Dr. Ida Amir is a highly experienced UK-trained ENT consultant specializing in otology, neurotology, and hearing implants at King’s College Hospital, London. After completing her specialist training (CCT) and FRCS in Scotland, Dr. Ida undertook an advanced fellowship in otology, neurotology, and cochlear implants in New Zealand. Prior to relocating to the UAE in September 2024, Dr. Ida Amir was a consultant ENT surgeon in the largest ENT unit in the UK in Glasgow, where he was also the otology lead for the North Glasgow region. Additionally, Dr. Ida has been actively involved in teaching and clinical research in her specialty. She was recently a principal investigator in the UK-wide Starfish trial for the Glasgow trial unit. Dr. Ida is also a GMC-accredited trainer and a faculty member for FRCS exam courses.
Thank you so much for your time today, Dr. Ida. Could you start by telling us about yourself, what you do, and your specialist training before you came to Dubai?
Thank you so much for having me here today. So, I am a consultant ENT surgeon, and I sub-specialize in otology, neuro-otology, and cochlear implant surgery. I graduated from Manchester University in 2005, almost 20 years ago. I did my specialist training in the east of Scotland, in Aberdeen, Dundee, and Edinburgh.
After I finished and got my CCT (Certificate of Completion of Training), which is equivalent to board certification. I went to Christchurch, New Zealand, to do an advanced international fellowship in otology, neuro-otology, cochlear implants, and lateral skull base surgery, and I worked there for another year. I then became an ENT consultant in Glasgow for just over 3 years before relocating to Dubai.
Why did you choose to relocate to Dubai?
Although the main drive was family and personal reasons, I was also seeking a place where I could not just continue my career but grow and develop professionally. With my background and specialist training, I was looking for somewhere where I could develop complex ear surgeries and continue to offer my expertise in hearing implant surgeries. And this is where you have been absolutely instrumental in helping me to achieve this, by helping me find the hospital best suited to my skills and experience.
How are you using your advanced training, skills, and experience here?
So, coming to Kings College Hospital London Dubai, it has been a steep learning curve, as now I am developing the complex ear surgery and hearing implant program and service from the ground up. However, the skills and experience I have gained so far throughout my training, fellowship, and as a consultant have helped tremendously because I have that background to build on in order to develop that service and also my professional career growth here.
What kind of conditions do you see and treat?
As a consultant ENT surgeon, I see patients of all ages, from newborns to the elderly. And I see a wide range of conditions. Particularly, given my subspecialty in otology, I see patients with ear, hearing, and balance problems. In my current practice here at King’s College Hospital, the patients are either self-referred or referred by colleagues. I have found that I have great collaborations with other specialties within the hospitals. You don’t work alone; you work as a team, whether or not it’s a team within your specialty or also with other specialties. So I refer patients who I feel require other specialist input, like neurology, neurosurgery, or even internal medicine, for example.
Are your patients mostly from Dubai or further afield?
In terms of the patient population, King’s College Hospital is well-renowned, and it’s international. Therefore, my patients are not just limited to Emirati citizens and expat residents but also come from the entire MENA region, the Middle East and Africa, and all over the world. The marketing team at King’s College is excellent. And for other specialties, for example, obstetrics and gynecology, the medical tourism aspect of it is very well established. So, in my specialty, I am in a very fortunate situation that we also get international inquiries about various ear procedures and hearing lines; for example, they come to King’s College to see me for a consultation.
When we spoke recently, you said that the clinical side of your work is one of the easiest parts of your relocation here, and the most challenging part is navigating working in a new system. Dr. Ida Amir, could you just share some insights about that?
During my career, I have moved to different countries and healthcare systems, and each time, I found that the clinical aspects were not much different. Also, because we’ve trained so hard for it with various exams and intensive training, the clinical aspect of it is something that you’re comfortable with; you know what to do. The challenging part is the environment that you go into because everything’s new—a new system and new people. You have to navigate various aspects of establishing your clinical practice, a new service, and getting to know the system and the patients.
When I first started work at Kings College Hospital in Dubai, my practice got very busy from day one. So it was a bit of a shock to the system because, at the same time, I was trying to develop the services, the program, and other things. So the first time I got into the operating theater here, I actually cried because I felt like I belonged; I was home. It’s something that I feel comfortable with. I think it will be similar for other doctors coming here because the doctors that you bring here to the UAE and to the Middle East are experienced clinicians, experts, and specialists in their fields. The challenge is mostly navigating that system here in the new environment.
How have you overcome the challenges of coming into a different system?
My colleagues have all been really supportive. Before coming here, I was a bit anxious about leaving a familiar system and place where I had trained. I had established a network within the UK, and in Scotland in particular. However, I feel very fortunate because my ENT colleagues at King’s College Hospital here are amazing; they have introduced me to other ENT surgeons working in the UAE, and I have gotten to know colleagues through various meetings and conferences. They’re not only very experienced and experts in their field, but they’re also welcoming and friendly.
In a short time I have found them to be not just my colleagues but also friends and mentors and my sounding board. They have really helped me settle in. They say this even in other areas: that you need to find your tribe and build your support network. I’m so impressed and feel really touched by the warm welcome I received from the other ENT surgeons, especially those who are experts in complex surgery and cochlear implants; they have welcomed me.
How do you and your family live in Dubai?
So far, it has been an absolutely positive experience. Before relocating to Dubai, we had only been here for a holiday. The children—I have two boys—have settled in amazingly well in school. When you are relocating with your family, the first thing that you need to think about is school. It’s really important to organize school places well before you come here; it’s paramount.
I got the kids’ school arranged well before I started work here. In fact, we arrived here for the kids to start school before I actually started work. I feel that you know, once the family is settled, Then you can go to work and be assured that they’re fine. They have thrived and have finished their first term here. My husband is also enjoying being here with the great opportunities that Dubai has to offer.
Dr. Ida Amir, How has your experience been working with Allocation Assist?
The experience has been great and amazing. Allocation assistance is like a professional matchmaking service in the healthcare industry. I still remember our first meeting. You didn’t ask me what kind of job I’m looking for. Instead, you asked me about myself, about the family, getting to know me, what inspires me, what motivates me, and what I’m looking for with this move. We talked about what I’m looking for in my career growth. You have been instrumental in connecting me with King’s College Hospital. You’re also passionate about the happiness of your clients. Making sure that it works well for both the doctors and the hospitals. It’s not just about me providing the service and them providing the facility; it is a partnership where we have common goals so that we can grow together.
And it is evident that you’re passionate and care about how that partnership goes. You’ve been instrumental in helping us to flourish in that relationship. Allocation Assist is not a recruitment service or agency. It’s not about, Oh, I need a job, and you’ll find me a job. It’s about matching our expertise—what it is that I can bring to the hospital and how I can grow and develop there. It’s also about the culture of the hospital and the aspirations of the doctor, whether or not they match the aims and the growth of that particular facility.
Thank you so much, Dr. Ida. I really care about the doctors we work with; you’re all such unique, talented, and hard-working people. I’m also passionate about the healthcare system in the UAE and the Middle East. I love this region so much.
Thank you so much. Thank you for bringing me here
