Dr. Farah Azhar (MBBS, MHPE, CCRP, FHEA) is a medical educationist at Gulf Medical University (GMU), UAE, where she leads program coordination, supports curriculum design, and contributes to quality assurance and continuous improvement initiatives. She earned her MBBS from Dow University of Health Sciences, Pakistan (2007) and completed her Master’s in Health Professions Education (MHPE) from the University of Dundee, UK (2021). She is also a Clinical Research Certified Professional (CRCP/CCRP, 2014) and has completed a certificate course in AI in Research, reflecting her ongoing commitment to evidence-informed educational innovation.
As Chair of the Medical Education and Lifelong Learning course, Dr. Azhar leads course development and delivery, aligning learning outcomes, instructional strategies, and assessment for undergraduate medical students. She actively facilitates Problem-Based Learning with a particular interest in strengthening learners’ clinical reasoning, critical thinking, and reflective practice. Mentorship is central to her educational practice, and she provides academic and scholarly guidance to both undergraduate and postgraduate learners.
Dr. Azhar is an active member of the Faculty Development Committee, contributing to faculty capacity-building through workshops and educational initiatives. Her scholarly work focuses on medical education practice and innovation particularly learner engagement, clinical learning environments, and game-based/gamified approaches. She publishes in peer-reviewed medical education journals and presents at international conferences. She is a Fellow of Advance HE (FHEA) and continues to advance her academic profile through leadership, scholarship, and educational development.
Publications & Media
- Azhar, F., 2025. From Feeling Engaged to Being Engaged: Cognitive-Centered Gamification. Medical Science Educator, pp.1-2. [link]
- Afshar, Z. S., Esmaeli, S., Azhar, F., & Rathan, R. (2025). New Emirates Medical Journal. Early Exposure to Research: Its Impact on Medical Students’ Educational Experience and Interest in Future Research. New Emirates Medical Journal. [link]
- Azhar, F., Adnan, N., Ahmed, L., & Azim, S. R. (2024). Exploring the Lived Experiences of Clinical Educators: Challenges, Motivations, and Future Perspectives. New Emirates Medical Journal, e02506882340618. [link]
- Azhar, F., & Adnan, N. (2024). Maximizing Engagement in Educational Games Through Learner Analysis. Medical Science Educator, 1-2. [link]
- Azhar, F., & Adnan, N. (2024). Launching Cost-effective Virtual Escape Rooms as a Tool for Formative Assessment. New Emirates Medical Journal, 05. [link]
- Adnan, N., Azhar, F., & Azim, S. R. (2024). Exploring perceptions of pre-clerkship students about workplace learning in the clinical learning environment at Gulf Medical University UAE. BMC Medical Education, 24(1), 528. [link]
- Azhar, F. & Rathan, R. (2023). Learning for life: An initiative for undergraduate medical students. Medical Teacher, 45(6), 668-669. [link]
- Adnan, N., Azim, S. R., Azhar, F., Ahmed, L., & Lamba, P. (2023). Workplace Learning: Learning Experiences of Pre-Clerkship Students In Their Clinical Learning Environment at a Medical University In UAE. JPMA. The Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association, 73(9), 1794-1799. [link]
- The Versatilist – Episode 368 (30 Nov 2025): “Versatilist with Farah Azhar”. [link]