organization.

The Women’s Initiative Fellowship was established in 2012 to enhance the leadership skills of women around the world. With a focus on empowering women, the fellowship provides important mentorship opportunities to participants, pairing each fellow with a prominent American woman in a similar field to serve as her mentor for one year.

After Riahi’s visit to BWH, she will keep in touch with Nabel by phone and email.

Nabel said she’s delighted to have this opportunity to work with Riahi over the next year, offering guidance and advice as Riahi grows as a leader and achieves her goals.

“My own career path has been profoundly impacted by incredible mentors who have helped to guide me, and I am so pleased to have an opportunity to share my experiences and insights with Nihed as she begins to shape her career,” Nabel said. “Mentorship is often a two-way street, and I am also learning a great deal from Nihed about the practice of medicine in her country. I admire her dedication to achieving her goal of helping people in need in Tunisia.”