Ameen Ishak Ramzy

Born in London, England, Dr. Ramzy spent part of his early life in Egypt before his family emigrated to Topeka, Kansas where his father was invited to join the staff and faculty of The Menninger Foundation. Dr. Ramzy graduated from Northwestern University and the University of Nebraska College of Medicine (where he also completed his general surgery residency). He also completed a fellowship in traumatology at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland.

Dr. Ramzy dedicated his life to the emergency and critical care of patients with complex trauma, and the research to help save lives. From 1982 to 1992, he served as an attending trauma surgeon at the renowned R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center at the University of Maryland Medical Center.

Dr. Ramzy’s commitment to advancing emergency and trauma care extended well beyond the operating room. Dr. Ramzy spent part of the summer of 1982 as a volunteer trauma surgeon in Beirut, Lebanon, treating casualties of the 1982 Lebanon War. He assisted in the recovery efforts of the 1987 Amtrak train crash while serving as a volunteer fire surgeon with the Baltimore County Fire Department. He served as State Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Director for Maryland, and Deputy Director for the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems. Dr. Ramzy became a consultant in EMS and trauma systems internationally, including serving as a consultant for the World Health Organization for EMS in Bahrain in 1993. From 1994 to 2002, he served as Chief Fire Surgeon and Medical Director for the Baltimore County Fire Department.

Dr. Ramzy was recruited to Portland, Oregon by former Shock Trauma surgeon Bill Long, MD. Dr. Ramzy provided surgical and critical care at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center and ultimately became its Trauma Medical Director. He also served as Medical Director for Life Flight Network, which provides medical evacuation services throughout the region. While in Oregon, Dr. Ramzy also earned his MBA from the University of Oregon.

Dr. Ramzy is gratefully remembered for his compassion and profound commitment to the people he served, as well as for his contributions to the management of severe traumatic injuries. He was a dedicated physician, teacher, and advocate for emergency medical services. He was the author or coauthor on multiple publications, and delivered more than 200 presentations, sharing his expertise with audiences from around the world. Dr. Ramzy also appeared on the television series Trauma: Life in ER, bringing the realities of emergency trauma care to a broad audience.

Dr. Ramzy was a dedicated and beloved member of his church communities, serving as Clerk of Session and Elder at Second Presbyterian Church in Baltimore. He organized an annual Abrahamic Thanksgiving at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Portland, bringing together Christian, Jewish, and Muslim congregations to break bread and celebrate their communal faith heritage.

He made time to visit family worldwide. He also continued to enjoy music lifelong from his days of youth violin lessons, to his high school rock and roll band, and as a college student attending the Woodstock Festival. He enjoyed singing favorite hymns in Sunday church services, and delighted in the many musical performances brought to the Givens Aldersgate continuing care community where he lived his final years.

Dr. Ramzy is survived by his wife, Cynthia Ramzy; his children, Justin Ramzy, Hunter Ramzy, and Meghan Ramzy Southerland; his sisters, Dr. Nadia Ramzy and Dr. Merit Rome; and seven grandchildren. He was predeceased by his parents, Dr. Ishak and Theodora Ramzy.

A service and gathering to celebrate Dr. Ramzy’s life will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, September 4, at Second Presbyterian Church in Baltimore, Maryland. A reception at the church will follow the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made, if desired, to The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration at theaftd.org.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.mcewenminthillchapel.com for the Ramzy family.

McEwen Funeral Service-Mint Hill Chapel is honored to serve the family of Dr. Ameen Ramzy.