Dr Omar Al-Mukhtar first discovered his love of cardiology at Western Health where he was working as an intern.
More than a decade later, after extensive education and training, he joins our team of interventional cardiologists.
These medical specialists are highly trained to perform minimally invasive procedures on the heart, which involves threading a thin tube (catheter) into the arteries and veins under the guidance of imaging technology.
Dr Al-Mukhtar grew up in Iraq during a time of great conflict.
"From a young age, I knew that if I became a doctor, I could help people," Dr Al-Mukhtar said.
"My first job was in the supportive environment at Sunshine Hospital as an intern in 2012 and I spent the next eight years working my way through the ranks," he said.
Dr Omar Al-Mukhtar started his career at Western Health.
He spent years completing cardiology training, including a prestigious interventional cardiology fellowship at Western Health, and gaining expertise and experience at several Victorian hospitals, before deciding to return to the health service where his career began.
"I was so proud to be able to come home to Western Health," Dr Al-Mukhtar said.
"I wanted to give back to the health service that gave so much to me over many years."
"I grew up here, in a professional sense, working with a generation of nurses, Patient Service Assistants (PSAs), ward clerks and it's great to work at a hospital where people know you, and where the physicality of the hospital is so familiar and welcoming.
"I also want to give back to the community on the westside where I live with my family."
He said he enjoyed caring for the diverse community in Melbourne's west.
"Western health looks after more heart attack patients than almost any other hospital in Victoria, so it's a very rewarding environment to work, and the complexity of the procedures we perform here is extremely high."
Dr Al-Mukhtar said he first fell in love with cardiology during his first intern rotation at Western Health.
"I realised quite quickly the impact you can have on someone's health," he said.
"Often our patients are really unwell, for instance, they may be having a heart attack, and you can perform a lifesaving procedure on them and see them in the clinic afterwards and provide them with advice on how to reduce their risk of further heart problems.
"They are always so grateful, which it makes it very rewarding for everyone who has been involved in their care."
He said it brought him immense pride and satisfaction to be an interventional cardiologist and shared his aspirations for the future.
"I think Western Health can be a great hub for research," he said.
"The patients we care for are often underrepresented in clinical trials, so I'd like to increase the number of clinical trials we are part of, to ensure our patients can benefit from cutting edge treatments.
"I'd also like to grow our expertise in structural interventions, such as valve replacements."
