Vascular Surgery Fellowship Program
Program Director's Message
Welcome to the Vascular Surgery Division at the Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.
You are joining a service where complex disease meets thoughtful innovation and where multidisciplinary collaboration is not only encouraged — it is our standard of care. Our fellowship program integrates the broad clinical, surgical, and endovascular spectrum of modern vascular practice. You will work alongside cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, neuro-interventionalists, radiologists, nephrologists, endocrinologists, infectious disease specialists, and wound care teams to provide evidence-based, patient-centered care across arterial, venous, aortic, and access disease.
At the Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute, clinical excellence is inseparable from intellectual curiosity, professionalism, and humility. We expect you to challenge assumptions, measure outcomes, and develop the judgment required to treat complex patients across diverse settings. Our expectation is that you will not simply learn how to perform procedures, but that you will understand when and why those procedures are indicated, how to manage the nuances of multimorbidity, and how to lead multi-disciplinary teams with clarity and compassion.
We offer high-volume exposure to routine and rare pathology, structured mentorship, and the support of Cleveland Clinic’s global cardiovascular network. Whether in the angiography suite, operating room, or clinical setting, you will graduate prepared to practice independently in the world’s most demanding health systems.
We are committed to your growth — as a clinician, a surgeon, and a leader.
Mohammad Qadura
Program Director, Vascular Surgery Program Director
Program Overview
The Vascular Surgery Fellowship at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is a comprehensive three-year advanced training program based within the Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute, the UAE’s leading center for complex cardiovascular and surgical care. The program is designed to produce independent, well-rounded vascular surgeons with mastery in open and endovascular techniques, sound clinical judgment, and the leadership skills required to function at the highest level of modern multidisciplinary practice. Fellows train in a high-acuity environment that reflects the full spectrum of vascular disease encountered in a major international referral center, with exposure to both routine and rare pathologies across arterial, venous, aortic, and dialysis access domains. Training is embedded within a fully integrated institute that brings together vascular surgery, cardiology, cardiac surgery, neuro-intervention, interventional radiology, nephrology, endocrinology, infectious diseases, podiatry, and advanced wound care. This structure allows fellows to participate in true limb-salvage pathways, stroke prevention strategies, aortic emergency responses, complex diabetic foot care, and access surgery programs from initial consultation through long-term surveillance. Fellows are actively involved in perioperative decision-making, multidisciplinary conferences, and longitudinal patient management, developing a systems-based understanding of vascular disease rather than isolated procedural expertise.
The fellowship follows a graduated responsibility model over three years. Early training emphasizes foundational clinical skills, perioperative management, imaging interpretation, and technical development in both open and endovascular procedures. As fellows progress, they assume increasing operative autonomy, leadership roles in the operating room and angiography suite, and supervisory responsibility for junior trainees and allied teams. By the chief year, fellows are expected to function with near-independent practice capability, leading complex cases, directing multidisciplinary care plans, and contributing meaningfully to quality improvement and service development initiatives within the Institute. Academic development is a core pillar of the program. Fellows are expected to engage in clinical research, outcomes analysis, registry-based studies, and quality initiatives aligned with HVTI priorities. The Institute supports scholarly activity through an established research infrastructure, access to large clinical datasets, and mentorship from faculty experienced in high-impact academic work. Teaching is emphasized throughout the fellowship, with fellows contributing to conferences, bedside instruction, and cross-disciplinary education, reinforcing their role as future leaders in vascular surgery education.
The program benefits from Cleveland Clinic’s global cardiovascular network, shared standards, and culture of continuous improvement. Fellows are trained within a system that values evidence-based practice, patient-centered care, professionalism, and accountability. Graduates of the fellowship are expected to leave not only as technically excellent vascular surgeons, but as thoughtful clinicians capable of leading programs, advancing quality, and adapting to the evolving demands of vascular surgery practice in diverse healthcare systems.
Program Information
- Program Duration: 3 years
- Number of Fellows: 1 per year
- Program Leadership:
- Program Director: Dr. Mohammad Qadura
- Program Coordinator: Jamil Quilalan
Program Structure
NIHS Accredited
- Our fellowship program is recognized and approved by the National Institute for Health Specialties, ensuring rigorous standards and a pathway to professional excellence.
Clinical Excellence & Complex Case Volume
- The quaternary referral advantage: Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi serves as a regional quaternary referral center for the UAE and wider Middle East, exposing fellows to the highest-acuity vascular pathology. Training includes complex aortic disease, ruptured and symptomatic aneurysms, advanced peripheral arterial disease, critical limb-threatening ischemia, infected grafts, and redo vascular surgery that are frequently referred from other institutions. Fellows develop expertise in managing patients with severe comorbid burden, delayed presentations, and advanced disease stages rarely encountered in standard training environments.
- Regional and national “firsts” in vascular innovation: The program has led or participated in multiple regional firsts. Fellows gain first-hand exposure to cutting-edge devices and techniques, learning both the technical execution and the clinical judgment required for appropriate patient selection and complication management.
- High-volume specialized clinics and disease-focused programs: Fellows rotate through and actively participate in high-volume specialty services with a comprehensive multidisciplinary diabetic foot and limb preservation program. State-of-the-Art Facilities
- Advanced hybrid operating environments: The Institute houses a hybrid operating room with purpose-built to support complex open and endovascular procedures in a single setting. Fellows are trained to seamlessly transition between open surgery, fluoroscopically guided endovascular intervention, and hybrid techniques, reflecting the realities of contemporary vascular practice.
- Comprehensive vascular imaging and diagnostics: Training is tightly integrated with a high-quality non-invasive vascular laboratory and advanced cross-sectional imaging services. Fellows develop proficiency in duplex ultrasound interpretation, computed tomography angiography, and magnetic resonance angiography, and learn how imaging directly informs operative planning, intraoperative decision-making, and long-term surveillance strategies.Academic & Accreditation Pedigree
- Cleveland Clinic global standards and culture: The fellowship curriculum is modelled on Cleveland Clinic’s patient-first philosophy and educational framework, emphasizing safety, outcomes, professionalism, and continuous improvement. Fellows train within a system that prioritizes data-driven care, guideline adherence, and transparent quality metrics recognized internationally.
- Alignment with multiple accrediting bodies: The program is structured to align with the standards and expectations of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education International, and the National Institute for Health Specialties. This ensures graduates meet internationally benchmarked competencies and are prepared for leadership roles across diverse healthcare systems.
Multidisciplinary Learning Environment
- Integrated training within the Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute: Fellows train within a fully integrated institute alongside interventional cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery, vascular medicine, neuro-intervention, radiology, nephrology, endocrinology, infectious diseases, podiatry, and advanced wound care services. This environment fosters a comprehensive understanding of vascular disease management across specialties rather than siloed procedural training.
- Structured multidisciplinary conferences and decision-making: Fellows participate in regular multidisciplinary team meetings, and complex case conferences where diagnostic strategies, operative approaches, and longitudinal management plans are debated and refined by diverse expert panels. This develops critical thinking, communication skills, and comfort leading consensus-driven care for complex patients.
Research, Education & Leadership Development
- Dedicated academic and research opportunities: Fellows are encouraged and supported to engage in clinical research, outcomes analysis, registry-based studies, and quality improvement initiatives aligned with institutional priorities. Access to robust data infrastructure and experienced research mentors supports scholarly productivity and academic career development.
Leadership-focused fellowship design: The program is intentionally structured to develop future leaders in vascular surgery. Fellows gain experience in service development, quality initiatives, education, and multidisciplinary program building, preparing them for roles as division leaders, program directors, and regional experts in complex vascular care.
Applicants must meet the following requirements:
- Completion of the General Surgery residency program is required to join the Vascular Surgery Fellowship
- To have passed all the required Board examinations as per the Department of Health, Abu Dhabi regulations.
- Cumulative medical school Grade Point Average (GPA) of greater than or equal to 3.0 (on a 4.0 point scale), or its equivalent.
- Fulfilment of licensure requirements as set by the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi.
- Fulfilment of MEAD criteria as per the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi.
How to Apply
Applications are submitted through the Abu Dhabi Department of Health Fellowship Application and Matching System (MEAD).
Additional information regarding application requirements, timelines, and documentation is available at: Medical Education | Department of Health Abu Dhabi.
Please note, eligibility requirements, selection criteria, and trainee intake are subject to change without prior notice.