Planning Committee

Activity Director

Dr. Samer El-Kaissi

Activity Director
Department Chair
Endocrinology
Medical Subspecialties Institute

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Dr. Samer El-Kaissi

Dr. Samer El-Kaissi, MD, is the Department Chair in the Medical Subspecialties Institute at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.

Prior to joining Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Dr. El-Kaissi served as a consultant endocrinologist and Chairman of the Endocrinology Department at King Fahad Medical City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Dr. El-Kaissi earned his medical degree from The Flinders University of South Australia in Adelaide, Australia. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Flinders Medical Center, followed by an endocrinology fellowship at Barwon Health in Geelong, Victoria, Australia.

Dr. Mahdi Shkoukani

Co- Activity Director
Department Chair, Otolaryngology (ENT) and Head & Neck Surgery, Surgical Subspecialties Institute

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Dr. Mahdi Shkoukani

Dr. Mahdi Shkoukani, MD, is the Department Chair for Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery department in the Surgical Subspecialties Institute at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. He is also a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery at Cleveland Clinic Learner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University. Also, Dr. Shkoukani is the Medical Director for Supply Chain Operations at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.

Dr. Shkoukani is a double American Board-certified surgeon in Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, as well as in Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery.

Prior to joining Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Dr. Shkoukani served as an Associate Professor and Chief of Craniofacial Surgery at the Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, US. Additionally, he was the chief of otolaryngology at the John D. Dingell Veteran’s Administration Hospital in Detroit, Michigan, US.

Planning Committee Members

Dr. Mumtaz khan

Chief of Staff, Otolaryngology (ENT) and Head & Neck Surgery, Surgical Subspecialties Institute

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Dr. Mumtaz khan

Mumtaz Jamshed Khan, MD, MBA is the Chief of Staff, and the Interim Chief Medical Officer at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, part of Mubadala Health. In his role as Chief of Staff he leads more than 400 physicians across 15 institutes, supporting their wellbeing and the continuous improvement of care they offer patients.

Dr Khan joined Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi in 2018 and has served as the Chief Medical Officer and Department Chair of Otolaryngology in the Surgical Subspecialties Institute. Prior to joining Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Dr. Khan worked as Staff Physician in the Head & Neck Institute at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio; and also served as Associate Dean of Postgraduate Medical Education and Professor and Director of Head and Neck Surgery at Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.

Dr. Khan received his medical degree from Aga Khan University. After completing his residency at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, he pursued fellowship training in Head and Neck Surgical Oncology, Skull Base and Microvascular Reconstructive Surgery from Vanderbilt University. He has held a range of administrative positions in addition to his clinical work throughout his career and holds an Executive MBA in Healthcare Management from Brandeis University, Boston, Massachusetts.

Dr. Hussein Saadi

Vice Chief, Medical Subspecialties Institute Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi Clinical Professor of Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine

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Dr. Hussein Saadi

Dr. Saadi earned his medical degree from the American University of Beirut in 1985. He subsequently trained in Internal Medicine and Endocrinology at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. He is currently the Vice Chief of the Medical Subspecialties Institute of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi and Clinical Professor of Medicine at Cleveland Clinic, Ohio.

Dr. Saadi has over 100 publications including peer-reviewed articles, abstracts, letters, and book chapters and has presented his work at several international meetings. He is a recipient of several awards for his distinguished performance in Research, Education and Clinical Service. He was elected to membership of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society (AOA) at American University of Beirut School of Medicine in 2015. He was also selected as the 2016 recipient of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologist Gulf Chapter Ibn Sina Distinguished Service Award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the field of diabetes and endocrinology.

Dr. Fathiya Alawadi

Consultant Endocrinologist & the Head of the Endocrine Department-Dubai Hospital.

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Dr. Fathiya Alawadi

Consultant Endocrinologist & the Head of the Endocrine Department-Dubai Hospital.

Dr. Mario Skugor

Chair in Endocrinology and Metabolism Cleveland Clinic, Director of Education Endocrine and Metabolic Institute

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Dr. Mario Skugor

I graduated Medical School in 1986 and spent 2 years as research associate in Institute for Nuclear Medicine in Zagreb. In 1993 I finished Nuclear Medicine Residency. During 1993-1997 I was at Ohio State University in Bone and Mineral Metabolism Laboratory. I did IM residency 1997-2000 at St. Luke’s MC in Cleveland, and was a chief resident. Cleveland Clinic Endocrinology fellowship was from 2000-2002. I have been on staff since.

I served on Board of Directors of Ohio River Valley Chapter of American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and was a president 2007-2008.

I was associated director of endocrinology fellowship program 2009-2011.

I was Vice-Chairman of the Global Patient Services at Cleveland Clinic from 2009-2013 and Chairman from 2013-2014.

I am a clinical associate professor of medicine, at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of CWRU, and hold the Catherine and Edward Lozick endowed chair in Endocrinology and Metabolism. I am also Education director for Institute for Endocrinology and Metabolism.

Dr. Ali Alzahrani

Consultant Endocrinologist at King Faisal Specialist Hospital

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Dr. Ali Alzahrani

Dr. Ali S. Alzahrani is a Professor of Medicine and Endocrinology at Al Faisal University in Riyadh. Dr. Ali Zahrani obtained his Medical Degree from King Saud University in 1990. This was followed by Residency in Internal Medicine at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSH & RC) during the period 1991-to 1995 and a Clinical and Research Fellowship at the John Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, the USA during the years 1995-1998. He has been a Consultant Endocrinologist at KFSH & RC since 1998. During the period 2010 to 2011, Dr. Alzahrani was a faculty member and visiting Scientist at the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism at John Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States of America. Since his return late in 2011, he has been in the position of Scientist and Head of the Molecular Endocrinology Division in the Department of Molecular Oncology, Research Center in addition to his Consultant Endocrinologist position.

Dr. Alzahrani is proactive in several editorial boards of famously known medical journals. He was the Editor-in-Chief of the Annals of Saudi Medicine. He is an Editorial Board member of the official journal of the American Thyroid Association, THYROID. Dr. Alzahrani has more than 100 peer-reviewed articles, more than 100 regional and international presentations, and has conducted more than 150 lectures nationally and internationally as an invited speaker. Dr. Al Zahrani’s academic interests are clinical and molecular research in the areas of thyroid cancer and endocrine genetics.

Dr. Basel Altrabulsi

Acting Chair
Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Institute
Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi

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Dr. Basel Altrabulsi

Dr. Basel Altrabulsi has been part of National Reference Laboratory’s (NRL) scientific leadership team since 2015, in his current role he oversees the pathology and laboratory services at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is one of NRL’s flagship laboratories in the UAE, specializing in Anatomic Pathology.

Dr. Basel is certified by the American Board of Pathology, combined Clinical and Anatomical Pathology and brings to NRL more than 18 years’ international experience in the field of laboratory medicine and diagnostic pathology.  

Dr. Basel started his internship in pathology at Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, Texas and completed his residency training in 2003. He then completed his Selective Pathology Fellowship, followed by a Clinical Research Training Program, at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. 

Dr. Basel’s career has included multiple leadership positions at elite US hospitals and reference laboratories, such as Chief of Service and Medical Director at Baylor University Medical Center; Director of the Histology Laboratory at Greater Dallas Pathology; and Medical Director of Arlington Cancer Center. He has also served as an Inspection Team Leader for the College of American Pathologists (CAP) on multiple occasions. 

He has authored many research publications and is a member of global organizations, such as the International Society of Urological Pathology, the International Society of Breast Pathology, and the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology. Dr. Basel is passionate about research and education and is the Pathology Course Director at Khalifa University, College of Medicine and Health Sciences in Abu Dhabi.

Dr. David Grossman

Staff Physician
Medical Oncology & Hematology
Oncology Institute
Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi

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Dr. David Grossman

Dr. David Grossman, MD FACP, is a Staff Physician in the Hematology Oncology Program in the Oncology Institute at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.
Prior to joining Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Dr. Grossman spent 7 years at Cleveland Clinic Florida, US, building the Cancer Center, bringing his years of experience and expertise to a small and excellent program. He helped to build that program to 17 physicians in his time in Florida before coming to Abu Dhabi.

Prior to that, Dr. Grossman was in practice in the Western Suburbs of Philadelphia, US, in a practice affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania. He joined one other physician and grew to 12 physicians in 26 years. The practice took pride in providing the highest level of cancer care in the community, taking care of patients close to their home.

Dr. Hammad Hussain

Staff Physician Endocrinology, Medical Subspecialties Institute Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi

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Dr. Hammad Hussain

Dr. Hammad Hussain, MBBS, is a Staff Physician in the Endocrinology department of the Medical Subspecialties Institute at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.

Prior to joining Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Dr. Hussain served as an Endocrinologist at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. He was also Assistant Professor at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science.

Dr. Hussain received his medical degree from The Aga Khan University in Karachi, Pakistan. He completed his residency at University of Pittsburgh Shadyside Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He subsequently completed fellowships in Geriatrics at Duke University Hospital in Durham, North Carolina and Endocrinology and Metabolism at University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas.

Dr. Hussain has experience in general endocrinology and a special interest in thyroid disease, disorders of calcium and osteoporosis. He has his Endocrine Certification in Neck Ultrasound (ECNU) that validates a physician’s ability to perform neck ultrasound and thyroid biopsy. He is also certified to read bone mineral density reports and has vast experience in the latest technologies for managing diabetes, including insulin delivery pumps and continuous glucose monitors.

Throughout his career, Dr. Hussain has presented his work at several international meetings. In addition, he has been involved in the teaching of medical students, residents and nurse practitioners. Dr. Hussain also supplemented his academic teaching skills by completing a faculty development program at Duke University.

Dr. Hussain resides in Abu Dhabi. He enjoys reading and traveling.

Dr. Yogesh More

Consultant ENT Head & Neck Surgery

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Dr. Yogesh More

Dr. Yogesh has completed his medical graduation from India, followed by higher clinical training in the United States. He completed his postgraduate clinical training in Rhinology Surgery from Tufts University, Boston, followed by clinical training in Head Neck, Thyroid-Parathyroid, Microvascular reconstruction, and Robotic surgery from Kansas University, USA. He holds the American Head Neck Surgery certification and is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He was a visiting physician in Rhinology and Skull-base surgery at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of North Carolina, USA. Before joining Burjeel, Dr. Yogesh practiced at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, Abu Dhabi, and Yas Clinic, Khalifa City. His areas of specialization include Rhinology, Advanced Sinus- Skull Base Surgery, Head & Neck, Thyroid Parathyroid Endocrine Surgery, Salivary glands, and Pediatric and General ENT.

Planning Committee

Activity Director

Dr. Samer El-Kaissi

Dr. Mahdi Shkoukani

Planning Committee Members

Dr. Mumtaz khan

Dr. Hussein Saadi

Dr. Fathiya Alawadi

Dr. Mario Skugor

Dr. Ali Alzahrani

Dr. Basel Altrabulsi

Dr. David Grossman

Dr. Hammad Hussain

Dr. Yogesh More

Disclosure and Conflict of Interest

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