Samar Karout

Dr. Samar Karout holds the position of Clinical Assistant Professor within the Faculty of Pharmacy at Beirut Arab University (BAU). Her academic journey commenced at BAU, where she earned a Bachelor Degree in Pharmacy in 2013. She subsequently achieved a Doctor of Pharmacy degree with distinction in 2015 and furthered her academic pursuits with the attainment of a Master's in Clinical Pharmacy in 2021. She is currently pursuing for a PhD in Clinical Pharmacy. 

Dr. Karout has actively contributed to the ‎development, designing and delivery of several didactic and experiential ‎clinical courses in the pharmacy practice department. Beyond this, she serves as a clinical preceptor, dedicating her efforts to the training of senior pharmacy students in diverse affiliated hospitals. Dr. Karout has also played an integral role in the facilitation of professional development workshops and the implementation of objective structured clinical examinations (OSCE). Her commitment extends to the orchestration and execution of public health initiatives and professional development workshops.

Dr. Karout's research pursuits revolve around the domains of social pharmacy and global health, with a specific focus on addressing the needs of vulnerable refugees and host community members in Lebanon. Her research output is characterized by 30 publications in peer-reviewed journals (922 citations) and her supervision of multiple undergraduate student research projects. Notably, she has forged a network of collaboration with academic researchers from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, emphasizing regional studies aimed at evaluating patient care practices.

Furthering her international reach, Dr. Karout has established a productive collaboration with clinical experts from France. Their collective efforts are channeled into research endeavors on vulnerable nationals and refugees in Lebanon. She welcomes opportunities for research collaboration on relevant projects at national and international levels.

Teaching:

• Pharmacotherapeutics I [PHAR 374] (GI, Pulmonary and Rheumatological disorders)-Course Coordinator.
• Integrated Case Based Learning Course I [ICBL-I PHAR376] (GI, Bone and Pulmonary Disorders)- Course Coordinator.
• Pharmacy Practice Experience V [PHAR 577] at Sahel General Hospital in the Internal Medicine Unit and Cardiology Unit- Clinical Preceptor.
• Pharmacy Practice I [PHAR 275] (Ethics in Pharmacy Practice, Lebanese Health Care System and Professional Communication Skills essential for provision of patient care)- Clinical Instructor.
• Work Ready Now University Elective Course [WRNL200] (Provides students with foundational soft skills and work-based learning experiences to prepare them for success in the work place)-Instructor.
• Pharmacy Practice Experience III [PHAR 380] – Executive Course Coordinator
• Inter-professional Education (IPE)[PHAR586] – Facilitator.
• Pharmacy Practice Experience I [PHAR266]-Clinical Preceptor.
• Pharmacy Practice Experience II [PHAR286]-Clinical Preceptor.
• Pharmacy Practice Experience III [PHAR380]-Clinical Preceptor.
• Pharmacy Practice Experience IV [PHAR480]-Clinical Preceptor.
• Pharm D program- Clinical Preceptor.

Research Publications:

1. Mukattash TL, Jarab A, Abu-Farha R, Itani R, Karout S. (2022). The effect of the emerging omicron variant on the willingness to take or continue with COVID-19 vaccination in the Middle East. Journal of Applied Pharmaceutical Sciences, In Press;1-8.
2. Karout, S., Khojah, H. M. J., Itani, R*., Jaffal, F., & El-Lakany, A. ‎‎(2022). Assessing the pharmaceutical care provision to suspected ‎COVID-19 patients in community pharmacies: a simulated patient ‎study. BMC Health Services Research, 22(1), 467. ‎
3. Itani, R*., Soubra, L., Karout, S., Rahme, D., Karout, L., & Khojah, H. ‎M. J. (2022). Primary Dysmenorrhea: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, ‎and Treatment Updates. Korean J Fam Med, 43(2), 101–108. ‎
4. Karout, S., Khojah, H. M. J., Karout, L., & Itani, R*. (2022). A ‎nationwide assessment of community pharmacists ’ attitudes towards ‎dispensing errors : A cross-sectional study. Journal of Taibah ‎University Medical Sciences, In press, 1–8. ‎
5. Mukattash, T. L., Alkhalidy, H., Alzu’bi, B., Abu-Farha, R., Itani, R., ‎Karout, S., Khojah, H. M. J., Khdour, M., El-Dahiyat, F., & Jarab, A. ‎‎(2022). Dietary supplements intake during the second wave of ‎COVID-19 pandemic: A multinational Middle Eastern study. ‎European Journal of Integrative Medicine, 49, 102102.‎
6. Karout, S., Soubra, L., Rahme, D., Karout, L., Khojah, H. M. J., & Itani, ‎R*. (2021). Prevalence, risk factors, and management practices of ‎primary dysmenorrhea among  young females. BMC Women’s Health, ‎‎21(1), 392. 
7. Itani, R., Khojah, H. M. J., Jaffal, F., Rahme, D., Karout, L., & Karout, ‎S*. (2021). Provision of pharmaceutical care to suspected high-risk ‎COVID-19 patients through telehealth: a nationwide simulated ‎patient study. BMC Health Services Research, 21(1), 997. ‎
8. COVIDSurg Collaborative, G. C. (2022). SARS-CoV-2 infection and ‎venous thromboembolism after surgery: an international prospective ‎cohort study. Anaesthesia, 77(1), 28–39. ‎
9. Khojah, H. M. J., Itani, R., Mukattash, T. L., Karout,S., Jaffal, F., & ‎Abu-Farha, R. (2021). Exposure of Community Pharmacists to ‎COVID-19: A Multinational Cross- Sectional Study. Journal of ‎Taibah University Medical Sciences, 16(6), 920–928.‎
10. Mukattash, T. L., Jarab, A. S., Al-Qerem, W., Abu Farha, R. K., Itani, ‎R., Karout, S., Mukattash, I. L., & Basheti, I. (2021). COVID-19 ‎Patients’ Views and Experiences of Pharmaceutical Care ‎Services in ‎Lebanon. International Journal of Pharmacy Practice, 30(1), 82–85.‎
11. COVIDSurg Collaborative, G. C. (2021). Effects of pre-operative ‎isolation on postoperative pulmonary complications after elective ‎surgery: an international prospective cohort study. Anaesthesia, ‎‎76(11), 1454–1464. ‎
12. Abu-Farha, R., Mukattash, T., Itani, R., Karout, S., Khojah, H., Al-‎Mahmood, A., & Alzoubi, K. (2021). Willingness of Middle Eastern ‎Public to Receive COVID-19 Vaccines. Saudi Pharmaceutical ‎Journal, 29(7), 734–739. 
13. Chowdhary, A., Nirwan, L., Abi-Ghanem, A. S., Arif, U., Lahori, S., ‎Kassab, M. B., Karout, S. O., Itani, R. M., Abdalla, R., Naffaa, L., & ‎Karout, L. (2021). Spontaneous Pneumomediastinum in Patients ‎Diagnosed with COVID-19: a Case Series with Review of Literature. ‎Academic Radiology, 28(11), 1586–1598. ‎
14. COVIDSurg Collaborative, & G. C. (2021). Timing of surgery following ‎SARS-CoV-2 infection: an international prospective cohort study. ‎Anaesthesia, 76(6), 748–758. ‎
15. Itani, R., Karout, S., Khojah, H. M. J., Jaffal, F., Abbas, F., Awad, R., ‎Karout, L., Abu-Farha, R., Kassab, M. B., & Mukattash, T. L. (2021). ‎Community Pharmacists’ Preparedness and Responses to COVID-19 ‎Pandemic: A Multinational Study. International Journal of Clinical ‎Practice, 75(9), e14421. ‎
16. COVIDSurg Collaborative, G. C. (2021). SARS-CoV-2 vaccination ‎modelling for safe surgery to save lives: data from an international ‎prospective cohort study. The British Journal of Surgery, 108(9), ‎‎1056–1061‎.
17. Mukattash, T. L., Jarab, A. S., Al-Qerem, W., Abu Farha, R. K., Itani, ‎R., Karout, S., Mukattash, I. L., & Basheti, I. (2021). Providing ‎pharmaceutical care during the COVID-19 pandemic: attitudes and ‎experiences of home-treated patients in Jordan. Journal of ‎Pharmaceutical Health Services Research, 12(2), 321–324. ‎
18. Soubra L, Karout S. Dispensing errors in Lebanese community pharmacies: incidence, types, underlying causes, and associated factors. Pharm Pract (Granada). 2021 Jan-Mar;19(1):2170. doi: 10.18549/PharmPract.2021.1.2170. Epub 2021 Mar 2. PMID: 33727991; PMCID: PMC7939114.
19. Itani, R., Karout, S., Khojah, H. M. J., Rabah, M., Kassab, M. B., Welty, F. K., AlBaghdadi, M., Khraishah, ‎H., El-Dahiyat, F., Alzayani, S., Khader, Y. S., Alyahya, M. S., Alsane, D., Rana, A.-F., Mukattash, T. L., ‎Soukarieh, T., Fawzi Awad, M., Awad, R., Wehbi, A., Karout, L. (2022). Diverging levels of COVID‑19 ‎governmental response satisfaction across middle eastern Arab countries: a multinational study. BMC ‎Public Health, 1–12.
20. Rana, A.-F., Itani, R., Karout, S., & Alefishat, E. (2022). Evaluation of Drug Use Pattern in Pediatric ‎Outpatient Clinics in a Tertiary Teaching Hospital Using WHO drug-prescribing Indicators. Journal ‎of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, 1–9.‎
21. Rana, A.-F., Alzoubi, K., Alkhawaldeh‎, R., Itani, R., Karout, S., & Mukattash, T. L. (2022). Home Delivery ‎of Medications Post COVID-19 Pandemic: Community Pharmacists’ Perspectives on the ‎Pros and ‎Cons of the Service ‎. Journal of the American Pharmacists Association‎. 
22. Tareq L Mukattash, Anan S Jarab, Walid Al-Qerem, Rana K Abu Farha, Rania Itani, Samar Karout, Ibrahim L Mukattash, Iman Basheti, Providing pharmaceutical care during the COVID-19 pandemic: attitudes and experiences of home-treated patients in Jordan, Journal of Pharmaceutical Health Services Research, Volume 12, Issue 2, June 2021, Pages 321–324.
23. Abu-farha, R., Alzoubi, K. H., Mukattash, T., Karout, S., Itani, R., ‎Nassar, R. I., & Barakat, M. (2023). Public perceptions about home ‎delivery of medications service in Lebanon : A cross-sectional survey. ‎Electronic Journal of General Medicine, 20(1), em430-37. ‎
24. Itani, N., Domiati, S., Karout, S., M J Khojah, H., Awad, R., & Itani, R*. (2022). Upscaling the ‎pharmacy profession: Knowledge and willingness of the Lebanese pharmacists to practice the ‎administration of dermal fillers. Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal, 30(11), 1543–1551.
25. Abu-Farha R, Alzoubi K, Rizik M, Karout S, Itani R, Mukattash TL, et al. Public ‎Perceptions about Home Delivery of Medication Service and Factors Associated with the ‎Utilization of this Service in Jordan. Patient Prefer Adherence. 2022;16:2259—2269.
26. Mukattash, T. L., Khairallah, K., Daradkeh, H., Jarab, A. S., Abu-Farha, ‎R., Nusair, M., Karout, S., & Itani, R. (2023). A qualitative ‎exploration of children’s willingness to take the COVID-19 vaccine ‎in Jordan. Journal of Applied Pharmaceutical Science, 1–6.‎
27. NIHR Global Health Unit on Global Surgery, & COVIDSurg ‎Collaborative. (2022). Articles Elective surgery system strengthening : ‎development , measurement , and validation of the surgical ‎preparedness index across 1632 hospitals in 119 countries. The ‎Lancet, 400, 1607–1617.
28. Gaba, F., Bizzarri, N., Kamfwa, P., Saiz, A., Blyuss, O., Paranjothy, S., ‎& Go SOAR Team. (2021). Determining post- ­ operative morbidity ‎and mortality following gynecological oncology surgery : protocol for ‎a multicenter , international , prospective cohort study ( Global ‎Gynaecological Oncology Surgical Outcomes Collaborative — GO ‎SOAR ). International Journal of G, 31(9), 1287–1291. ‎
29. Oral Contraceptive Pills Shortage Amidst the Economic Collapse in Lebanon. A Nationwide Exploratory Study. Itani R, Khojah HMJ, Karout S*, Abu-Farha R, Mukattash Tl, Rahme D, Houssary K, El-Achi H, Safar A, Al Hajj EK, El-Lakany. BMC Heath Services Research.
30. Deema Rahme, Rania Itani, Samar Karout, Hani MJ Khojah, and Abdalla El-Lakany. Community Pharmacists' Commitment to Preventive Measures during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Light of the Economic Crisis in Lebanon: A Simulated-Client Study. Journal of Public Health Research.

Research Grants:

Proposal submission and fund request to the CNRS (National Council for Scientific Research).

-To fund the study entitled “Nationwide Assessment of the Impact of the Economic Crisis and COVID-19 Pandemic on the Prevalence of Mental Disorders, Suicidal Ideation, and Substance Abuse in Vulnerable Population in Lebanon” (Primary Investigator).

Community Services:

  Health Promotion and Public Awareness:

Antibiotic Awareness Campaign 2019 (Rafik Hariri University Hospital in partnership with the International Committee of Red Cross).

-Participated, and supervised students in raising campaign aimed to increase awareness of antibiotic resistance and to encourage best practices among the public, health workers and policy makers to avoid the further emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance.

-Designed Comic Case Scenarios encountered in real life, about the irrational use of antibiotics and the consequences of their misuse. Senior students simulated the scenarios.

First Aid Awareness Campaign 2019 (Rafik Hariri University Hospital in partnership with the International Committee of Red Cross).

-Participated, organized, and supervised students in the raising campaign aimed to deliver knowledge of basic life support techniques for the patient’s family members that visited the hospital, and the hospital staff. 

World Pharmacists Day events 2016-2019:

- Every year, on the occasion of the “World Pharmacists Day” the Faculty organizes a patient care activity to serve the BAU community (Employers-Academic Staff-Students and their family members).

-Responsible for organizing, designing the event (Selection of topics, preparation of booth design ideas, and posters, patient education tools, selection and training of students, supervising and guiding students during the event.

-Supervisor of the Cardiovascular disease Booth, and the services provided every year fall in the following categories:

-Medication reviews, estimation of patient’s risks for cardiovascular events, screening for  Diabetes Mellitus II, Hypertension and dyslipidaemia through measurement of BP, FBG, A1C screening, and Lipid panel.

-Counselling sessions on patient’s medical condition, chronic medications and life style measurements. Contributed in the selection of senior pharmacy students to participate in the National COVID-19 vaccination program at Rafik Hariri University Hospital.

Delivered Conferences:                                                                                                

        -Judge in the LPSA Symposium: Patient Care activities. Beirut, Bristol Hotel– Aug 25, 2018.

        -Podcast: HIV and Ethical Issues, December 2021.