Mercy Ships has announced the appointment of Sherif Emil, MD, CM, FACS, FRCS, FAAP as its new International Chief Medical Officer (ICMO), effective January 1, 2025.
Dr. Emil has been serving as as Mercy Ships’ Pediatric Surgery Specialty Consultant since the establishment of the vital role in 2018. He will continue in this position, serving as a pediatric surgeon on the Ships during field services. In the ICMO role, he will be based in Montreal, where he is also Professor of Pediatric Surgery at McGill University and a pediatric surgeon at the Montreal Children’s Hospital of the McGill University Health Centre, travelling to different sites as needed.
Dr. Emil’s roots in global health go back to his childhood when his parents practised as physicians in rural Nigeria. He has been engaged in global surgery service and education for the last 25 years. Earlier this year, he was honoured with the Don Meier Surgical Humanitarian Award by the American Pediatric Surgical Association.
Since April 2018, he has been an active member of the Mercy Ships Canada Advisory Board and previously served on the Board of Directors for Mercy Ships Canada from October 2014 to April 2018.
Dr. Emil’s dedication to Mercy Ships’ mission shines through his passion for working aboard its ships. Since 2016, he has volunteered as a pediatric surgeon on the Africa Mercy and the Global Mercy, performing surgeries during various field services in Madagascar, Benin, Cameroon, Guinea, Senegal, and most recently, in Freetown, Sierra Leone. He has also been an outspoken advocate for Mercy Ships throughout the surgical community in North America.
Dr. Emil will succeed Dr. Mark Shrime, MD, MPH, Ph.D., FACS who has served as Mercy Ships ICMO since September 2022. Mercy Ships extends its heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Shrime for his dedication and invaluable contributions to its mission. Dr. Shrime will continue to serve Mercy Ships as a volunteer surgeon on its ships.
Mercy Ships is confident Dr. Emil will bring his passion, faith, and years of expertise to this role, advancing its mission to provide hope and healing for those who need it most.