Dr. Bahram Sina, MD transitioned to a heavenly place on February 22, 2021. Bahram would have been 93 years old on May 28 of 2021. His life was incredible both professionally and personally. He left a legacy of a Lectureship Program to be given annually at University of Maryland School of Medicine’s Department of Dermatology. His other great legacy was a marriage of nearly 50 years to Pari and 4 children: Mahine, Soraya, Abbas, and Shaida; 4 grandchildren: Maxime, Daniel, Raven, and Amanda; 3 great grandchildren: Adele, Camille, and Ren. His generosity sponsored many people to be able to move from Iran during a time of turmoil to become American citizens. He will be greatly missed by many!

Education and Significant life events:

• Graduate of University of Tehran Medical School
• Continued his medical degree at Faculte de Medicine in Paris
• Graduated from the University of Paris Sorbonne  
• Residency in Dermatology Saint Louis Hospital in Paris under Dr. Alfred Degos
• Married Eveline and had a beautiful daughter Mahine
• Was given sponsorship to become a doctor in the US and repeated residency at Bellevue Hospital and New York University when he met and married Pari, they had 2 children and later 1 more
• Chief Resident year was spent at The Skin and Cancer Hospital run by Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
• Medical Career:
  • Dermatology practice in Maryland having 3 offices Baltimore, Linthicum, and Laurel (1960-1990)
  • Lutheran Hospital (1960-1989)
  • University of Maryland (1962-2016)
  • Georgetown University School of Medicine (1998-2009)
  • Dr. Sina is the author of thirty-eight peer-reviewed publications, eleven abstracts, one book chapter and eight letters to the editor
  • He received numerous awards during his prodigious academic career including:
    • Certificate of Recognition by Lutheran Hospital in 1975
    • The James Burk-Zola Cooper Memorial Clinicopathology Award in 1983
    • Certificate of Recognition by University of Maryland in 2002
    • Emeritus status in the University of Maryland Department of Medicine 2009
• Associations / Memberships:
  • French Board of Dermatology since 1955
  • American Board of Dermatology since 1962
  • American Board of Dermatopathology since 1975

Personal Notes on Bahram:

Bahram grew up in a small mountain town of Iran. He had a deep love of family and physical fitness. While in medical school in Tehran, he played discus and swam for the Iranian Olympic team. He gave up his aspiration of going to the Olympics to attend university in Paris. His love for discus and swimming continued till his late 80’s. He enjoyed taking care of his 56 acre farm in Cockeysville, MD. He enjoyed traveling with Pari all around the world exploring and swimming!

Here are some excerpts from his memoirs:

“We are the descendants of the ZAND family. They were mountain men living in the west of Iran. Karim Khan Zand the head of the tribe was the King (Shah of Iran) before the QAJAR dynasty. Most of the Zand family moved to a small village near Asak. The village Tafresh is located in a mountain area to lie safe from the QAJAR kings. 

“My father (Abdollah) was born in Tafresh in 1886. He studied Farsi’s literature and the Arabic language. He migrated to Tehran, the capital of Iran. He was employed as a clerk in the foreign ministry. A few years later he went to medical school and immediately was employed by the Iranian army with the rank of Soltan (Captain). 

“My father, Abdollah had two offices in the town of Broogherd. He trained his wife Fatema Sina to be a midwife. I was destined to become a physician.

“Interestingly, during the reign of the Pahlavi dynasty, my father Abdollah had to choose a last name. He came from the clan Zand. His wife Fatema came from the clan Sina. It is said that the Sina clan goes back to Avicenna, so with a deep heart for medicine, he chose his wife’s clan name.

“I was born in Kashan on May 28, 1928. Dr. Abdollah Sina at the age of 20 married Fatem, who was 14 years old. She became pregnant 12 times and delivered 12 babies. 6 of my siblings died from gastroenteritis (diarrhea) or other infectious diseases. I recall the death of my brother Abbas at the age of 7. I was only 5 years old at the time of this great tragedy in our family. She had 5 sons; Mohammad Ali, Hussein, Hassan, Hushan, Bahram and a daughter Mahine.

“I am Bahram and the youngest of male children. My sister Mahine was 2 years younger than I. Unfortunately, my siblings are all deceased. I lost my sister 2 years ago. I lost my brother Hassan last year at the age of 96. Since his death I feel alone.”

• Bless you, Daddy. Now you are all reunited.