Ras Al Khaimah: With the addition of a new academic block recently, RAK Medical and Health Sciences University (RAKMHSU) continues its expansion and consolidation of its position as one of the fastest growing universities in the UAE, Dr S. Gurumadhva Rao, Vice- Chancellor of the University, said.
In an interview, Dr Rao recollected how the university had launched its MBBS programme in 2006 with only 23 students. In just a decade, the university has grown exponentially, and now has more than 1,200 students from 48 nationalities. UAE nationals comprise 14 per cent of the total number of students.
“The university accepts students of high merit while offering its programmes at very reasonable and highly competitive rates,” Dr Rao said.
All programmes are accredited by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. The university’s graduates also have an option of pursuing a one-year internship programme at government hospitals in Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah, as per an MoU with the Ministry of Health. Upon completion of the internship, medical and dental graduates are eligible to appear for their licensing exams in the UAE.
Dr Rao also put to rest apprehensions regarding an incorrect media report late last year that mistakenly claimed a few dentistry graduates had faced difficulties in getting their qualifications attested.
He explained that there had been a delay from the side of the students in applying for attestation and the matter was only pertaining to the one-year internship certificate. The concerned students obtained their attested certificates on December 10, 2015. The Ministry of Health also clarified and confirmed that on December 10, 2015, the pending certificates were issued. After the attestations, many of those students passed the licensing exam and are in the process of applying for jobs.
“We encourage our graduates to apply for attestation in a timely manner so they do not face any delays. Our dean’s office is always available to guide and assist them through the process,” Dr Rao said.
The university is the first insitutute to offer an accredited master’s degree in nursing in the Middle East, Dr Rao said.
The Masters in Nursing programme started in 2011 and four specialities were added recently — Adult Health, Psychiatric-Mental Health, Paediatric and Community Health Nursing.
The MS in Clinical Pharmacy started in 2012 while the MS in Pharmaceutics began in 2014.
“Additionally, based on the MoU between the University and Ministry of Health, federal hospitals in Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah are used for the clinical training of all medical and health science students,” Dr Rao said.
Furthermore, the university is listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools (www.wdoms.org). The World Directory provides a comprehensive compilation of the information previously contained in the IMED and Avicenna directories.
Also, RAK College of Dental Sciences is listed in the World Health Organisation’s directory of Health Professions (www.emro.who.int/hped/).
Elaborating on the university’s achievements over the years, Dr Rao pointed out that in September 2015, the New York State Education Department in Albany approved it for the Long Term Clinical Clerkships in New York, which has enabled the university’s students to do their clinical clerkships in New York.
The university is the first university in the UAE and the second in the Middle East to receive this approval.
Admissions are open and students can apply online (www.rakmhsu.com/admissions/online-application-new) once their grade 12 grade results are out, along with their TOEFL and IELTS scores.
