Dr. Batrash was the Chief of Staff/Chief Medical Officer of the Kansas City VA Medical Center (KCVAMC) since September 2014. Dr. Batrash first joined the Kansas City VA Medical Center in 2000 as an Internist and Geriatrician for Primary Care. In 2003, he established the Hospitalist section and was the section chief. He also served as the KCVAMC site program director for the University of Kansas Internal Medicine Residency Program from 2005 – 2010. Dr. Batrash served as the Chief of Medical Sub-Specialty Service for five years prior to becoming the Chief of Staff. He is a graduate of Damascus University Faculty of Medicine in 1993 and completed his Internal Medicine residency, Chief Residency, and Geriatric Medicine fellowship at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine. Dr. Batrash holds two board certifications in Internal Medicine and Geriatric Medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine and is a Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Kansas School of Medicine. He is a fellow of the American College of Physicians and a graduate of the VA Physician Leadership Development Program and is a recipient of the Leadership Excellence Award.