Doctor of Medicine (MD)

About This Programme

MBRU's Doctor of Medicine (MD) is a six-year undergraduate programme at the College of Medicine, built on a curriculum that aims to produce physicians who are scholars, leaders, communicators and collaborators. It is divided into three phases: Phase 1 lasts one academic year, Phase 2 two years and Phase 3 three years. Each phase builds on the one before in a spiral curriculum, so students return to subjects at a higher level of difficulty and in greater depth. Phases 1 and 2 cover the structure and function of body regions and organ systems, microbiology, pathology, genetics and pharmacology, alongside Foundations of Clinical Medicine, research methods and a research project, and general education courses in English, bioethics, innovation in health sciences and the history of medicine. Phase 3 is clinical: clerkships in Years 4 and 5 cover internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, behavioral medicine, family medicine, obstetrics and gynecology and integrated acute care. Year 6 is a 12-month preparation for clinical practice in which, depending on local medical licensing regulations, students work in supervised training posts in hospitals and clinics as full-time members of a multidisciplinary team, including planned weekend working and on-call duties, before selectives and an elective that students can plan in the UAE or abroad. MBRU says the College of Medicine offers early clinical exposure, research on the MBRU campus and affiliations with local and international healthcare institutions. Selection combines academic results with MBRU's entrance examination and Multiple Mini Interviews, which assess skills such as communication, problem-solving, empathy and professionalism.

Course Highlights

• Six-year MD in three phases, including three years of clinical exposure
• Year 6: a 12-month preparation for clinical practice, with selectives and an elective in the UAE or abroad
• Research methods courses and a research project in Phase 2
• MBRU says its MD graduates will have satisfied the UAE's one-year internship requirement by the end of the programme
• Listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools, whose ECFMG note says MBRU students and graduates can apply for ECFMG Certification, subject to conditions

What You'll Study

The MD lasts six academic years. Each academic year has at least 30 weeks in two 15-week semesters, and during the eight-week summer holiday students may be offered optional courses or research experiences, or be required to take remediation courses. In regular semesters students normally take four to eight courses (14 to 16 credits), and the curriculum emphasises clinical skills, simulation-based training and professional development portfolios.

What You'll Learn

Entry Requirements

Careers

The MD aims to graduate competent, safe physicians prepared to pursue postgraduate training, and its sixth year prepares students to become general medical doctors or candidates for specialist postgraduate (residency) training in any field of medicine. MBRU notes that most countries, including the UAE, require medical graduates to complete a one-year structured internship, and says its MD graduates will have satisfied this requirement in the UAE by the end of the programme. It describes postgraduate training positions as limited and competitive, and says it supports graduates in securing them nationally and internationally, including through early career planning, seminars and career events.

Accreditation & Professional Recognition

Accredited by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research through the Commission for Academic Accreditation since January 2016; the CAA register lists the Doctor of Medicine as Active. MBRU is listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools (FAIMER School ID F0004132), whose sponsor notes say its students and graduates are eligible to apply for ECFMG Certification, subject to ECFMG's conditions, and that its medical degrees are acceptable to the provincial and territorial medical regulatory authorities in Canada. MBRU also states that its MD graduates are eligible to apply to the UK General Medical Council for the registration examination.

Programme Details