Naveed Ahmed, MD, MPAS, PA-C

Program Director

The Prince Sultan Military College of Health Sciences Dhahran, KSA

Physician Assistants

In Saudi Arabia

Objectives

Healthcare Profession in KSA

Present Challenges

PA Profession Establishment

Future Direction

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the largest Arab state in the Gulf Cooperation Council and makes up 80% of the Arabian peninsula.

Bahrain

Kuwait

Oman

Qatar

United Arab Emirates

KSA Population

Colliers International Estimated

Population of over 26 million people including more than 5 million non-nationals

Healthcare

Government through the Ministry of Health and its agencies is the primary healthcare provider

In 2005 Universal health insurance was introduced

Healthcare is FREE for all citizens and expatriates in Saudi Arabia.

Government provides massive health services to approximately two million pilgrims from all over the world who visit Saudi Arabia

MOH provides health services at 3 levels:

Primary

Secondary

Tertiary

Healthcare

Challenges for Healthcare Reform

Healthcare Workforce - Shortage of local health care professionals.

Majority of health personnel are expatriates - this leads to a high rate of turnover and instability in the workforce

Healthcare Professionals

World Health Organization - Saudi Arabian health services have relied heavily on expatriate healthcare professionals during the last 4 decades.

Huge efforts have been initiated to educate and train nationals.

Challenges

Severe health-related challenges due to shortage of Healthcare Providers–

Obesity

Hypertension

Diabetes

Other chronic diseases.

GWU-MFA Collaboration

In pursuit of providing the most advanced healthcare available to its people, the Medical Services Division (MSD) of the Ministry of Defense & Aviation, has adopted the Physician Assistant profession as an adjunct model.

Initiated in 2010 through collaboration with George Washington University Medical Faculty Associates (GWU-MFA), Dept. of Emergency Medicine.

Physician Assistant Education in KSA

The Prince Sultan Military College of Health Sciences

Program Goals

Focus on preparing military health

professionals who will extend and complement

the capabilities of physicians in the delivery of

health care in Saudi Arabia.

PA Program Standards

Guided by high standards set forth by the U.S. based Accreditation Review Commission on PA Education (ARC-PA)

Focuses on the core competencies of Physician Assistant medical practice established by the U.S. National Commission for the Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA)

The PSMCHS PA Program

Response – 155 Applicants 28 started the Transitional Semester 21 Students successfully started the core curriculum in February 2011. - First graduates (15 students in 2013) - Five are currently Clinical Instructors at PSMCHS

The PSMCHS PA Program

Masters Degree

• High academic standards

• Very challenging

• Requires dedication to learning and commitment to hard work

Academic Program

• 28 months long – year round

• Transitional Semester

• Didactic Year (3 Semesters)

• Clinical Year (12 Months)

Transitional Semester

Strengthen student’s academic and clinical knowledge and skills

Prepare students for the didactic phase of the curriculum

• Integrated Medical Sciences

• English for the Healthcare Professional

• The Physician Assistant Profession

• Skills Building

• Medical Terminology

• Clinical Practice

Didactic Year

Efficiently and effectively prepare students for

medical practice during the clinical phase of the PA

Program: 3 semesters (12 months)

Clinical year

Family Medicine

Internal Medicine

Surgery

Psychiatry

Emergency Medicine

Field and Combat Medicine

Primary Care (elective)

Certification

Upon successful completion of the program,

graduates qualify to sit for a Comprehensive Certifying Examination including:

Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE)

Oral Examination

Written Examination

Recognition by the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS)

Accreditation by the Ministry of Higher Education

Affiliation with various hospitals and universities

Challenges

Future Direction

Program demands and deserves recognition and accommodations in the main stream education system

In order to confront the unforeseen situation

Program to naturally grow up and yield fruitful results, it needs supports and patronizing gestures from the authorities as well as the beneficiaries.

We embrace the future with high hopes

that the new PA Profession will take root in

the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as it has done

in many countries around the world.

References:

Health care system in Saudi Arabia: an overview M. Almalki,1,2 G. Fitzgerald 2 and M. Clark 2

Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants: August 2014 - Volume 27 - Issue 8 - p 11 Physician assistants in Saudi Arabia

Ahmed, Naveed MD, MPAS, PA-C