About Dr. Roula Merheb Melki

Dr. Roula Merheb Melki is a pediatrician and neonatologist in Beirut. She cares for premature babies, sick newborns and children of every age.

Training

She studied medicine at Saint Joseph University in Beirut from 2001 to 2008. She began her pediatrics training at Hôtel-Dieu de France, the university hospital of Saint Joseph University. In 2011 she moved to Cleveland, in the United States. She trained there for five more years in pediatrics and neonatology. She completed her fellowship in 2016.

She is an instructor in neonatal resuscitation for the American Academy of Pediatrics. She also teaches pediatric advanced life support for the American Heart Association.

In the hospital

In April 2018 she joined Hôtel-Dieu de France in Beirut. She coordinates its neonatal intensive care unit. She also directs the neonatal intensive care unit at Baabda Governmental Hospital.

Her focus is premature babies, born before 35 weeks of pregnancy. She also cares for babies born too small for their term.

In the clinic

Dr. Merheb Melki also sees children in her general pediatrics practice. She follows premature babies long after they leave the hospital. This follow-up finds the after-effects of prematurity early, while they are easier to treat.

Teaching and research

Dr. Merheb Melki teaches at the Faculty of Medicine of Saint Joseph University. She teaches courses on breastfeeding, on the newborn gut microbiome, on pediatric emergencies and on the newborn’s first hours of life. She trains residents and nurses in neonatal resuscitation.

Her research has looked at nutrition, breast milk and kidney care in very premature babies. It has been published in medical journals and presented at international meetings.