The founding member and the visionary behind NBCC is Dr. Imad El-Hajj. Dr. El-Hajj’s extensive experience in the medical sector both as a director and consultant for numerous medical institutions have granted him a world-wide view and the most up-to-date knowledge necessary to establish a center of excellence in breast care.

Dr. El-Hajj began his education in the American University of Beirut where he completed his Bachelor of Science in Biology and Chemistry, and continued to earn first a General Medicine Degree from Baghdad University in 1985 and then completed his Residency in General Surgery from the American University of Beirut. Dr. El-Hajj aspired to gain more international experience and knowledge in surgery, so he continued his journey to the United Kingdom. There he acquired a Fellowship in General Surgery from the esteemed Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh, and completed his diploma in General Surgery from the Royal College of Surgeons of England in 1992. More specifically, during his surgical career, he showed interest in breast surgery. Accordingly, he joined Breast Test Wales while in Cardiff, UK, after which he trained and regularly attended reconstructive breast surgery courses and workshops at the European School of Oncology and with the Milan University Institute of Oncology. Dr. Imad El-Hajj’s national and regional reference in breast cancer surgery and reconstruction breast surgery.

Dr. El-Hajj’s aspirations were not restricted; however, to the medical field. In 2002, he completed his Master’s in Business Administration from the Lebanese American University. His education is further complemented by his significant career achievements in medicine, surgery, and public health in Lebanon and abroad.

His professional experience expands over several fields within healthcare. Dr. El-Hajj’s surgical precision, sociable manner with patients, and dedicated passion to healthcare opened the doors to the leading positions of director at Hamlin Hospital in Hammana and later as the Chief of Department of Surgery, Hospital Administrator, and the Medical Director at Saint George Hospital University Medical Center (SGHUMC). In the educational field, Dr. El-Hajj served as Dean of Faculty of Postgraduate Medical Education at the University of Balamand from 2000-2003 and was a founding member of the Faculty of Medicine at the same university. Since Dr. El-Hajj has a holistic vision of medical care in Lebanon, he has also worked as a consultant to the Minister of Public Health from 2008-2011 and was a founding member of the National Breast Cancer Prevention Committee and the national accreditation.