Dr. Emma Gardette is a highly skilled French and British consultant dermatologist with over 12 years of clinical experience in both France and the UK. Her special areas of expertise include complex inflammatory and connective tissue diseases, skin cancer treatment, and venereology. Dr. Gardette also has special interests in pediatric dermatology and in women’s health, managing hormone-related skin problems, such as those associated with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and menopause. Before relocating to Dubai in 2024, Dr. Emma Gardette worked at the Royal Free Hospital, where she led the world-renowned dermatology service for connective tissue diseases.
Really lovely to see you again, Dr. Emma. Thank you so much for your time. Would you give us a bit of background about yourself, your specialist training, and your experience before you relocated to Dubai? This interview with Dr. Emma Gardette is insightful.
I’m a French and British dermatology consultant. I trained and qualified as a dermatologist in Paris. Then, I moved to London, where I spent seven years before finally moving to Dubai a few months ago. I specialize in medical dermatology and complex inflammatory skin diseases. I led the UK’s National Reference Centre for Connective Tissue Disease at the Royal Free Hospital in London from 2021 to 2024.
The Royal Free Hospital Connective Tissue Disease Clinic is one of the biggest centers for connective tissue diseases in the world, especially for scleroderma. I also treated diseases such as lupus and dermatomyositis. I also have specific training in skin cancer screening and treatment, genital dermatology, and complex inflammatory dermatology from my training in Paris.
Over the years, I also developed a deeper interest in pediatric dermatology and facial dermatitis, like female adult acne or rosacea, from my busy private practice in London. Notably, this interview with Dr. Emma Gardette sheds light on her extensive expertise.
Do the patients or conditions you see and treat in Dubai differ from where you have worked previously?
I would say that the diseases and the conditions themselves are overall the same. I think the difference lies in the multicultural diversity of both patients and the medical workforce. So I literally see patients from all over the world. So, expectations and ways of being treated vary between nationalities and individual patients. Dubai is a melting pot with people coming here from all over the world. I do see a lot of resistant strains of bacterial and fungal infections, which is quite new to me, coming from Europe. So I’m just trying to adapt to it in my daily practice.
What support have you received as you have settled into your new role here?
The hospital where I work, the NMC Specialty Hospital Dubai Investment Park, is very big. I have received a lot of support from colleagues. I also have two other great dermatology colleagues in the department. The whole NMC group is quite big and supportive.
After practicing in the UK and France, why did you decide to relocate to Dubai?
Last year, I had my second kid, and coincidentally, at the same time, my husband changed jobs. I was on maternity leave when he was on garden leave at the same time, so we thought that it was the perfect opportunity for a new adventure for our family. Dubai quickly came to the top of our list. First, I think we were quite surprised by the quality of job opportunities you can get here. This certainly adds to the context of the interview with Dr. Emma Gardette.
For me, here my French medical diploma is recognized here for me to work as a full dermatology consultant, which was not the case in the UK. The quality of schools here is great. We’re very happy with our daughter’s international school. Being French and coming from London, we wanted an English-speaking and multicultural environment for our kids. When you combine this with the lack of income taxes, advantages, and safety, then Dubai ticks a lot of boxes.
What’s your favorite thing about living and working here in Dubai?
Since I moved to Dubai, my quality of life has improved so much. It’s much easier to get childcare and help with the daily house chores. For a mom of two young kids, it makes such a big difference in your life. Somehow, my mental load has lessened, although I work longer hours in the hospital, because you get much more help on the side. I’m very fortunate to live close to the beach. I’m so grateful for the sun all year long, despite the harsh summer months. I think it makes a big difference in my mental well-being. Dubai is also so convenient. The interview with Dr. Emma Gardette also touches on her personal life and adaptability.
How was your experience working with Allocation Assist?
When I first contacted you, Emilie – that was about a year ago – my baby was only a few weeks old, and I was surviving on a few hours of sleep every day. We were just starting to think about Dubai. But I was finding the thought of going through the whole DHA licensing and finding a position really daunting. I had never set foot in Dubai before, and I had no idea how the system worked. I didn’t know anyone. Allocation Assist was such a big game-changer. To be honest, without you, Emilie, I don’t think the move to Dubai would have been possible. This interview with Dr. Emma Gardette highlights the importance of support during her transition.
Thank you, Emma. Thank you so much.
