Doctor of Medicine
6-Year MD Program

The Vision of the Doctor of Medicine Program is to pursue excellence in medical education, research and patient care to meet the evolving healthcare needs of the nation and the region.

PHASE I: “Transition to Medical Sciences” – Two years – Year 1 and 2

It is the interface between high school education and the medical program. It introduces the students to foundation in human structure and function, basics of Cell Biology, Genetics, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Pathology, Immunology, Pharmacology, Public Health, Physics relevant to Medical Sciences, Informatics, Humanities, Scientific Writing, and General Education courses. An important course in this phase is “Medical Education and Lifelong Learning”. In this course, students learn how they will learn and become life-long learners. Students will be familiarized with different “learning and teaching approaches” like PBL, TBL, literature search, reflection and developing e-portfolio.

Gate I End of Phase I: Based on the students’ academic performance, he/she may be allowed to move to the next phase of the MD program or take a decision to change major and join another health sciences program. Credit obtained can be transferred to the new program.

PHASE II: Core Medical Science: Two years – Years 3 and 4.

In this phase, we introduce the students to the core up-to-date knowledge for practice and its application to patients and population care. Clinical Skills are mainly acquired in Skills Labs with regular encounters with real patients. This phase is organized around integrated organ systems modules. Several courses will run horizontally and vertically in the different modules e.g., clinical skills program, research projects, evidence-based medicine (EBM), public health, etc.

Problem-Based Learning (PBL) using high-fidelity AI based simulated patients constitutes the primary strategy of learning and teaching. Lectures will be offered as resource sessions using TBL and flipped classrooms. Basic medical sciences, clinical sciences, population health, ethics and professionalism are integrated within the problems. The subjects studied include clinical and applied aspects of Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, Pharmacology, Pathology, Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics. In addition, the following courses: Clinical Skills, Community Medicine, Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Research Methodology, Family Health, Evidence-based Medicine, and Behavioral Sciences are integrated and coordinated within the organ-system units. In the year 4, semester 8, students spend 6 weeks in an integrated multisystem course preparing them for patient care in the hospital setting.

Gate II End of Phase II: By the end of Year 4, the students should successfully complete the Phase II requirements in order to progress to Phase III and complete the six-year MD program. The students will take an international benchmark exam (IFOM Basic Medical Sciences or USMLE).

PHASE III: Transition to practice (Clerkships) “Workplace-Based Learning”: Two years – Year 5 and 6.

Students will rotate in different clerkships of longer duration in order to ensure better exposure to the work environment, patients, and interaction with other healthcare professionals. This is a more valuable experience than the short clerkship rotations of 1–2 weeks in sub-specialties.

In year 5, students undergo five clerkship rotations of 8 weeks each in Medicine, Surgery, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Pediatrics, and ENT/Eye. In year 6, they go through four rotations of 8 weeks each in Medicine and subspecialties, Surgery and subspecialties. Family Medicine and Psychiatry, Emergency Medicine and Critical care, and another 8 weeks of elective training/research. This can change according to the practicality of implementation (i.e. context).

Gate III End of Phase III: At the end of Phase III, students should successfully complete the Phase requirement and provide convincing evidence related to the Program Learning Outcomes and achievement of competence. The IFOM Clinical Sciences will be considered as an international benchmark. The student will graduate with MD degree which is followed by one year of Internship to apply for the UAE license to practice exam, and UAE residency selection exam.

The graduates are awarded the Doctor of Medicine degree on successful completion of the 6-year program and passing the comprehensive exit examination.

Credit Equivalence: The credit equivalence of the Doctor of Medicine Program is 224 credits.

Study Plan

Under Construction

The educational objectives of the Doctor of Medicine program are expressed as competencies which the graduate should have acquired by the end of the program and is organized around the six ACGME competency domains of:

Admission Requirements for 6-year MD Program

• The applicant must have completed a minimum of 12 years of school education.
• All applicants must complete 18 years of age on or before the 31^st of December in the year of admission for student visa purposes.
• The applicant must have passed any one of the following English Language Proficiency Tests with a minimum score as follow:
  • 1400 in Emirates Standardized Language Test (EmSAT) (only for UAE resident applicants)
  • 550 in TOEFL (CBT 213 – iBT 79)
  • 6.0 in IELTS for Academic
  • or equivalent in any other standardized internationally recognized test approved by the Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA), Ministry of Education – Higher Education Affairs, UAE.
    Valid English Proficiency Score is mandatory before admission.
• EmSAT Arabic is mandatory. UAE applicants for Doctor of Medicine must score EmSAT Arabic of 800 minimum and all international students shall register for a non-credit Basic Arabic Language course in the Institution. Those not completed Arabic will be on conditional admission.
• EmSAT Maths and EmSAT Biology are mandatory with EmSAT Chemistry or EmSAT Physics with a minimum score of 900 for all UAE nationals and students passing from the UAE education system. UAE resident applicants with an international curriculum are also required to complete EmSAT requirements.
• All International students are required to pass the EmSAT equivalent admission exam set by the College of Medicine that includes Section 1 with the subjects: Mathematics and Biology mandatory, Chemistry or Physics and Section 2 with Multiple Mini Interviews (MMIs)
• Applicants from various educational systems must comply with the rules listed below:

• • Applicants from any other non-UAE educational systems not listed above must have secured a minimum aggregate score equivalent to UAE 90% as per International Grade Conversion Table published by World Education System(WES).
• Applicants from any other non-UAE educational systems must submit an Equivalency Certificate of their High School Certificate from the Ministry of Education, UAE. [link]
• Students should complete science subjects (Biology, Chemistry, in 10^th and 11^th or 12th Grades). Applicants who lack sufficient background in science subjects (Biology or Chemistry or Physics) may register for the non-credit remedial course offered by the University.
• All applicants shall be evaluated for cognitive and non-cognitive traits demonstrating their aptitude for the chosen area of study by the Admissions Committee On successful completion of the EmSAT or the admission exam, the applicant and parent meet the admissions committee.
• The decision of the Admission Committee shall be final and binding.

Upon graduation, the medical graduates can pursue further career in the field of clinical practice, research or academia. All graduates are eligible to take the licensing exam in the country to be evaluated for independent practice. Medical graduates can work as doctors in hospitals, medical institutions, private clinics, research centres, medical industry and insurance. Medical graduates can specialize in a variety of biomedical or clinical medical professions after completing a period of postgraduate training. Graduates interested in research and academia can pursue a masters and PhD.