International Medical Education The Arabian Gulf University College of Medicine and Medical Sciences: A Successful Model of a Multinational Medical School Hossam Hamdy, PhD, and M. Brownell Anderson, MEd Abstract In the late 1970s, leaders of the Persian (CMMS) at Arabian Gulf University (AGU) spearheading changes in medical Gulf countries proposed a novel idea of a has adopted the educational philosophy education in the Gulf region. Old and 05/01/2018 on BhDMf5ePHKav1zEoum1tQfN4a+kJLhEZgbsIHo4XMi0hCywCX1AWnYQp/IlQrHD3nf8jygWWRf9CD4/xvFmhevheqbIkeXkKUKJoXNy8zQtlgPGcTzKq3A== by https://journals.lww.com/academicmedicine from Downloaded joint educational and cultural venture: of problem-based learning (PBL) and self- new medical schools have adopted establishing a new regional university directed, student-centered education. several characteristics of the AGU Downloaded based in the Kingdom of Bahrain that The curriculum is integrated, with early educational program. Several elements would be managed as a multinational introduction of education to foster contributed to its success: a clear vision from consortium of Gulf countries including clinical skills and professional of providing quality medical education https://journals.lww.com/academicmedicine Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, competencies. The strategic alliance with and realizing and sustaining this vision by Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and Bahrain. the health care systems in Bahrain and a supportive leadership at the university other Gulf regions has created a and college levels; an alliance with the It was intended to promote higher successful model of efficient and regional health care systems; a dedicated education and research in the Gulf effective initialization of health care faculty who have been able to work as a region; to serve the development needs resources in the community. The team while continually developing of the region; to reflect the unique experience that has accumulated at the themselves; proper student selection by economic, social, and cultural attributes AGU–CMMS from introducing innovative and the creation of a culture of student/ BhDMf5ePHKav1zEoum1tQfN4a+kJLhEZgbsIHo4XMi0hCywCX1AWnYQp/IlQrHD3nf8jygWWRf9CD4/xvFmhevheqbIkeXkKUKJoXNy8zQtlgPGcTzKq3A== of the Gulf communities and their medical education has allowed it to take faculty partnerships in education and in environments; and to respond to the a leadership position in medical building an international reputation and health care needs of the member education in the Gulf region. credibility by cooperating with reputable countries. international universities and The original goals of this unique organizations. Since its inception in 1982, the College experiment have been realized along of Medicine and Medical Sciences with unanticipated outcomes of Acad Med. 2006; 81:1085–1090. In the late 1970s in the Middle East, the was subsequently approved for of the region will study and work idea of establishing a new regional implementation by the Ministers of together for several years, leading to the university based in the Kingdom of Higher Education of the sponsoring graduation of professionals who believe Bahrain was contemplated by the leaders countries. in the mission of the Gulf Cooperative of the Gulf States of Saudi Arabia, United Council (a political, economic, military, Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, The vision for the Arabian Gulf educational, and cultural cooperative Bahrain, and Iraq (Iraq withdrew after University, which was formed at that council of the six Gulf countries of the the Gulf War in 1992). In May 1982, a meeting and subsequently realized, is Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, unique. The university conference entitled “Arabian Gulf Kingdom of Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab University—Future Plans” was held in ▪ is a joint educational and cultural Emirates, and Oman) and of the Bahrain. Fifty-seven prominent scientists, venture of the Gulf countries; importance of cooperative work for the intellectuals, and educators from the benefit and welfare of all the citizens in ▪ promotes higher education and Arab Gulf States and other Arab and the region. Western countries participated. research in the Gulf region; Deliberations held over the course of ▪ serves the development needs of the The university consists of two schools. on 05/01/2018 three days resulted in a definite plan that region; One is the College of Medicine and Medical Sciences (CMMS), which offers ▪ reflects the unique economic, social, the MD degree; master’s degrees in Dr. Hamdy is dean, College of Medicine and and cultural attributes of the Gulf medical education, health policy, and Medical Sciences, Arabian Gulf University, Manama, communities and their environments; Kingdom of Bahrain. laboratory medicine; and a PhD in ▪ Ms. Anderson is senior associate vice president, responds to their needs; and molecular medicine. The other is the Medical Education, Association of American Medical ▪ College of Postgraduate Studies, which Colleges, Washington, DC. complements rather than competes with other programs available in other offers master’s degrees in special Correspondence should be addressed to Dr. Hamdy, universities within the Gulf region. education, water and arid zone sciences, Dean, College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, biotechnology, technology management, Arabian Gulf University, P.O. Box 22979, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain; e-mail: The university aims to be a melting pot and, recently, environmental ([email protected]). where students from different countries management and a distance-learning Academic Medicine, Vol. 81, No. 12 / December 2006 1085 International Medical Education program. There are relatively few The educational philosophy of problem- their communities. This sensitivity to examples of multinational medical based integrated learning has been the societal health care needs, and relevance institutions, in part because multiple hallmark of the medical curriculum since to the aspirations of the different ownership increases the complexity of the inception of the college. The communities that constitute the Gulf management in the multidimensional governance of the college is designed to region, has been a core value of the medical education program. bring this vision into sharp focus. In college in all its activities. general, membership of the College We wrote this article to provide a Council and other CMMS committees The medical education program is a five- snapshot of the 24-year history of this and subcommittees are seen to be year period with one premedical year to educational experiment in the Gulf. We “nonfranchised.” That is, members do improve the students’ English language focus mainly on the medical school not directly represent any department, ability (because English is the language of program, reviewing its original vision faction, or constituency. They act for the instruction) and to reinforce their and how that has been realized and benefit of the college as a whole. backgrounds in general science. The PBL examining lessons learned, particularly medical curriculum has two phases: a those involving the cooperation of the six Although policy, planning, audit, and three-year preclerkship (phase 1) and a different countries. We also wrote this advising the Dean are functions of the 2-year clerkship (phase 2). The program article to introduce an international College Council and its committees, the is horizontally and vertically integrated perspective in medical education in the Dean’s office carries out administration (Figure 1). Phase 1 is organized around hope that some of its aspects may be of the college with the assistance of Vice blocks of organ-system instruction. Each useful to other medical schools. Deans. The Dean is the chief executive week, a problem is presented. The officer of the college. The dean’s primary problems are designed from a list of Governance role is to guide and steer the faculty to common or life-threatening achieve the goals and objectives of the presentations of diseases or prevalent The Arabian Gulf University was created, college. Functional organization of the community/population-based problems. in part, by combining resources from six college structure is based on a network of They are multidimensional, integrating Gulf countries. At present, all the committees that have responsibilities for basic medical sciences with clinical and educational programs with the university different activities within the college, for behavioral sciences. Eighty-five percent are clustered under the two colleges example, curriculum, student assessment, of these problems can be considered described above. The highest authority program evaluation, clerkship, research, global core problems (i.e., they apply governing the Arabian Gulf University is and ethics. Thus, this governance worldwide), and 15% are more specific to the Council of Ministers of Higher encourages and allows every faculty the region. For example, genetic Education from the six Gulf countries. member to participate in and contribute hematological problems such as sickle cell Every two years, they review its progress to the functioning and advancement of disease constitute an important health and approve its budget. The board of the CMMS. problem specific to the Gulf region. trustees is formed by two representatives Other important aspects that influence from each country. They meet every six months to review the biannual progress Educational Programs report presented by the University