The college is an initiative of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and will initially deliver courses in medicine and other health disciplines at the degree level

Becoming a medical practitioner is in many ways a calling. It is about being competent, talented and sensitive. It is about being human. There are many who dream of becoming a doctor.

Some want to become paediatricians, others heart surgeons, neurologists or psychiatrists. They want to touch people's lives and use their God-given skills to cure.

If you are one of those people and you are looking for an affordable university that provides high standards of medical education in the Middle East, you will find an answer in Bahrain.

The Medical University of Bahrain (MUB) is a new initiative of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI).

MUB is a constituent university of RCSI and will initially deliver courses in medicine and other health disciplines at the degree level.

"Courses are delivered according to the highest international standards, with qualifications that are recognised worldwide," said Dr Brendon Kavanagh, visiting doctor from RCSI, who was in Dubai recently for GETEX 2005.

He said the university serves as an international centre that mainly targets students from GCC countries but is also open to applicants from outside the region.

The curriculum is based on the standards of the World Federation of Medical Education - a global organisation dealing with the education and training of medical doctors.

"Teaching methods and the curriculum are monitored and evaluated to ensure continuous development," Kavanagh said.

"The curriculum is student-centred and hospital- and community-based. It was developed by multidisciplinary teams with the appropriate representation of biomedical scientists and clinical stakeholders."

The MUB medical programme is for five to six years.

"It depends on each candidate. Some students need to go through the foundation year followed by five years of the medical school programme. Courses are also semester-based," he explained.

At the end of each semester, the university conducts case study assessments to link biomedical and clinical science theories to real-life applications, Kavanagh said.

"The clinical skills of students will progress and they will mature professionally and personally through understanding the ethical, social and economic environment of the healthcare industry," he said.

Kavanagh added that a select group of students would be encouraged to practise self-directed learning and conduct an in-depth study of certain topics to develop their own portfolio.

MUB began the first intake of foundation year students last October. The university is currently functioning at a temporary facility in Al Seef District in the Bahraini capital Manama.

The Bahraini Government has provided a site for the MUB campus near King Hamad General Hospital at Muharraq Island. The hospital will be the main teaching facility for MUB.

"The university will also have access to other hospitals and health centres of the Ministry of Health," Kavanagh said.

The building of Phase 1 of the university will start in the middle of this year.

"It will have a fully-integrated IT system with wireless access in all areas to allow maximum use of technology and e-learning in the delivery of the programme," he said.

The campus is due for completion in the summer of 2007.

Programmes offered by MUB

Foundation year plus five-year medical programme taught by Irish and Bahraini doctors and professors

Applicants: From the GCC, but applicants from other countries are also eligible.

Entry requirements: You should have one of the following qualifications

  • Secondary School Leaving Certificate with a minimum average grade of 95 per cent. Also required is a minimum score of 5.0 in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) examination
  • GCE programme: For the five-year MUB programme, a student needs three A-level passes with minimum grades of A-B-B in mathematics, chemistry, biology or physics. Minimum of six subjects at GCSE level
  • International Baccalaureate Diploma: Students taking a six-year MUB programme, must present six subjects with a minimum score of 28 points.

English, Mathematics and at least one science are obligatory.

If a student is opting for the five-year MUB programme, he or she should have attained 34 points to include chemistry at a higher level and physics or biology at higher or subsidiary level

Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI)

RCSI was set up in the 19th century with various postgraduate faculties added in the 20th century.

The college has in recent years become more active abroad with schools in Malaysia and Bahrain. It provides health-related programmes including hospital management.

Today more than 60 countries are represented through its international student body.

Applicants
MUB welcomes applications from graduate students,
who have pursued a degree or additional training in a subject other than medicine.

The students can present their academic qualifications such as their undergraduate degree, a higher degree or a professional paramedical qualification.

The MUB admissions committee will assess the qualifications on an individual basis.

For more information
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland - Medical University of Bahrain
Log on to www.rcsi-mub.com