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Dina E. El-Metwally, MB,BCh, MS, PhD

Mary Gray Cobey Professor in Neonatology

Academic Title:

Professor

Primary Appointment:

Pediatrics

Administrative Title:

Division Head, Division of Neonatology

Additional Title:

Mary G. Cobey Endowed Professor of Pediatrics

Email:

dmetwally@som.umaryland.edu

Location:

110 S Paca, 8th Floor S-152

Phone (Primary):

410-328-6003

Phone (Secondary):

410-328-6716

Fax:

410-328-1076

Download CV

Education and Training

Certifications:

  • Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatrics.
  • Diplomate of ABP, Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine.
  • MS: Pediatrics. Visual Evoked Potentials.
  • PhD: Neuroscience. Neurodevelopment of VLBW with IVH.
  • MS. Health Professions Education.

Dr. El-Metwally completed her Pediatrics Residency and Fellowship in Neonatal-Perinatal-Medicine at the Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI in 2000. She graduated as the top of her class at the Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University (FOMSCU) in Egypt, where she pursued her initial training in Pediatrics and moved up the academic ladder to Professor at FOMSCU. She also had a fellowship in Neonatal Transport at the Hospital for Sick Children at the University of Toronto, Canada in 2007.

Biosketch

Dr. El-Metwally led the project of the new Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the Children's Hospital at University of Maryland Medical Center. The Drs. Rouben and Violet JiJi NICU is a 30 million-dollar, state of art and a cutting-edge technology; 52 single-family-room unit established on 37.6,000 sq. foot that was launched in 2015.

Dr. El Metwally also pursued a parallel career in medical education; she obtained Masters in Health Professions Education from Maastricht University, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences (FHML), Netherlands; jointly with FOMSCU in 2005. Presently, she is the planner for the Program Evaluation module in the Master’s program.  She worked with the World Health Organization (WHO) as a S-T consultant in Program Evaluation and Health-manpower Development S-T consultant. As well as other global organizations as the Higher Education Enhancement Projects HEEP funds/European Tempus, Nuffic-MUNDO-Capacity building at the Schools of Health Sciences, the Netherlands. Dr. El-Metwally was the founding Director of a Neonatology Fellowship Program at the KFAFH, Jeddah in 2008. She also, completed a fellowship in Medical Education at the Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER) Institute, ECFMG, Philadelphia, (FAIMER) in 2012.

Dr. El-Metwally received multiple awards and recognitions: Sheila Wallace Award by the International Child Neurology Association. Canada. 2006. Excellence in Education Award, JMHPW, Maastricht University/FOMSCU. 2011. Excellence in Teaching Award. Neonatal-perinatal Fellowship Program 2020. She has been named and featured in Baltimore Magazine. Top Doctors in 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020. Dr. El-Metwally was the first medical provider featured in JAMA for the efforts concerted by the NICU at UMSOM for withdrawing babies.

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2624331

Highlighted Publications

Neonatal Opioid Withdrawl Syndrome

  • Kadakia S, Isaiah A, El-Metwally D. Effects of semi-upright swings on vital signs in NICU infants. Pediatr Res. 2022 Jun 25. doi: 10.1038/s41390-022-02161-1. PMID: 35752692.
  • Parikh A, Gopalakrishnan M, Azeem A, Booth A, El-Metwally D. Racial association and pharmacotherapy in neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome. Journal Of Perinatology: Official Journal Of The California Perinatal Association. August 2019. doi:10.1038/s41372-019-0440-8.
  • Parikh AG, Gopalakrishnan M, El-Metwally D. Response to racial association and pharmacotherapy in neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome: thinking beyond genetics. Journal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal Association. February 2020. doi:10.1038/s41372-020-0618-0.
  • Alipio J; Brockett A; Fox M; Tennyson S; deBettencourt C; El-Metwally D; Francis N; Kanold P; Lobo M; Roesch M; Keller A, Enduring consequences of perinatal fentanyl exposure in mice. Addiction biology. March 2020:e12895. doi:10.1111/adb.12895.
  • El-Metwally DE. Commentary on salivary cortisol levels as a biomarker for severity of withdrawal in opioid- exposed newborns. Pediatric research. February 2020. doi:10.1038/s41390-020-0817-6.
  • Wijekoon N, Aduroja O, Biggs JM, El-Metwally D, Gopalakrishnan M. Model-Based Approach To Improve Clinical Outcomes In Neonates With Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome Using Real-World Data. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2020 Oct 29. doi: 10.1002/cpt.2093.  

 Environmental Toxicants and Exposure Modifications in the NICU  

  • Ronan K, Hughes Driscoll CA, Decker E, Gopalakridhnan M, El-Metwally D. Resource Utilization and Convallescent Care Cost in Neonatal Opioid Withdrawl Syndrome. Journal of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine. Accepted. October 9. 2022
  • Falck AJ, Mooney S, Kapoor SS, White KM, Bearer C, El Metwally D. Developmental exposure to environmental toxicants. Pediatr Clin North Am 2015;62:1173-1197.
  • El-Metwally D, Chain K, Stefanak MP, Alwis U, Blount B, LaKind JS, Bearer CF. Urinary metabolites of volatile organic compounds of infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. Pediatr Res. 2018 May 16. doi: 10.1038/pr.2018.52. PMCID: PMC6504844.
  • Aly SM, Omran B, Abdalla OM, El Metwally D, Gauliere J. Lead: a Hidden "Untested" Risk in Neonatal Blood Transfusion. Pediatr Res. 2019 Jan;85(1):50-54.
  • Falck AJ, Medina AE, Cummins- Oman J, El-Metwally D, Bearer CF. Mercury, lead, and cadmium exposure via red blood cell transfusions in preterm infants. Pediatric Research. October 2019. doi:10.1038/s41390- 019- 0635- x.
  • Stefanak MP, Al-Mudares F, El-Metwally D, Jones JW, Kane MA, Bearer CF. High concentrations of urinary ethanol metabolites in neonatal intensive care unit infants. Pediatr Res. June 2020; 10.1038/s41390-020-1020-5. doi:10.1038/s41390-020-1020-5
  • El-Metwally DE, Medina AE. The potential effects of NICU environment and multisensory stimulation in prematurity. Pediatric research. January 2020. doi:10.1038/s41390-019-0738-4.

 Quality Improvement Projects

  • Hughes Driscoll CA, Schub JA, Pollard K, El-Metwally D. A Wireless Text Messaging System Improves Communication for Neonatal Resuscitation. American Journal of Medical Quality. 2017 May;32(3):307-12. doi: 10.1177/1062860616650939
  • Peterson D, Hoffman SB, El-Metwally D, Martino-Gomez M, Chinta DR, Driscoll CH. Management of asymptomatic neonates born in the setting of chorioamnionitis: a safety comparison of the well-baby and intensive care setting. Journal of Perinatology. 2017 Nov;37(11):1236. doi: 10.1038/jp.2017.120
  • Driscoll CA, Davis NL, Miles M, El-Metwally D. A Quality Improvement Project to Improve Evidence-Based Inhaled Nitric Oxide Use. Respiratory care. 2018 Jan 1;63(1):20- 7. doi: 10.4187/respcare.05619
  • Hughes Driscoll CA, Cleveland M, Gurmu S, Crimmins S, El-Metwally D. Replacing Overhead Paging with Smartphones to Reduce Hospital Noise. Biomedical Instrumentation & Technology. 2020 Jul;54(4):251-7

Additional Publication Citations

  • Driscoll CA, Schub JA, Pollard K, El-Metwally D. A Wireless Text Messaging System Improves Communication for Neonatal Resuscitation . American Journal of Medical Quality. 2016. DOI: 10.1177/1062860616650939
  • Sundarajan S, Blatz A, Dearborn D, Varnes A, Bearer C, El-Metwally D. Toxic metal contamination of banked blood designated for neonatal transfusion. Journal of Clinical Toxicology 2015. 2015 Nov 9;2015.
  • Falck AJ, Mooney S, Kapoor SS, White KM, Bearer C, El Metwally D. Developmental exposure to environmental toxicants. Pediatr Clin North Am 2015;62:1173-1197
  • Driscoll CH, El Metwally D. A daily huddle facilitates patient transports from a neonatal intensive care unit. BMJ Quality Improvement Reports 2014;2014;3:u204753.w2003
  • El Metwally D, Azzam M, Abou Al-Seoud M. Medical professionalism adapted to faith and cultural beliefs. Med Educ 2012 May;46(5):524-5
  • El Metwally D. The lacking ingredient in accreditation. Accreditation and quality assessment. Education for Health 2005;24(2):22-23
  • El-Metwally D, Vohr B, Tucker R. Survival and neonatal morbidity at the limits of viability in the mid 1990: 22-25 weeks. J diatr 2000;137:616-22

Research Interests

  • Neonatal Opioid Abstinence Syndrome with emphasis on disparities and outcome. Dr. El-Metwally and UM collaborators received the Deans Challenge Award to expand their research in genomics and multi-OMICs in high risk populations to identify precision therapy.
  • NICU Environmental Toxicants and modification of noxious exposures.
  • Quality improvement projects to enhance patient safety was integral to her leadership role in the NICU. The Drs. Rouben and Violet NICU at the University of Maryland, School of Medicine received the Intelligent Healthcare Association (IHA) Award: Improving Patient Care and Health Deliver, by the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society in 2016.

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