Dr Sonia Saib is a breast radiologist at American Hospital Dubai. She grew up in Brittany, trained in France, and spent more than a decade visiting Dubai before making the move. From her first visit as a medical student in 2013 to her first contract in the UAE, the dream sat in the background of an established career in France until she finally turned it into a six-month plan. In this interview, she shares what made the move possible, why breast radiology is one of the most in-demand specialties in the Gulf, and her advice for European doctors who have been thinking about the move for years.
A Specialty That Refuses to Be Impersonal
Breast radiology is a specialty that refuses to be impersonal. The radiologist who chooses it does not simply read films and move on. She follows her patients through diagnoses, through procedures, through surgery, through follow-up. She shows up, in the fullest sense of the phrase.
Dr Sonia is exactly that kind of physician. And Dubai, as she would come to discover, needed exactly her kind of physician.
What she did not know was that breast radiology was among the most in-demand specialties in the Gulf. That realisation would not come from a journal or a recruitment pitch. It would come the way most important things in her life have: through a concrete step, taken in a real place, among people who showed up and did the work alongside her.
A Dream She Kept Coming Back To
The first time Dr Sonia landed in Dubai, she was a medical student on her summer break. The year was 2013. The city was smaller then, quieter, in her words, “a whole different Dubai.” But something about it stayed with her, the way certain cities do: filed away, revisited but never quite forgotten, much like Dr Kirthika Jeyaraman’s NHS to Dubai journey that began with a single, lasting impression.
Over the next decade she would return almost every year. She would finish her medical studies in Brittany, complete her residency, specialise in breast radiology, and build a career in France, all while carrying, somewhere in the background, the idea that Dubai was where she was heading. “It was always in the back of my mind,” she says. Dr Julia Ellert’s cardiology journey took her beyond the borders of France, allowing her to explore advanced techniques in her field. She was determined to innovate and contribute to the cardiac health of her future patients.
The problem, as any doctor who has considered an international move knows, is that medicine does not pause to let you plan. The training is long, the paperwork daunting, and the licensing process between Europe and the UAE, particularly a decade ago, was barely established. Dr Sonia even wanted to get training exchanges. But at the time she was told the process was complicated, so she kept working, unaware of how much smoother adapting to UAE life in a doctor’s first month could eventually become.
When Hesitation Finally Met Its Match
By the time she was ready to seriously consider the move, her husband, independently, before they had even met, had already been interviewing for positions in Dubai. When they found each other, they found they had the same plan. “Same spirit, same energy,” she says simply. That alignment mattered. Because what came next required momentum.
“My husband kept pushing me. He said: We have nothing to lose. And because I’m young and still flexible, I just said, ‘Let’s go for it.'”
The first call with Allocation Assist changed the shape of what had always felt like a distant ambition. Within six months of beginning the licensing process in earnest, Dr Sonia had two job offers on the table. She chose the American Hospital Dubai. She chose the city she had been coming back to for thirteen years.
What Allocation Assist gave her, she explains, was not just introductions; it was time. “As a doctor, we don’t have time for all of that,” she says, referring to the mountains of paperwork, credential verification, and coordination that an international medical move demands. “The people behind it were very kind. They did everything for us: the CV, the interviews, the scheduling. It makes things very much easier.”
The process, she says, was not without its anxiety. There is a particular stress that comes with waiting, for a contract, for a start date, for a country to officially say yes. But the waiting period, in hindsight, was short. Six months from first contact to signed offer. And now three weeks into her role at the American Hospital Dubai, she is already busy seeing patients. “Things move a lot in Dubai. There are a lot of opportunities at any time. You just need to take that first step.”
She’s Here. And It’s Worth It
She is, as she acknowledges herself, still a newcomer. It is Ramadan. The city is quieter than usual. She is learning the rhythms of a new hospital, arranging a driving licence, getting a local SIM card, the unglamorous scaffolding of a new life. But when asked whether the move has been worth it, her answer is immediate.
With a smile, she says, “Yes. It’s worth it.”
Her Advice
For the doctors reading this who have their own version of that dream, filed away, revisited on quiet evenings and never quite acted on. You know the thoughts that flood in: “How do I get a licence to practise in the UAE, Saudi Arabia or Qatar?” “How does a European doctor actually land a job in Dubai or the Gulf?” “Where do I even begin?”
Dr Sonia has been exactly where you are. And she has one answer for all of it:
“Take the first step. The process exists. The support exists. The city is ready.”
About Dr Sonia Saib
Dr Sonia Saib is a breast radiologist at American Hospital Dubai. She grew up in Brittany, completed her medical studies in France, did her residency in France, and specialised in breast radiology before building a career in France over more than a decade. She first visited Dubai as a medical student in 2013 and returned almost every year for the next thirteen years before relocating in 2026.
How Allocation Assist Supports European Doctors Moving to the Gulf
As a medical recruitment and healthcare jobs consultancy in Dubai, our team has 11 years of experience and has helped hundreds of doctors successfully settle in the region, with a network of 95+ hospitals across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.
Key Areas of Support
- CV preparation, interview scheduling, and introductions, removing the administrative load that doctors do not have time for.
- Hospital matching, based on your subspecialty, seniority, and family priorities.
- DHA, DOH, MOHAP, and SCFHS licensing, including credential verification and paperwork.
- Contract review and negotiation, including salary, package, and insurance terms.
- Relocation and family logistics, including schooling, housing, and post-arrival support.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Dr Sonia Saib?
Dr Sonia Saib is a breast radiologist at American Hospital Dubai. She grew up in Brittany, trained and built her career in France, and relocated to Dubai in 2026 after more than a decade of returning to the city as a visitor.
How long did Dr Sonia’s move from France to Dubai take?
Six months from first contact to signed offer. Once she committed to the move, she had two job offers in hand within six months of starting the licensing process in earnest, and chose American Hospital Dubai.
Is breast radiology in demand in the Gulf?
Yes. Dr Sonia found that breast radiology is among the most in-demand specialties in the Gulf. The realisation came from doing the process itself, not from a journal or a recruitment pitch.
When did Dr Sonia first visit Dubai?
In 2013, as a medical student on her summer break. She has returned almost every year since, finishing her medical studies in Brittany, completing her residency, specialising in breast radiology, and building a career in France while keeping the idea of Dubai in the back of her mind.
What does Dr Sonia say Allocation Assist did for her?
She describes the help as giving her time: “As a doctor, we don’t have time for all of that. The people behind it were very kind. They did everything for us: the CV, the interviews, the scheduling. It makes things very much easier.”
What advice does Dr Sonia give European doctors considering the move?
Her message is simple: “Take the first step. The process exists. The support exists. The city is ready.” She emphasises that opportunities move quickly in Dubai and the first step is what most doctors keep putting off.
Where does Dr Sonia Saib work in Dubai?
Dr Sonia is a breast radiologist at American Hospital Dubai. She chose American Hospital Dubai from two job offers she received during the move process.
How does Allocation Assist help European doctors relocate?
Allocation Assist has 11 years of experience and has helped hundreds of doctors settle in the region, with a network of 95+ hospitals. The team handles CV preparation, interview scheduling, hospital introductions, licensing, contract negotiation, and relocation logistics across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.
