Dr. Habal received his undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences from Southern Illinois
University at Carbondale followed by graduate coursework in Molecular Biology. He
earned his MD degree in 2003 from St. Matthews University School of Medicine where
he continued his research on tropical infections.
In 2004, Dr. Habal moved to Damascus, Syria where he became involved in the management
of tuberculosis patients in addition to participating in the development of the medical
education curriculum for several academic institutions in the country.
Prior to joining PCOM, Dr. Habal held an Appointment at Xavier University School of
Medicine as an Associate Professor of Medical Microbiology and Immunology.
Dr. Habal's interest in Dengue fever took him to Aruba where he observed the changing
pattern in the incidence of Dengue virus infections and its vectors. Other ongoing
research interests include Syndromic surveillance and the management of infectious
disease outbreaks.
Dr. Habal is currently authoring a comprehensive USMLE study guide and a Medical Microbiology
review guide.
Dr. Habal is a member of the American Society for Microbiology, the international association of medical science educators, the collaborative family healthcare association and the global alliance for medical education.