Dr. James Douglas Aitchison is a UK-certified Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon with extensive international experience. Before joining King’s College Hospital Dubai, he played a key role in establishing and leading advanced thoracic surgery services across the UAE, including developing a new thoracic surgery program and introducing minimally invasive lung cancer surgery. He also held an academic appointment as Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor in Surgery at Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi. Prior to relocating to the UAE, Dr. James spent twelve years at The Essex Cardiothoracic Centre in England, where he served as Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon and Lead for Thoracic Surgery, setting up their pioneering minimal access lung cancer surgery service.
Dr. James specializes in adult cardiac and thoracic surgery, offering advanced surgical care for a wide range of heart and chest conditions.
In cardiac surgery, his expertise includes coronary artery bypass grafting (on-pump and off-pump), aortic valve replacement, and surgery involving the aorta.
In thoracic surgery, he treats conditions such as lung cancer, chest injuries, pleural disease, chest wall and mediastinal tumors, and lung nodules. He performs complex procedures, including minimally invasive lung cancer surgery (keyhole techniques), emergency rib and sternal repair after major trauma, tumor removal with chest wall reconstruction, thymectomy, and bronchoscopy procedures such as Endobronchial Ultrasound-Guided Sampling (EBUS). Whenever possible, Dr. James uses minimally invasive (thoracoscopic or VATS) techniques to reduce discomfort, shorten hospital stays, and support faster recovery.
Dr. James is a member of the Thoracic Surgery Chapter of the Emirates Thoracic Society (ETS) and the Society for Cardiothoracic Surgery (UK), and he is a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England.
Dr. James received First Class Honors for his Bachelor of Medical Sciences degree in Cardiac Electrophysiology from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, England, followed by his MBBS the next year. He completed House Officer posts at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne, and trained in general surgery in the North-East region, earning the FRCS from both London and Edinburgh, along with the G. B. Ong Medal for the highest FRCS (Edinburgh) examination mark. He completed cardiothoracic surgery training on the Northern Regional Rotation at Freeman Hospital, Newcastle, and James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough, as well as Papworth Hospital, Cambridge.
He earned a research MD with distinction in Lung Transplantation from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, receiving both the Garfield Weston Trust Fellowship and the Royal College of Surgeons of England Augustus Newman Research Fellowship Award. He undertook a senior clinical fellowship in cardiothoracic surgery at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Christian Hospital North-East with Washington University in St. Louis, USA.
Dr. James received his FRCS in Cardiothoracic Surgery in 2006 and his UK Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) in 2007. He completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Education in 2019. He has held leadership roles including Negotiating Committee Chair, Foundation Programme Director for Basildon Hospital, and Deputy Foundation Programme Director for his region in England.
He has published extensively on cardiac and thoracic surgery in eminent journals including Transplantation, Heart, Annals of Thoracic Surgery, European Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery, and Journal of Cancer and Tumour International, and has an abstract published in Circulation.
Specialties
- Cardiothoracic Surgery
- Thoracic Surgery (Lung, Mediastinal, and Chest Wall)
- Adult Cardiac Surgery (Coronary Artery Bypass, Aortic Valve Replacement, Aortic Surgery)
- Minimal Access Lung Cancer Surgery (VATS and Uniportal Techniques)
- Chest Trauma Surgery (Rib and Sternal Fixation)
- Pleural Disease Management (Empyema, Pneumothorax)
- Lung and Mediastinal Tumor Surgery
- Lung Transplantation Research and Surgery
Academic Interests
- Lung transplantation research demonstrated through his MD with distinction
- Cardiothoracic surgery research supported by publications in leading journals
- Surgical education and teaching supported by his postgraduate certificate in education and leadership roles
- Development of minimally invasive thoracic techniques carried out within academic hospital systems
Qualifications
- BMedSci (First Class Honors) in Cardiac Electrophysiology, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
- MBBS, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
- FRCS (London and Edinburgh) – Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons
- G. B. Ong Medal for Highest FRCS (Edinburgh) Examination Mark
- MD (with Distinction) in Lung Transplantation, University of Newcastle upon Tyne
- FRCS (Cardiothoracic Surgery, 2006)
- Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT, UK, 2007)
- Postgraduate Certificate in Education (2019)
- Senior Clinical Fellowship in Cardiothoracic Surgery, Washington University in St. Louis, USA
Professional Affiliations
- Fellow, Royal College of Surgeons of England
- Member, Thoracic Surgery Chapter, Emirates Thoracic Society (ETS)
- Member, Society for Cardiothoracic Surgery (UK)
- Former Head of Thoracic Surgery, Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC), Abu Dhabi
- Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor in Surgery, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi
- Former Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon and Lead for Thoracic Surgery, Essex Cardiothoracic Centre, Basildon Hospital, England
- Former Consultant Thoracic Surgeon, Tawam Hospital, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi
- Research Fellowship Recipient, Garfield Weston Trust and Royal College of Surgeons of England (Augustus Newman Award)
- Published author in Transplantation, Heart, Annals of Thoracic Surgery, European Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery, and other leading journals
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