Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery

The College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University awards the degree of Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) after the successful completion of all courses and the internship-training program.”

College

College of Medicine

Campus

Dammam

Track

Health

Level

Undergraduate

Degree

MBBS

Gender

Female, Male

Years of study

6 (preparatory year+ 5 years)

Credit hours

234

Additional requirements

Internship Program

Mission

The MBBS Program mission is to support the development of future physicians and academic health leaders who will promote the health of individuals and the community and contribute to research through competency in knowledge, skills, and attitudes.

Goals

1. Promote the understanding and application of Islamic values and traditions in all aspects of medical practice. 
2. Enable undergraduate medical students to acquire the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to become competent professionals and to develop lifelong habits of scholarship and service. 
3. Advance knowledge through research in all areas related to healthcare. These areas include: Basic Sciences, Clinical Sciences, cultural and behavioral aspects of medicine, methods for the delivery of healthcare, and the medical education process. 
4. Promote continuing professional development to maintain and improve the competency of all professionals engaged in healthcare delivery. 
5. Provide exemplary healthcare and services that meet the needs of society. 
6. Serve as a Medical Education Resource Center to related health professions and to the community and organizations involved in healthcare delivery. 
7. Commit to continuous academic quality improvement of higher academic standards according to national and international bodies. 

Program Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

1. Discuss the key concepts of medical ethics, law, and professionalism.
2. Identify the social determinants of health and the role of community related health care services.
3. Describe different perspectives on health, illness, and medical practice and associations between health, illness, and social position.
4. Demonstrate knowledge of normal and altered structure and function of the body systems from different basic sciences perspectives.
5. Demonstrate basic knowledge in clinical approach and management of common diseases.
6. Demonstrate understanding of basic medical research and commitment to scholarly pursuit.

Skills

1. Utilize strategies for sensitive and effective communication and interaction with others (patients, peers, teaching staff, healthcare team)
2. Demonstrate basic skills in accessing and analyzing information resources and research methodology.
3. Demonstrate the ability to approach the patient clinically (elicit accurate medical history, identify manifestations, clinical reasoning and problem solving, develop differential diagnosis, interpret and request investigations and formulate management plan)
4. Demonstrate skill in performing physical examination and basic clinical procedures.

Values, Autonomy, and Responsibility

1. Show respect and maintain privacy and confidentiality (for peers, university & health care staff, patients, clients).
2. Recognize own strengths and limitations, including personal factors that impact upon performance.
3. Demonstrate responsibility for own self-care and health issues.
4. Identify the roles and responsibilities of health care team members and show the ability to work collaboratively within a team.
5. Practice the use of principles of ethical and professional decision making in consultation with peers and teachers.

Graduate Attributes

The MBBS program enables its graduates to develop and exhibit the following attributes:

1. Have a strong understanding of ethics and values in all aspects of medical practice.
2. Be knowledgeable, skilled, reflective, critical thinkers. 
3. Be innovative in their approach to, and solution of problems.
4. Be skilled at accessing and applying best available evidence to everyday practice.
5. Be aware of the social, ethical, economic, and environmental context of health. 
6. Be committed to the health of populations and individuals.
7. Be concerned with issues of equity, quality, and humanity in health care. 
8. Maintain high standards throughout their professional life by a commitment to lifelong learning.
9. Be capable of leadership and be comfortable working as a team member.
10. Uphold the community’s trust and expectations of the role of a doctor. 
11. Recognize the essential role of research in medical practice.
12. Provide exemplary primary, secondary and tertiary health care.

MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) Program, Applicant must: 

• Be a Saudi citizen or of Saudi mother
• The student must fulfill the university admission requirements.
• Success in the health track preparatory year and fulfillment of the conditions of placement in the MBBS program
• The student must be medically fit.

MBBS Program Structure (overarching schema)

• Year 1: Preparatory year
• Year 2: Foundations of Medicine I: Introduction to Basics and Systems
• Year 3: Foundations of Medicine II: Body Systems
• Year 4: Practice of Clinical Medicine I: Integrated Medicine, Surgery, Pathophysiology and subspecialty.
• Year 5: Practice of Clinical Medicine II: Women’s and Children’s Health, Family Medicine and Psychiatry
• Year 6: Advanced Clinical Experiences: medicine, surgery, aged care, emergency medicine, Forensic Medicine & elective 

Years Two and Three

On the first week of the commencement of the program, students will attend a compulsory transition program, designed to focus on transition to university life, personal ethics, healthy lifestyle, group support and introduction to communication skills. Throughout the first two years, blocks of systems-based sub-units will be presented with a mix of basic medical science content, patient-based presentations and discussions in small groups. These sub-units combine basic content with generic skills and are set in appropriate clinical contexts, largely through the use of patient-oriented learning. Topics include:

• molecules, cells and tissues
• metabolism
• immunology
• Infection
• human development and growth
• human health and behavior
• mental state
• nutrition
• genomics
• pathology
• pharmacology

Including all human systems (hematological, cardiovascular, Gastrointestinal, respiratory, renal, urinary, musculo-skeletal, neurology, neurosciences, peripheral nervous System, endocrinology, head & Neck, reproduction) 

Years Four

In the fourth, the clinical content is delivered in blocks of clinical rotations, with a mix of advanced and applied medical science, patient-oriented presentations, and discussions in small tutorial groups. A diversity of clinical settings is used, including a range of hospitals and specialties. The emphasis will be on students gaining real clinical experience, participating in patient care and understanding how health care teams work. In the fourth year, students will study 'Integrated medicine and surgery' which will be taught together with a series of problem-based and core-based learning sessions.

Year Five and Six

The fifth year will be largely taken up with the core clinical rotations of 'Women's and children's health' and 'Family medicine and psychiatry'.

The sixth year course "Advanced Clinical Experiences" is focused on facilitating the transition of students into the medical workplace as trainee interns and will be structured as a series of clinical rotations. Students choose from a range of placements offered by the college. Students will participate in a range of learning experiences designed to substantially enhance their clinical reasoning, diagnostic and case management skills. Students will consolidate and enhance their knowledge, clinical skills, research skills and professional behaviors in clinically orientated rotations and specialized courses:

• Internal Medicine
• General surgery
• aged care (geriatrics)
• emergency medicine
• Forensic Medicine
• Research project
• Professional development

In addition, students will undertake a student elective rotation in a clinical area of personal interest, subject to college approval.

Internship Program

The Internship Training for the MBBS program started in November 1984 with 34 graduates of the charter class. Since then the program has been governed by approved Rules and Regulations of the College of Medicine and is supervised by the Vice Dean for Clinical Affairs. Satisfactory completion of this one-year training is mandatory for the award of the degree of MBBS by the University.

The Internship Training Program prepares the interns to perform their professional duties and responsibilities with confidence prior to their becoming registered doctors, enabling them to develop proper medical attitudes and ethics in accordance with the tenets of Islam. 

• Surgery for 2 Months (one at least general medicine) 
• Internal Medicine for 2 Months (one at least general medicine)
• Pediatrics for 2 Months
• Obstetrics and Gynecology for 2 Months
• Family and Community Medicine for 1 Month
• Elective for 2 Months (can be separate)