A delegation from Qatar University College of Medicine (QU-CMED) explored potential collaborations during a recent visit to King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSH&RC) and King Fahad National Centre for Children’s Cancer (KFNCCC).
The delegation comprised QU vice president for medical education and CMED dean Dr Egon Toft, CMED associate dean for academic affairs Dr Hossam Hamdy and CMED Professor Dr Ala-Eddin al-Moustafa.
The visit included a meeting with Dr Khawla S al-Kuraya, professor of pathology and director of KFNCCC, to explore opportunities for collaboration between QU Health and KFNCCC. It is part of the college’s “commitment to expanding its international collaborations in line with its mission to provide medical education of international standard with a national focus”, according to a press statement.
The first day’s programme featured a series of presentations delivered by KSAU-HS College of Medicine (COM) dean Dr Ahmed al-Rumayyan, COM associate dean for academic & student affairs Dr Nawfal Aljerian, KSAU-HS director of educational affairs Susan Poskey, COM-Female Branch associate dean Prof Hanan al-Kadri, COM associate dean for clinical affairs Dr Saud al-Jadaan, professor at COM Department of Medical Education Prof Mohi Eldin Magzoub, and senior medical librarian at COM Medical Library Mr Shakil Khalil.
They presented a wide range of topics, such as COM curriculum, student academic management system, assessment unit, clinical simulation centre and clinical rotation, masters of medical education, comprehensive academic management system – curriculum alignment project, and learning resources.
The presentations were followed by a Q&A session, a campus tour to COM classrooms, laboratories, the assessment unit and clinical simulation centre, as well as a meeting with Dr Majid al-Salamah, dean of KSAU-HS College of Public Health and Health Informatics, in which discussions focused on setting up a health monitoring system for the Gulf region to collect data on disease diagnosis.
The second day’s programme included visits to KSAU-HS colleges of dentistry, pharmacy and nursing, and King Abdullah International Medical Research Centre. The delegation also had the opportunity to meet with KSAU-HS vice presidents for postgraduate education and academic affairs Dr Abdulmajeed al-Abdulkareem, for development & quality management affairs Prof Mohamed al-Moamary, and for educational affairs Prof Youssef al-Eissa.
Discussions focused on potential collaboration in areas of postgraduate education, development and quality management, and educational affairs.
During the visit to KFSH&RC and KFNCCC, the delegation addressed prospects for future collaborations with the Middle East Association for Cancer Research, and on areas such as cancer research, and staff and faculty exchange.