Dr. Bala's clinical and research experience in trauma care started in 2001 while he was a second year surgical resident at the Hadassah Medical Center and was first exposed to trauma surgery. Since then trauma surgery has become a major topic of his investigations and a main subspecialty.
During his period of residency in general surgery at Hadassah Medical Center, he took care of and was involved in the management of hundreds of casualties that arrived at our Trauma Center following terrorist attacks. On the basis of his experiences, he helped to first introduce the civilian protocol for the management of mass casualty incidents MCIs and showed his team's high success rate in saving life by fully utilizing the limited resources available in civilian hospitals. He was able to summarize this experience in a number of recently published papers relating to different aspects of MCI management, for the first time assessed in terms of ICU need and blood use during the MCI (Published in Injury and European Journals). He summarized his data from hundreds of victims suffering from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) related to terrorist attacks in an article published in the Journal of Trauma.
Collection of this data is an ongoing project, for which he works in close collaboration with a psychological group in his hospital. The importance of these studies has been demonstrated in real-time and he have been invited as an expert speaker and guest lecturer to a number of teaching courses and conferences around the world.
Lastly, he is active in National Homeland Security committee for disaster preparedness, where he works on preparedness for earthquake and chemical disaster on hospital and national levels.
Other topics of special interest:
Yale School of Medicine
Associate Chief
Section of Cardiovascular Medicine
Investigator
Center for Outcomes Research and Investigation
New Haven, CT
Nihar R. Desai, MD, MPH is an Associate Professor of Medicine and Associate Chief of the Section of Cardiovascular Medicine at Yale University School of Medicine, an Investigator at the Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, and Medical Director for Value Innovation at the Yale New Haven Health System Heart and Vascular Center. His interests focus on cardiovascular health services and comparative effectiveness research, examining patterns of care, identifying opportunities to improve clinical outcomes, and evaluating the impact of novel care delivery systems on cost and quality. In addition, he serves as a clinical consultant on the CMS acute myocardial infarction, heart failure, and coronary artery bypass graft surgery readmission and mortality measures. He graduated with highest honors from Lehigh University before completing an internship in the Clinton White House. He then attended the University of Connecticut School of Medicine where he received his Doctorate in Medicine and the Harvard School of Public Health where he received his Master’s in Public Health. Dr. Desai completed his residency training in Internal Medicine as well as his clinical fellowship in Cardiovascular Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. He then completed a research fellowship at the TIMI Study Group with Dr. Eugene Braunwald. His scholarly work has been published in New England Journal of Medicine, Journal of the American Medical Association, Circulation, and the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Our staff can assist you with all your travel arrangements.
| DATE | PORT OF CALL | ARRIVE | DEPART |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu Jun 20 | Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy |
- | 8:00 pm |
| Fri Jun 21 | Naples, Italy |
7:00 am | 8:00 pm |
| Sat Jun 22 | *At Sea - Cruising |
- | - |
| Sun Jun 23 | Barcelona, Spain |
5:00 am | 6:00 pm |
| Mon Jun 24 | Palma De Mallorca, Spain |
8:00 am | 4:00 pm |
| Tue Jun 25 | *At Sea - Cruising |
- | - |
| Wed Jun 26 | La Spezia, Italy |
8:30 am | 8:30 pm |
| Thu Jun 27 | Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy |
7:00 am | - |
Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy - Extraordinary architecture, millennia of turbulent history, magnificent basilicas concealing unimaginable riches, and ornate fountains splashing at the heart of sun-drenched piazzas are just some of the many reasons to visit Rome. Art greets you on every corner, from elaborate statues to delicate frescoes. Stroll the ancient center and history comes to life as you explore the Colosseum, the Pantheon and the Roman Forum. Enjoy Italian café culture in Trastevere, where you can wander the narrow streets and soak up a sense of la dolce vita, or throw a coin into the baroque Trevi Fountain to guarantee your return to this vibrant, intoxicating city.
Naples, Italy - Capital of Southern Italy, the largest city of Campania, Naples is the third most populated city in Italy (after Rome and Milan), with over a million inhabitants, and is the most important industrial center and trading port for the South. Naples itself can provide a day's fun and entertainment, if its somewhat rundown appearance doesn't dissuade you. Or, join a tour of incredible Pompeii, frozen in time since A.D. 79 when Mt. Vesuvius brought an end to that then-thriving city. Or, take a quick ferry across the bay to the flowery Isle of Capri. Or, (yes, there's more) visit fabulous Sorrento, vacation spot for the well to do.
At Sea - Cruising - Cruising
Barcelona, Spain -
Barcelona is a one of the world's great cities. Stroll down her tree-lined boulevards, the magnificent Passeig de Gràcia or the more touristed Las Ramblas. On the Passeig, shop a serious fashion district while marveling at examples of Mordenisme architecture, seemingly sculpted from the stuff of dreams (Gaudi's masterpiece of a family home, Casa Batlló is well worth a visit). If a trip on the Passeig hasn't convinced you of Gaudi's genius, a visit to La Sagrada Familia Cathedral will do the trick; this fantastic, soaring marvel will live on in your memory long after you've returned.
Not far from the Passeig and just north of Las Ramblas, the Gothic Quarter (the Barri Gotic) provides an abundance of shopping opportunities for all tastes, and a bit of European history to boot - check out the tranquil Cathedral of Barcelona. To see a bit of local life a visit to a food market is a quick, fun detour: try Santa Caterina near the Cathedral or Mercado de La Boqueria, right off of Las Ramblas.
Barcelona's food is also a highlight: stop into a tapas bar and try a variety of delicacies. "Standard" restaurants of every style are available, too. And, there's music, too! Visit an underground jazz club or the magnificent Palau de la Música Catalana; or stop by the Palau Dalmases for a stunning, flamenco performance (it's near the Picasso museum). Did we mention art? One of the largest collections of Picasso's art is found at the Museau Picasso, and a great collection of contemporary, figurative (i.e not abstract) painting and sculpture is housed at the European Museum of Modern Art just around the corner.
It's probably clear by now that you really can't get it all done in a day (even if all means "just the must-sees"). So, stay for a day or three in the Gothic Quarter or near Plaça de Catalunya and really get a feel for what makes Barcelona such a wonderful place. Partly it's the result of the "accidents" of its history and present: as the regional capital of Spain's prosperous Catalunya region, Barcelona has a "flavor" that is a bit of a mix between Spanish and French (it's located quite close to the French border). Yes, you can practice your Spanish here - it attracts Spaniards from throughout the country - but you'll also see and hear Catalan with it's own charm. You won't regret your time here.
Palma De Mallorca, Spain - The Spanish island of Mallorca offers towering mountains and dramatic cliffs rising over clear, blue water — but its hidden gem is Palma de Mallorca, the island's capital and largest city, where you'll find quaint historic streets, Gothic castles and gastronomic delights. Cruise to Palma de Mallorca and check out one-of-a-kind Palma Cathedral: The 14th-century Gothic spires of exterior contrast the modernist interior designed by in the early 1900s by Gaudi. See the circular courtyard and Arab-inspired arches of Castell de Bellver, and take in the fresh scent of the miles of pine forest that surround it. Or rent bikes and pedal east to Palma Beach, where you can soak in the sun on the white sands and clear waves.
La Spezia, Italy - La Spezia, Italy is a lovely Ligurian town not far from some of Italy’s most attractive sites, including Florence, Pisa, Cinque Terra and even Genoa. It is an ideal port of call for an overnight stay, depsite not being well-known outside Italy.
Historically, La Spezia was a prominent trade center during the Roman Empire. Today it remains not only one of Italy’s busiest port towns, but also home to the country’s largest naval base. As a cruise port, La Spezia is convenient, centrally located and a little underrated. This is the region reputed to make the world's best olive oil; be sure to try a local focaccia to see for yourself.
The Cinque Terre are merely a short train trip from Stazione La Spezia Centrale (no roads), making it easy to explore the port of call and surrounding areas in a day or half-day excursion. Florence, home of the Renaissance, is just two hours away;start your day on the coast of the Ligurian Sea and end the day looking up in awe at the Gothic-style Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. Genoa is also well within reach, a little closer than Florence really, and is a quite beautiful city.
Our staff can assist you with all your travel arrangements.
Questions? Call us at 800-422-0711.