Dr. Emma Gardette is a highly skilled French and British Consultant Dermatologist with over 12 years of clinical experience from both France and the UK. Her special areas of expertise include complex inflammatory and connective tissue diseases, skin cancer treatment, and venereology. Before relocating to Dubai in 2024, she led the world-renowned dermatology service for connective tissue diseases at the Royal Free Hospital in London. Her journey to NMC Specialty Hospital, Dubai Investment Park, reveals how clinical ambition, family priorities, and professional support shaped every step of her relocation.
Key Takeaways
- Dr. Emma Gardette brings over 12 years of dermatology expertise from France and the UK, specialising in complex inflammatory skin diseases and connective tissue disorders.
- She led the UK’s National Reference Centre for Connective Tissue Disease at the Royal Free Hospital from 2021 to 2024, one of the biggest centres in the world, especially for scleroderma.
- Her relocation was driven by family timing, the birth of her second child and her husband’s career change, combined with the quality of job opportunities in Dubai.
- Her French medical diploma is recognised in Dubai for full consultant practice, which was not the case in the UK.
- Allocation Assist navigated the DHA licensing and job placement process, which Dr. Gardette describes as a “game changer” without which the move would not have been possible.
Training, Specialisation, and Clinical Expertise
Dr. Emma Gardette is a French and British dermatology consultant. She trained and qualified as a dermatologist in Paris, where she also gained specific training in skin cancer screening and treatment, genital dermatology, and complex inflammatory dermatology. She then moved to London, where she spent seven years advancing her career.
Her specialisation centres on medical dermatology and complex inflammatory skin diseases. She also has special interests in paediatric dermatology and in women’s health, managing hormonal-related skin problems such as those associated with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and menopause. Over the years, she grew a deeper interest in paediatric dermatology and facial dermatitis like female adult acne or rosacea from her busy private practice in London.
Leadership at a World-Leading Centre
From 2021 to 2024, Dr. Gardette led the UK’s National Reference Centre for Connective Tissue Disease at the Royal Free Hospital in London. The Royal Free Hospital Connective Tissue Disease Clinic is one of the biggest centres for connective tissue diseases in the world, especially for scleroderma. She was also treating diseases such as lupus and dermatomyositis.
This leadership role demanded both advanced clinical knowledge and the ability to oversee a highly specialised unit managing some of dermatology’s most complex cases, reinforcing her standing as an authority in connective tissue disorders.
Patients and Conditions in Dubai
The diseases and conditions Dr. Gardette sees and treats in Dubai are overall the same as in her previous roles. The difference lies in the multicultural diversity of both patients and the medical workforce. She literally sees patients from all over the world. Expectations and ways of being treated vary between nationalities and for individual patients. As she describes it, Dubai is a melting pot with people coming from all over the world.
One clinical challenge that is quite new to her, coming from Europe, is the prevalence of resistant strains of bacterial and fungal infections. She is adapting to this in her daily practice.
Support and Integration into NMC Specialty Hospital
Dr. Gardette works at NMC Specialty Hospital Dubai Investment Park, which is a very big hospital. She has received a lot of support from colleagues. She also has two other great dermatology colleagues in the department. The whole NMC group is quite big and supportive, providing her with the resources and professional network to build her practice in a well-equipped environment.
Decision to Relocate to Dubai
Last year, Dr. Gardette had her second child, and coincidentally, at the same time, her husband changed jobs. She was on maternity leave when he was on garden leave at the same time, so they thought it was the perfect opportunity for a new adventure for their family. Dubai quickly came to the top of their list.
She was quite surprised by the quality of job opportunities available in Dubai. Importantly, her French medical diploma is recognised in Dubai for her to work as a full dermatology consultant, which was not the case in the UK.
Family and Lifestyle Considerations
The quality of schools in Dubai is great, and they are very happy with their daughter’s international school. Being French and coming from London, they wanted an English-speaking and multicultural environment for their kids. When you combine this with the lack of income taxes, advantages, and the safety, Dubai ticks a lot of boxes.
Quality of Life in Dubai
Since moving to Dubai, Dr. Gardette’s quality of life has improved significantly. It is much easier to get childcare and help with daily house chores. For a mum of two young kids, it makes such a big difference. Her mental load has lessened, although she works longer hours in the hospital, because you get much more help on the side.
She is very fortunate to live close to the beach and is grateful for the sun all year long, despite the harsh summer months. She feels it makes a big difference on her mental well-being. Dubai is also so convenient.
Experience with Allocation Assist
When Dr. Gardette first contacted Emilie at Allocation Assist, about a year ago, her baby was only a few weeks old and she was surviving on a few hours of sleep every day. They were just starting to think about Dubai. But she was finding the thought of going through the whole DHA licensing and finding a position really daunting. She had never set foot in Dubai before and had no idea how the system worked. She didn’t know anyone.
Allocation Assist was, in her words, “such a big game changer.” She has been clear that without Emilie, she doesn’t think the move to Dubai would have been possible.
How Allocation Assist Supports Doctors Relocating to the UAE
For doctors considering a similar move, Allocation Assist provides structured support that turns a complex international relocation into a manageable process. The team guides physicians through licensing procedures, hospital placements, and job matching, addressing regulatory requirements that vary by specialty and emirate.
Key Areas of Assistance
- Licensing and regulatory navigation, managing DHA licensing and credentialing requirements so doctors can focus on their families and clinical responsibilities.
- Role identification and placement, matching specialists with positions aligned to their clinical expertise and career objectives.
- Relocation and family logistics, assisting with practical elements, including schooling and housing to ensure a seamless move.
- Ongoing support, keeping in touch with relocated doctors and following their experiences and achievements in their new roles.
For specialists like Dr. Gardette, navigating an unfamiliar system while managing family responsibilities and a demanding career, this structured support makes the difference between a daunting prospect and a successful move.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Dr. Emma Gardette’s background and training?
Dr. Gardette is a French and British Consultant Dermatologist with over 12 years of clinical experience. She trained and qualified as a dermatologist in Paris, gaining specific training in skin cancer screening and treatment, genital dermatology, and complex inflammatory dermatology. She then spent seven years in London, where she built her expertise further, including developing interests in paediatric dermatology and facial dermatitis from her busy private practice.
What was Dr. Gardette’s role at the Royal Free Hospital?
From 2021 to 2024, she led the UK’s National Reference Centre for Connective Tissue Disease at the Royal Free Hospital in London. It is one of the biggest centres for connective tissue diseases in the world, especially for scleroderma. She also treated diseases such as lupus and dermatomyositis.
What does Dr. Gardette specialise in?
Her special areas of expertise include complex inflammatory and connective tissue diseases (scleroderma, lupus, dermatomyositis), skin cancer treatment, and venereology. She also has special interests in paediatric dermatology and women’s health, managing hormonal-related skin problems such as those associated with PCOS and menopause, as well as female adult acne and rosacea.
Why did Dr. Gardette choose to relocate to Dubai?
The timing aligned perfectly, she had her second child and her husband changed jobs simultaneously. She was on maternity leave and he was on garden leave, so they saw it as the perfect opportunity for a new adventure. She was surprised by the quality of job opportunities in Dubai. Her French medical diploma is recognised in Dubai for full consultant practice, which was not the case in the UK. The quality of schools, multicultural environment, lack of income tax, and safety also made Dubai an attractive choice.
Are conditions in Dubai different from what she treated in Europe?
The diseases and conditions themselves are overall the same. The key difference is the multicultural diversity of both patients and the medical workforce, she sees patients from all over the world, and expectations vary between nationalities. One new clinical challenge is the prevalence of resistant strains of bacterial and fungal infections, which she is adapting to in her daily practice.
Where does Dr. Gardette work in Dubai?
She works at NMC Specialty Hospital Dubai Investment Park, which is a very big hospital. She has two other great dermatology colleagues in the department, and the whole NMC group is quite big and supportive.
How has Dr. Gardette’s quality of life changed since moving to Dubai?
Her quality of life has improved significantly. It is much easier to get childcare and help with house chores, which makes a big difference as a mum of two young kids. Her mental load has lessened, despite working longer hours, because of the additional support available. She lives close to the beach and is grateful for the sun all year long, despite the harsh summer months. She finds Dubai very convenient.
How did Allocation Assist help with Dr. Gardette’s relocation?
When she first contacted Emilie at Allocation Assist, her baby was only a few weeks old. She had never been to Dubai, didn’t know anyone, and found the thought of DHA licensing and finding a position daunting. She describes Allocation Assist as “such a big game changer” and says that without Emilie, the move to Dubai would not have been possible.
