Working on the front-lines of healthcare across 60 countries, the alumni of Gulf Medical University (GMU) in Ajman have been making noteworthy contributions to the global healthcare sector for several years now. Among them are a number of Emirati medical practitioners who have made their mark in UAE hospitals, helping the country advance towards its healthcare goals.
Highlighting the contributions of GMU and its alumni, Shaikh Dr Majid bin Saeed Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the Ruler's Court, Ajman said, “Gulf Medical University and the network of Thumbay academic hospitals owned by Thumbay Group have significantly contributed to the economy in the fields of medical education and healthcare. GMU’s alumni have achieved a lot in the UAE and other countries; the majority of them are UAE nationals.”
Since its inception 22 years ago, about 2,000 students of 85 nationalities have passed out of GMU and are successfully working as CEOs, COOs, medical directors and head of departments in the healthcare industry in the Middle East, Africa, South Asia, Europe, America and Australasia. Moreover, the university’s academic and research tie-ups with over 60 international universities and research institutions ensures global acceptance and employability.
We are proud of each and every one of them who continue to demonstrate the outcomes of combining GMU’s superior academic qualifications with hard work and ambition.
“Our alumni are well-placed in a variety of healthcare roles in the UAE, the Middle East and beyond,” said Prof Hossam Hamdy, the Chancellor of GMU. “Particularly in the UAE, many of our graduates have joined the government and private sectors, becoming future drivers of transformation and progress in the healthcare industry. We are proud of each and every one of them who continue to demonstrate the outcomes of combining GMU’s superior academic qualifications with hard work and ambition.”
GMU has 26 accredited programmes under six colleges. It also offers a vibrant Continuous Medical Education programme for healthcare professionals, accredited by UAE health authorities. One of its most important strengths is its innovative curriculum, the clinical training in its academic hospitals and the advanced research institutes. The university continues to attract the best students from all over the world due to its international collaborations, futuristic curriculum, technology-enabled training methodology like the Virtual Patient Learning (VPL) and emphasis on early clinical training.
Moreover, about 20 per cent of the doctors and around 60 per cent of other healthcare professionals in the country graduate every year from GMU and the Thumbay Hospital network, creating a significant impact on the healthcare landscape of the country and the region.
Emirati alumnus Ayesha Mohammed Al Nuaimi who graduated in 2012 with a Bachelor of Physical Therapy (BPT) degree from GMU’s College of Health Sciences credits the quality of GMU’s programmes for helping graduates like her stand out. She says that the quality of education she experienced at GMU during her undergraduate days prompted her to return to GMU for her postgraduate studies. She now works as a physiotherapist in the medical committee of the UAE Football Association.
Another former student Dr Amna Alsari, a graduate of the 2016 batch of GMU’s College of Pharmacy, has been working as an inpatient pharmacist at Al Kuwaiti Dubai Government Hospital since her year of graduation. Referring to the recent transformation of the university into a full-fledged academic health system having world-class academic health centres within the campus, she said, “There has been a noticeable progress in the university recently, with the introduction of new bachelor’s and master’s programmes, addition of new colleges and clinical training facilities. This is one of the reasons I decided to return to GMU for my postgraduate studies. For me, GMU has become a lifelong learning centre, which continues to support me throughout my professional career.”
Dr Abedeen Subratty, another graduate of the College of Pharmacy, who works as a pharmacist in Mauritius, says that the international experience he gained from GMU has opened up a world of opportunities before him.
Dr Lourdes Mahir Khalil, a DMD graduate from GMU’s College of Dentistry, says that the university encourages research and academic pursuits of students, helping them realise their full potential. “Through GMU, I was able to acquire a higher standard of knowledge that has helped me in my profession. It has also helped me get my research project published in a reputed international publication on internal medicine.”
GMU graduates are given priority for employment at the various hospitals and clinics under the Thumbay network in Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah, Umm Al Quwain and Ras Al Khaimah, all of which are Academic Health Centres under the GMU Academic Health System. GMU students are preferred for employment at Thumbay Pharmacies and Thumbay Labs as well. Dr. Baljinder Singh, an MBBS graduate of the College of Medicine, presently working at the Accident & Emergency Department of Thumbay Hospital, Ajman said, “GMU helped me and some of my batchmates get employed in Thumbay Hospital after graduating. The university not only gives students a good education, but it also gave us the opportunity to train at the hospital, gain some experience and then go ahead from there.”
