Dr conrad fisher biography of rory davis

File consists of a letter

TouroCOM professor Dr. Conrad Fischer is a practicing physician who works in internal medicine, infectious diseases and palliative care. Aside from seeing patients and teaching med students, Dr. Fischer is also a theologian ordained as an interfaith minister and as a deacon of the Russian Orthodox Church, as well as the president of the Institute for Studies in Eastern Christianity.

Fischer is also the Oscar-nominated producer of the film Strangers at the Gate , for which he collaborated with co-producer, Malala. Fischer spoke to us about his passion for medicine, film and sharing the stories of those who have no voice. How and why did you get involved with the production of Strangers at the Gate? I had previously produced an off-Broadway play, Lost and Guided , about refugees coming to America.

My work in theatre intersects with medicine, conflict regions fancy term for war zones and refugees. I do not like that so many in America view refugees as beggars and "moochers" off of society. I grew up hearing the story of the voyage of the "Saint Louis", in which Jewish refugees from Europe were denied entry in Cuba and America in , and I made a pledge to myself that if refugees were denied entry again or discriminated against on the basis of religion, I would do something about it.

I then made a short film, Aleppo , about an immigrant Syrian American doctor. She is at the top of American society and then struggles with head trauma after returning from a trip to Syria to volunteer. This theatrical work was intended to change American thought about Syrians who are the religious 'other' for many and associated with terrorism, poverty and war.

Hence, it makes it easy to look away from the six million Syrian refugees living in tent camps. By telling the story of one doctor, one person, I hoped to lead people to care about the group. It was pretty amazing to get her interest in the film and it has been a game-changer.