Dr. Fadi Bakal is a consultant plastic, reconstructive, & aesthetic surgeon with special interests in oncoplastic and cosmetic breast surgery and aesthetic and reconstructive facial surgery. Dr. Fadi Bakal completed his specialist training in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Austria and has also gained additional training and experience in Argentina and the UK. Doctor Fadi is triple board-certified in Belgium and the Netherlands and is a Fellow of the European Board of Plastic, Reconstructive, & Aesthetic Surgery (FEBOPRAS). In October 2024, Dr. Fadi relocated from Belgium to take up a consultant post at the prestigious American Hospital Dubai.
It is great to see you, Dr. Fadi. We are looking forward to hearing about your experience of relocating to work at American Hospital Dubai. Can you start by talking about your training and experience before you relocated to the UAE?
Sure, I’m a western-trained, triple-board certified consultant plastic surgeon. I completed my specialist training in Holland, Belgium, and Austria. then I did my medical school in Belgium and general surgical training in the Netherlands, after which I did the plastic surgery training program residency in Brussels. I then went to Vienna, Austria, for an aesthetic plastic surgery fellowship to increase my skills in this area. After that, I worked for a couple of years as a consultant in Belgium before relocating full-time to Dubai, UAE.
Could you just tell us a little bit more about why you chose to move to Dubai?
There are multiple reasons, actually. Dubai has been growing and expanding year after year in all aspects and sectors, especially in the medical field. I recognized how Dubai is progressing and achieving its vision to become a global medical hub. It is a great place that provides opportunities to healthcare professionals who want to grow exponentially and provide the best quality of patient care. That aspect attracted me a lot because my approach to my patients is also like that, and I want to grow exponentially. So here, it feels immediately like you’re in a country of opportunities. It’s the beloved UAE, beloved Dubai.
You are still relatively new to Dubai; how has the experience been so far?
I’m new here professionally, but I’ve known Dubai actually for several years as a tourist. I have always loved the city, but of course, it’s a different experience when you work full-time here in Dubai. But it’s actually still an amazing experience. Dubai already feels like home.
When I started at American Hospital Dubai, I had the opportunity to present myself as a new physician in the team—in the family, actually, as they call it here. I did a huge presentation of my work back then in Europe, showing them my skills and what training I had so that we could work together to provide the care that is necessary for the patients of the American Hospital.
Could you just speak a little bit more about your specialist areas of interest?
Yes. My main scope of plastic surgery is facial and breast surgery. For the face, I do plastic aesthetic surgeries ranging from eyelid surgery to facelift and neck lift, as well as correction of protruding ears. On the reconstructive facial surgery side, I get a lot of referrals from the dermatologist.
Our plastic surgery clinic is actually in the same building, on the same floor as the dermatologist. So we get a lot of referrals from them for patients with skin cancer or moles that need to be excised and removed. For the breasts, I do all the breast aesthetics, from breast augmentation, breast reduction, and the mummy makeover that also includes the abdominoplasty (tummy tuck). I also do total breast reconstruction after breast cancer, which is a very important issue nowadays.
We can provide full care from oncoplastic to free flap breast reconstruction, which means actually you’re doing a tummy tuck in a one-stage procedure together with creating whole new breasts. This type of surgery is very important as it can provide better self-confidence and self-image for female patients who have experienced breast cancer. American Hospital Dubai’s Centre of Complex Cancer Surgery Care is a leading center in the UAE and the region.
Can you share your experience of the relocation process and why you chose to work with Allocation Assist?
Yes, I think the first time we met in person was at the ICOPLAST conference in Dubai, after the teleconference meeting that we had. I choose Allocation Assist because it’s a company that is honest, transparent, and consistent. With your resilience and patience, we worked well together; it was a great match. You listened to what I had to say, to my preferences and desires, and you tried actually in every corner to match that. You were always very direct and honest, and that’s much appreciated.
It has been an absolute pleasure working with you, Dr. Fadi. Thank you for sharing your experience of working in the beloved UAE.
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