By May 2026, I had performed more than 9,300 surgical procedures at NMC Al Ain. The number is the smaller part of the story.
Where we started
I joined NMC in the UAE on 5 September 2009. At that time, our urology department was in its infancy. Today, we operate one of the most advanced urology theatres in the region, equipped with technology that is genuinely rare to find under one roof.
Along the way I have served as Head of Department of Urology, as laser safety officer, and as a member of the quality committee.
How the department was built
We did not get here by accident. We built a team that trusted each other. We designed pathways, policies and workflows that actually worked.
We opened real channels of communication between surgeons, nurses, anaesthetists and management. We were backed by leadership that believed in the vision. And one by one, talented urologists chose to join us.
What the work has included
On my work anniversary in September 2025, the count stood at almost 9,000 surgical procedures. They included about 1,500 PCNL (keyhole surgery to remove kidney stones through a small opening in the back) and about 2,000 RIRS (removing kidney stones with a flexible scope passed through the natural urinary passage, with no cut).
They also included many urethroplasties (reconstruction of a narrowed urethra), medicated balloon treatment for urethral stricture, complex laparoscopic surgeries, and a lot of Urolift and Rezum procedures for prostate enlargement.
What our patients taught me
The deepest lessons didn’t come from textbooks or conferences. They came from our patients. Every challenge taught us something, and every difficult case sharpened our judgement.
Every culture we encountered, and every language we picked up along the way, reshaped how we listen, how we explain and how we care. This journey built a department, and it also rebuilt me: my personality, my practice and my perspective.
After 9,300 surgeries, here is what I know for certain: I am still learning, and I am still studying. The day a surgeon stops learning is the day they should stop operating.
To my team, my patients, my mentors, and the management who made this possible: thank you.