Rheumatology · Dubai Healthcare City
Dr. Bassel Darwish
Consultant Rheumatologist
MD · ABIM Board Certified (Internal Medicine & Rheumatology) · Diplomate, American Board of Rheumatology · FACR (USA) · 25+ years experience
Credentials & training
Rheumatology Fellowship, 1997–1999
University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison
About UW Madison →
Peer Reviewer — Journal of Clinical Rheumatology (JCR)
Invited manuscript reviewer for the official clinical-practice journal of the Association of Clinical Rheumatologists
About the journal →
About Dr. Bassel Darwish
Dr. Bassel Darwish (دكتور روماتيزم دبي) is a US-trained consultant rheumatologist and Medical Director of Health Call Clinic, Dubai Healthcare City, with over 25 years of experience diagnosing and managing autoimmune, inflammatory, and musculoskeletal disease in adults and children across the USA, UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Syria.
He received his medical degree from Damascus University and completed his Internal Medicine residency at Wayne State University / Detroit Medical Center, followed by a Rheumatology Fellowship (1997–1999) at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison — consistently ranked among the top US medical schools for rheumatology training.
Dr. Darwish is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM, 1997 and has maintained active certification since) and the American Board of Rheumatology (1999 and has maintained active certification since), and has been a Fellow of the American College of Rheumatology (FACR) since 1998. He holds an active, permanent medical licence in the State of Wisconsin, USA, alongside his DHA consultant licence in Dubai, and has previously been certified as a Consultant Rheumatologist in Saudi Arabia (Saudi Council for Health Specialties) and licensed in Bahrain.
Dr. Darwish has been Medical Director of Health Call Clinic in Dubai Healthcare City since 2015. He has published in peer-reviewed journals — including the American Journal of Medicine — and has taught internal medicine residents and rheumatology trainees in the USA, UAE and the wider Gulf region. He also serves as a peer reviewer for the Journal of Clinical Rheumatology (JCR).
He has a special clinical interest in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis and illnesses related to vitamin D deficiency. His practice is grounded in international ACR and EULAR guidelines — evidence-based, ethical, and patient-centered.
Areas of expertise
In adults
- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
- Lupus (SLE) and connective tissue disease
- Osteoarthritis and joint pain
- Ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis
- Gout and crystal arthritis
- Osteoporosis screening, prevention and management
- Vitamin D deficiency management
- Periodic fever syndromes (including Familial Mediterranean Fever / FMF)
- Vasculitis and autoimmune disorders
In children
- Inflammatory joint disease — juvenile rheumatoid (idiopathic) arthritis
- Inflammatory joint disease — childhood-onset ankylosing spondylitis
- Inflammatory joint disease — childhood-onset lupus
- Osteoporosis prevention
- Vitamin D deficiency management
- Periodic fever syndromes (including Familial Mediterranean Fever / FMF)
Languages
English · Arabic
Academic & editorial roles
- Peer reviewer — Journal of Clinical Rheumatology (JCR)
Invited manuscript reviewer for the official clinical-practice journal of the Association of Clinical Rheumatologists — evaluating submitted research prior to publication.
What patients say
“I have been going to Health Call clinic for over 5 years and would highly recommend Dr Darwish to anyone needing a rheumatologist! He is thorough, professional and truly listens to his patients.”
— K.C.
“Dr. Darwish has a good clinical eye. He makes sound judgment on what course of action to take in managing my joint pains and explains thoroughly about its nature, prognosis and treatment options.”
— C.A.S.