Al Muderis, Munjed (1972-…), is an Iraqi-born Australian orthopedic surgeon and human rights activist. Orthopedics is a branch of medicine that deals with disorders of the bones and muscles and their associated tissues . Al Muderis is known for pioneering artificial limb surgery to replace limbs lost to injury, disease, or birth defect.
Al Muderis was born on Jun. 25, 1972, in Baghdad , Iraq . He studied medicine at Baghdad University from 1991 to 1997. In 1999, he fled from Iraq to Australia after refusing orders to mutilate Iraqi soldiers by cutting their ears. The soldiers were being punished for deserting the army under the regime of the Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein . Upon arrival in Australia, Al Muderis was detained as a refugee at the Curtin Detention Centre in Western Australia for 10 months.
Al Muderis worked in several medical centers in Australia after his release. By 2008, he had completed his training as an orthopedic surgeon in the Australian Orthopaedic Training Program. He began a private practice in 2010. Al Muderis specializes in surgery for hip, knee, and lower limb replacement. He helped pioneer a surgery called osseointegration, which involves the use of special techniques to join and fit artificial limbs to bone in patients. Limbs carefully fitted in this way can help patients participate in most everyday activities. Al Muderis’s patients include many Australian and British soldiers injured while serving in the Iraq War (2003-2011).
Al Muderis has worked with Amnesty International , the Red Cross , and other organizations involved in refugee policy. His memoir Walking Free (2014) recounts his experiences leaving Iraq for Australia and becoming a leading surgeon.
