By Sajila Saseendran

Copyright gulfnews

Dubai: The American University in Dubai (AUD) on Tuesday announced the launch of the region’s first US-style four-year medical school in partnership with the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine (Penn Medicine), the first medical school and teaching hospital in the US.The programme, set to open in 2027, aims to address the UAE’s growing need for highly skilled healthcare professionals.Dr J. Larry Jameson, President of UPenn, and Dr Kyle Long, President of AUD, signed an agreement at the AUD campus in the presence of Elias Bou Saab, Executive Vice President of AUD, and Dr Glen Gaulton, Vice Dean and Director of the Centre for Global Health at Penn Medicine.The AUD School of Medicine will offer a Doctor of Medicine (MD) programme that integrates world-class American medical education practices with a focus on the UAE’s healthcare priorities.It is designed to become a leading hub for medical education, research, and innovation, combining rigorous clinical training and advanced teaching to produce physicians capable of delivering exceptional healthcare in the UAE and internationally.Dr Jameson said the collaboration aims to support the establishment of the UAE’s premier academic medical institution.Dr Long described the initiative as “a bold step forward, not only for AUD, but also for Dubai, the UAE, and the wider region.” He highlighted that there are over 4,000 medical schools worldwide, and fewer than 5% follow the American model of a four-year programme requiring a bachelor’s degree for admission.“None have ever joined with a university in the Gulf to develop a school of medicine,” he said.Redefining medical educationDr Long stressed that the goal is not simply to replicate the American model, but to “redefine what world-class medical education can be” while tailoring it to regional needs. He added that, with Penn’s guidance, AUD would develop a School of Medicine following American standards, adapted to the region.Dr Glen Gaulton said the school will be the region’s first four-year graduate-entry programme, admitting students who already hold a bachelor’s degree.“Students will arrive having completed a bachelor’s degree anywhere in the world. They come with more life behind them, greater understanding, and often a much stronger commitment to the profession than those starting straight out of secondary school,” he said.Clinical partnershipsPenn’s role, Gaulton added, is to guide the curriculum and train faculty, while most teaching will be delivered by AUD professors and local clinicians. Penn faculty will make periodic visits, with some in residence for one to three years.Dr Long said AUD plans to partner with two or three existing hospitals, combining public and private institutions to give students exposure to both specialised and broad-spectrum care.He highlighted the distinctive American model, which allows graduates from diverse disciplines to join the medical school if they meet core science prerequisites.“What’s wonderful about the American approach is that your undergraduate degree doesn’t have to be in science. As long as you’ve taken the requisite biology, chemistry and maths courses and done well on the MCATs, you can become a student in our medical school.”Admission cycle, scholarship plansThe programme will include two years of classroom-based study followed by two years of immersive clinical training, with the curriculum developed in partnership with Penn and delivered in affiliated hospitals.While the curriculum and tuition fees are still being finalised, Dr Long said the university is working “speedily but carefully” to launch the programme, with 2027 set as the earliest possible opening year. Admissions will follow a global cycle requiring applications up to a year in advance, and scholarships, already offered to almost 50% of AUD undergraduates, are expected to be part of the programme.Local perspectiveEmirati physician and scientist in future medicine and science, Dr Maryam Matar, who was among the guests, welcomed the initiative.“This will give science graduates a clear path into medicine and bring US-standard training to Dubai. It opens doors for aspiring doctors such as my daughter and lets them pursue their dreams locally while benefiting from the safety, excellence, and global outlook Dubai offers,” said Dr Matar, who is also the founder and chairperson of Sheikh Zayed Research Centre at UAE Genetic Disease Association..American University in Dubai: Setting global benchmarks in education