Online medical courses 'not recognised'

Dubai: Physicians who do post-graduate medical courses online or without seeing patients will not receive recognition from the Ministry of Health under new regulations on post-graduate qualifications.

The standard applies only to physicians employed by the ministry. There are 13 hospitals under the Health Ministry in Dubai and the Northern Emirates.

Dr Abdul Gaffar Al Hawi, assistant undersecretary of curative medicine at the ministry, told Gulf News a committee on medical evaluation standards decided against online courses if physicians wanted to upgrade to specialists and consultants.

"They have to take leave of absence, study medicine at a recognised college practically, and get certified. Otherwise they will not receive their upgrade status or the technical allowance that comes with it," he said.

He said the ministry would also refuse to recognise any courses done without clinical attachment or practical work, in which physicians "just sit in the library, writing the thesis without seeing any patients".

Dr Al Hawi said this practice had to stop adding the ministry would help physicians upgrade their status. "After internship, they can go for leave and get an allowance while doing their post-graduate work," he said.