Dr. Samer El Hayek, MD, MSc, is an Adult and Addiction Psychiatrist and Medical Director of Ardens Medical Center in Dubai, UAE. His clinical practice spans general adult and addiction psychiatry, with particular expertise in substance use disorders, behavioral addictions, and co-occurring psychiatric and addictive disorders. He also assesses and treats a broad range of psychiatric conditions, including mood and anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), psychotic disorders, trauma- and stressor-related disorders, and personality disorders.

Dr. El Hayek completed his Fellowship in Addiction Psychiatry at the University of Miami/Jackson Health System in Miami, Florida, after completing his Psychiatry Residency at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) in Lebanon. He earned his medical degree from the American University of Beirut and subsequently obtained a Master of Science in Healthcare Management from the Swiss Business School.

Alongside his clinical leadership, Dr. El Hayek serves as an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at the American University of Beirut Medical Center. He has published more than 100 peer-reviewed articles, with research spanning addiction, global mental health, and mental health stigma. His work has received more than 3,000 citations, with an h-index of 26. He is also the editor of Addiction and Neurodegenerative Disorders: Unraveling the Nexus, published by CRC Press in 2026.

In 2023, Dr. El Hayek was inducted into Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society, in recognition of his contributions to research and scholarship. He also serves as a Board Member and Representative for the Eastern Mediterranean Region of the Network of Early-Career Professionals Working in Addiction Medicine (NECPAM), contributing to regional and international efforts in addiction medicine.