ussaudiforum - panel 5 - dr. samar al-saggaf - creating the workforce of the future
DESCRIPTION
The 3rd US-Saudi Business Opportunities Forum was held Sep 16-18, 2013, bringing together officials, business people, educators and specialists highlighting the U.S.-Saudi trade relationship and how U.S. companies can participate in Saudi Arabia's expansion. Saudi Arabia is undergoing an extraordinary economic boom. Massive public investment, rapid private-sector growth and new sector initiatives are driving an expansion projected to offer more than $1 trillion in trade and investment opportunities over the next decade. This panel of distinguished experts highlighted higher education and creating the workforce for the future.TRANSCRIPT
U.S. Saudi Business Opportunities Forum
Higher Education: Creating the Workforce for the Future
Dr. Samar AlsaggafDirector
Department of Medical and Health Science Programs
The Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission,Washington, D.C.
U.S. Saudi Business Opportunities Forum
Investing in Medical Education in SA
The annual budget for 2013 is considered the highest, 19% higher than the budget for 2012.
The 2013 allocation for education has risen by 21%.
The budget for healthcare has increased to 15.45% since 2012.
Source: Bloomberg
How does this reflect positive change?
• Well developed human resources.• A higher budget for education.• Improved infrastructure.• Well-established health and social services.• More scholars abroad.• Higher income. • Economic stability.
Why Medical Education?
• 50% of the Saudi population is below 25 years of age.
• Increased number of medical facilities
• The need for well trained physicians/paramedical employees.
• The need for more universities/medical colleges in the fields of allied health sciences.
The need for more professionals
The need for more professionals
Education% 25 of annual income spent on education and
vocational training.
In 77 years: 31, 798 schools128 colleges 68 Technical Education Institutions24 universities5,106,000 students Raised the literacy rate from 10 % to over 82
%
Goals of King Abdullah Program
Knowledge
Understanding
Development Culture
Experience
We have
You have
STATISTICS
U.S. Saudi Business Opportunities Forum
603
621
621721
453
867 USMLE
Dental & ESL
Medical
Pharmacy &ESL
Nursing & ESL
Health Allied & ESL
Students’ Distribution The Medical Department 2013
Total of 3884
ECFMG Certificates issued in 2011
Country Country of Medical School Country of Citizenship
Saudi Arabia* 149 153Egypt 217 206Iraq 145 147Lebanon 155 147Syria 138 145
*compared to its population, Saudi Arabia leads in the golf area by the number of certified students and one of the top compared to the Arab Countries.
Total Number of Accepted MD Students2008-2013
The TranistionNumber of Affiliations
0 50 100 150 200 250
2008
2010
2011
2012
2013
2011 to 2013 AcceptanceBy Degree Level
2011 2012 2013
Residency 90 70 95
Research 40 60 71
Fellowship 23 43 45
Total 153 173 211
RESIDENTS, FELLOWS, RESEARCHERS2007-2013
Top 10 Specialties - Residency acceptance 2013
Top 10 schools – Residency acceptance 2013
How much do we invest on our students?
• A lot of hard work, advising and support.
• Annual cost for medical students is $80M a year.
• Average cost of medical student is $700,000.
• Annual cost for dental students is $50M a year.
*not to include pharmacy, nursing and health allied.
Where We Presently Are
What it took
• Negotiation
• Collaboration
• Building bridges
• Mutual understanding
• Mutual goals
• More than 100 trips across the United States.
• More than 200 conference calls.
Our Work: Feedback
We asked a group of program directors about our affiliations and students. The responses were as
follows:
EDUCATION TRAINED PHYSICANS CULTURAL EXCHANGE PARTNERSHIPS
STUDENTS EXCHANGE COLLABORATION SUCCESS EXPERIENCE PATIENT REFERAL AFFILIATIONS
Coming soon…
U.S. Saudi Medical Forum (in 2014).
Opening Doors(Thanks to our partners)