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Naveed Ahmed, MD, MPAS, PA-C
Program Director
The Prince Sultan Military College of Health Sciences Dhahran, KSA
Physician Assistants
In Saudi Arabia
Objectives
Healthcare Profession in KSA
Present Challenges
PA Profession Establishment
Future Direction
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the largest Arab state in the Gulf Cooperation Council and makes up 80% of the Arabian peninsula.
Bahrain
Kuwait
Oman
Qatar
United Arab Emirates
KSA Population
Colliers International Estimated
Population of over 26 million people including more than 5 million non-nationals
Healthcare
Government through the Ministry of Health and its agencies is the primary healthcare provider
In 2005 Universal health insurance was introduced
Healthcare is FREE for all citizens and expatriates in Saudi Arabia.
Government provides massive health services to approximately two million pilgrims from all over the world who visit Saudi Arabia
MOH provides health services at 3 levels:
Primary
Secondary
Tertiary
Healthcare
Challenges for Healthcare Reform
Healthcare Workforce - Shortage of local health care professionals.
Majority of health personnel are expatriates - this leads to a high rate of turnover and instability in the workforce
Healthcare Professionals
World Health Organization - Saudi Arabian health services have relied heavily on expatriate healthcare professionals during the last 4 decades.
Huge efforts have been initiated to educate and train nationals.
Challenges
Severe health-related challenges due to shortage of Healthcare Providers–
Obesity
Hypertension
Diabetes
Other chronic diseases.
GWU-MFA Collaboration
In pursuit of providing the most advanced healthcare available to its people, the Medical Services Division (MSD) of the Ministry of Defense & Aviation, has adopted the Physician Assistant profession as an adjunct model.
Initiated in 2010 through collaboration with George Washington University Medical Faculty Associates (GWU-MFA), Dept. of Emergency Medicine.
Physician Assistant Education in KSA
The Prince Sultan Military College of Health Sciences
Program Goals
Focus on preparing military health
professionals who will extend and complement
the capabilities of physicians in the delivery of
health care in Saudi Arabia.
PA Program Standards
Guided by high standards set forth by the U.S. based Accreditation Review Commission on PA Education (ARC-PA)
Focuses on the core competencies of Physician Assistant medical practice established by the U.S. National Commission for the Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA)
The PSMCHS PA Program
Response – 155 Applicants 28 started the Transitional Semester 21 Students successfully started the core curriculum in February 2011. - First graduates (15 students in 2013) - Five are currently Clinical Instructors at PSMCHS
The PSMCHS PA Program
Masters Degree
• High academic standards
• Very challenging
• Requires dedication to learning and commitment to hard work
Academic Program
• 28 months long – year round
• Transitional Semester
• Didactic Year (3 Semesters)
• Clinical Year (12 Months)
Transitional Semester
Strengthen student’s academic and clinical knowledge and skills
Prepare students for the didactic phase of the curriculum
• Integrated Medical Sciences
• English for the Healthcare Professional
• The Physician Assistant Profession
• Skills Building
• Medical Terminology
• Clinical Practice
Didactic Year
Efficiently and effectively prepare students for
medical practice during the clinical phase of the PA
Program: 3 semesters (12 months)
Clinical year
Family Medicine
Internal Medicine
Surgery
Psychiatry
Emergency Medicine
Field and Combat Medicine
Primary Care (elective)
Certification
Upon successful completion of the program,
graduates qualify to sit for a Comprehensive Certifying Examination including:
Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE)
Oral Examination
Written Examination
Recognition by the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS)
Accreditation by the Ministry of Higher Education
Affiliation with various hospitals and universities
Challenges
Future Direction
Program demands and deserves recognition and accommodations in the main stream education system
In order to confront the unforeseen situation
Program to naturally grow up and yield fruitful results, it needs supports and patronizing gestures from the authorities as well as the beneficiaries.
We embrace the future with high hopes
that the new PA Profession will take root in
the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as it has done
in many countries around the world.
References:
Health care system in Saudi Arabia: an overview M. Almalki,1,2 G. Fitzgerald 2 and M. Clark 2
Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants: August 2014 - Volume 27 - Issue 8 - p 11 Physician assistants in Saudi Arabia
Ahmed, Naveed MD, MPAS, PA-C