Dr Lisa Sharkey is a distinguished and dedicated UK-trained Consultant Gastroenterologist with a subspecialty in Intestinal Rehabilitation and Transplant. Following her graduation with first-class honors from The University of Cambridge Medical School, Dr. Lisa completed her specialty and subspecialty training in Cambridge and the East of England. In 2015, she was appointed as a Consultant at the renowned Addenbrooke’s Hospital, part of Cambridge University Hospitals, where she spearheaded the highly successful Intestinal Transplant program.
Dr Lisa is a leader in her field, speaking at international conferences, and has published extensively on intestinal failure and rehabilitation. She is a council member of the International Intestinal Rehabilitation and Transplant Association (IRTA), a member by invitation of NNedPro Global Institute for Food, Nutrition and Health, and the International Academy of Nutrition Educators.
Dr Lisa was also a Nutrition representative to the British Society of Gastroenterology Training Committee for over five years. In her new role, Dr Sharkey has been appointed as an Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor for Gulf Medical University in the United Arab Emirates.
In October 2023, Dr Lisa Sharkey relocated to King’s College Hospital in Dubai. It was great to catch up with Dr Lisa and hear how she is using her specialist expertise for the benefit of patients coming from the UAE and the surrounding regions.
Can you tell us about your gastroenterology training and how you decided on this specialty?
I grew up in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and I moved to Cambridge for medical school. During my foundation training, I was thinking of doing respiratory medicine. I had not had a lot of exposure to gastroenterology until the final placement. Just before deciding on which specialty to apply for, I did a gastroenterology job where my trainer was a brilliant female gastroenterologist who became a mentor to me.
She wanted to encourage more women consultants into the specialty, and she inspired me to change my mind and put Gastro as my first choice. I did my gastroenterology specialist registry training in Cambridge and the East of England region, where I received excellent mentorship and wide-ranging experience in all aspects of gastroenterology. Following this, I did a Research Fellowship in Intestinal Failure and Transplant, also in Cambridge.
My research was on intestinal failure-associated liver disease (IFALD), for which I have now written the latest edition of the clinical guidelines in the UK. I am grateful to have had great mentors, and, following my subspecialty training, I was appointed as a Consultant in General Gastroenterology, Intestinal Failure, and Intestinal Transplant in Cambridge. I
I was in this post for 8.5 years, where I was also the medical lead for the National Intestinal Transplant Program and part of the Intestinal Rehabilitation team, caring for a large number of patients with intestinal failure.
What is intestinal failure, and how did you become interested in this niche area?
Intestinal failure occurs when there is insufficient gut function to be able to digest and absorb food. This may be due to short bowel syndrome, where large parts of the bowel have been surgically removed due to a serious disease or major traumatic injury. Also, some congenital conditions may cause babies to be born with a short or damaged small intestine.
During my training, I recognized the need for specialized clinical nutrition support for patients with a range of complex medical problems, including those with more severe gastrointestinal, liver, or kidney diseases, as well as some cancer and surgical patients. These patients may require either enteral feeding through a tube into the stomach or small intestine or parenteral nutrition through an IV line into a vein.
Patients with intestinal failure may also require rehabilitation or an intestinal transplant. Intestinal failure is relatively rare, and these patients require highly specialized care from an experienced multidisciplinary team. It is also an area of ongoing research that I have been privileged to contribute to.
Why did you decide to relocate to Dubai, and to King’s College Hospital in particular?
After 25 years in one place, I felt the need for a change and a new challenge. In 2020, I had planned to take a sabbatical to go to Singapore, where they were setting up a new intestinal transplant programme. However, the COVID pandemic intervened, and I was unable to go.
When travel opened up again after the pandemic, I started to think about Dubai. I had visited Dubai some years previously and loved it. I started communicating with Emilie and the team at Allocation Assist, who were extremely helpful. My brother had some friends living in Dubai, and so we visited for a holiday and had a brilliant time. On that trip, I was also able to explore options for working here.
King’s College Hospital (KCH) in Dubai was the right fit for me. It has strong links with the King’s College Hospital in London, which made the adjustment easier, coming from the UK. It is a great place to work. In addition to the main hospital, I do consultations once a week at one of KCH Dubai’s medical centers in Dubai Marina. All the staff are brilliant, so friendly, and cheerful, and nothing is too much trouble. The hospital management and Chief Medical Officer have been so supportive, especially when I suggested setting up a service for patients with intestinal failure here.
We have a highly skilled and experienced multidisciplinary team for the management of intestinal failure, including gastroenterologists, surgeons, radiologists, dietitians, and nursing staff. Complex combined surgery for liver transplants is also available at KCH Dubai. It is very rewarding to be able to improve the lives of those affected by intestinal failure, both those living in the UAE and those coming from other countries where such a service is not available.
Have you found any differences working here compared to the UK?
My clinical practice is broadly the same. The more common conditions I see are bloating, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Crohn’s disease, colitis, and coeliac disease. I also tend to see a greater number of acute problems, such as gastrointestinal infections or traveler’s diarrhea, here, as patients can book a consultation directly with a specialist rather than going through their general practitioner (GP), as in the UK. Patients have a wide choice of healthcare providers here, but there is a high demand for my specialty, and I soon became very busy.
KCH Dubai has an excellent reputation for quality of care and highly trained specialists, many of whom have also come from the UK. Of course, there were some challenges initially, such as getting used to the insurance system here. However, my colleagues were all very helpful, and I soon learned how to provide the necessary evidence for insurance pre-approvals and how to deal with any rejections or queries.
Dubai is extremely international, and in just one day, I can have patients from 12 different countries walk through my door. This calls for adaptability and good communication skills, but I feel that this is beneficial for personal growth. There are also opportunities to get involved in health promotion and awareness campaigns. We participated in activities for Coeliac Awareness Month in May. This is particularly important, as it is estimated that 60 to 70% of people with Coeliac disease are currently undiagnosed.
How are you continuing with teaching and research in Dubai?
I like teaching, and I am happy that I am able to continue training medical students who come to the hospital from Gulf Medical University. We also have postgraduates who have recently started residency placements, and I have been appointed as an adjunct clinical associate professor at Gulf Medical University. We have an active Research and Governance department at KCH Dubai, and there is great potential for future research projects on intestinal failure.
How do you find living in Dubai?
I love the lifestyle in Dubai. While I am very busy at work, many things are more convenient here, which allows my partner and I to enjoy more leisure time. We live in the Marina, where there are a lot of great restaurants, shops, and places to walk. My social life is good, and I have made a lot of new friends. Allocation Assist has a great network of doctors here, and many of us meet up for brunches and other social events. I am looking forward to getting a puppy in the near future, something I could not have done back in the UK as I would not have had the time or help to look after a dog.
Do you have any advice for other consultants considering relocating?
I would advise people to do their research and make a visit to explore their options and decide whether Dubai is the right fit for them. Then, expert help and guidance are essential. I cannot recommend Emilie and the Allocation Assist highly enough. Personally, it has been a great decision for me, and I have no regrets.
