DoH Abu Dhabi's Medical Education Programmes Attract Over 500 Applicants In 2024

A total of 505 applicants have been accepted out of 1,711 applications for the Medical Education Programmes offered by the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH). This marks a 10% increase in both applications and participants from 2023. The programmes include internships, medical residencies, and fellowships across various healthcare specialties in medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy.

All 294 UAE national applications were accepted into the programmes, surpassing the number of non-nationals accepted for the first time since the programmes' launch in 2010. Emirati graduates make up 75% of participants in medical residency programmes and 62% in fellowship programmes. This aligns with DoH's commitment to national Emiratisation goals and developing a robust home-grown healthcare workforce.

The Medical Education Programmes have seen significant interest among both nationals and non-nationals. This reflects Abu Dhabi’s leading position in the global healthcare landscape. The addition of new fellowships in critical care and geriatric medicine, as well as a medical residency in urology and three dental internships, has expanded the range of specialties to a total of 44.

The specialties under these programmes include general surgery, paediatric surgery, internal medicine, family medicine, emergency medicine, anaesthesiology, ophthalmology, otolaryngology, paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, psychiatry, dermatology, urology and radiology. Dentistry and pharmacy are also part of the offerings. Each programme is led by industry experts at state-of-the-art facilities across Abu Dhabi.

Dr. Rashid Obaid Al Suwaidi, Executive Director of the Healthcare Workforce Sector at DoH, commented on this achievement: "We are thrilled to see the growing interest in our Medical Education Programmes, which reflects the high standards and excellence that DoH strives to maintain. The increase in the number of UAE nationals among the accepted candidates highlights our dedication to nurturing national talent and contributing to the UAE’s vision of creating a sustainable, self-reliant healthcare workforce."

Commitment to Excellence

"This milestone also reflects the cutting-edge facilities across Abu Dhabi that serve as a catalyst to deliver world-class training opportunities and better prepare medical graduates to lead the future of healthcare," Dr. Al Suwaidi added. "Through our programmes, we aim to showcase the capabilities of Abu Dhabi’s healthcare ecosystem and reinforce its leading position on a global level."

The Medical Education Programmes are designed to provide an ideal platform for knowledge sharing and experience exchange among participants. These initiatives are crucial for preparing medical graduates to meet future healthcare challenges effectively.

The increased participation rates underscore DoH's efforts to enhance educational opportunities within Abu Dhabi's healthcare sector. By fostering an environment conducive to learning and professional growth, DoH aims to ensure that its workforce remains competitive on an international scale.

This year's rise in applications and acceptances highlights both local and international recognition of Abu Dhabi's advanced healthcare training infrastructure. The focus remains on maintaining high standards while expanding opportunities for aspiring medical professionals.

With inputs from WAM