Regional meeting in Doha advances progress towards international standards for certifying physicians

Representatives of elite healthcare institutions from across the Middle East convened in Doha to discuss plans to introduce new standards of excellence in physician certification in the region.

Co-organized by Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar (WCMC-Q) in partnership with the Supreme Council of Health, Hamad Medical Corporation, and Sidra Medical and Research Center, the meeting was the first of its kind to be held in the Middle East.

Attendees explored possible areas for collaboration to implement certifying examinations endorsed by the international arm of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) for physicians graduating from residency programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education International (ACGME-I).

ABMS International, LCC (ABMS-I), a subsidiary of ABMS, leverages the expertise of the ABMS Member Boards in creating medical specialty assessments. ABMS is the medical organization overseeing physician certification in the United States. It assists its 24 Member Boards in their efforts to develop and implement educational and professional standards for the evaluation and certification of physician specialists. Collaborating with ABMS-I will facilitate attainment of higher standards of care by physicians in Qatar and the wider region.

The historic meeting, held on Sunday and Monday, 23 and 24 September at WCMC-Q, was co-chaired by Dr. Javaid Sheikh, dean of WCMC-Q and Her Excellency Dr. Ghalia Bint Mohammed Al-Thani, a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Governors for the Supreme Council for Health, and was attended by representatives of Hamad Medical Corporation, Sidra Medical and Research Center, the American University of Beirut, the Oman Medical Specialty Board and the Health Authority – Abu Dhabi.

Representatives discussed the current arrangements for certifying physicians, student teaching methods and resident education, before exploring strategies to foster greater collaboration between the parties and advance the implementation of the ABMS-I examinations.

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