Rana Bitar was born and raised in Damascus, Syria. She immigrated to the United States after graduating from Aleppo University School of Medicine in 1990. Rana completed her internal medicine training in 1995 at Monmouth Medical Center in NJ; and her subspecialty training in hematology and oncology in 1998 at Lenox Hill Hospital in NYC. She is currently in private practice in Upstate New York where she lives with her husband, Joseph and two children, Jad and Enana.

In addition to her medical practice, she is a published writer and poet. In January 2017, she earned her Master’s Degree in English and Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. Her poetry has appeared in  The Deadly Writers Patrol journal,  DoveTales journal,  Earthen Lamp Journal,  Pittsburgh Poetry Review,  Magnolia Review, and  El Portal journal. Her Poetry chapbook  A Loaf Of Bread was published by  Unsolicited Press, January 2019. Rana writes in both English and Arabic.

She has spoken at several conferences and workshops. Rana has read in both, poetry houses settings, cafes and university settings. Some of the places she’s read at are: Colombia Presbyterian Medical Center, Rooklyn International Football Association, Nuyorican Poet Café and Rayan’s daughter in NYC, Collar Works Gallery for Article 13 Project in Troy, NY, Refugee and Immigrant Support Services of Emmaus in Albany, NY, and Burlington and Montpelier in Vermont.