Gulf Medical University is committed to excellence in research, teaching, patient care, and the advancement of the art and science of medicine. To this end, the mission of its continuing medical education programs is to improve patient care by providing lifelong educational opportunities for physicians and health professionals and health care workers based upon identified needs that will in turn improve the health care of
patients both now and for future generations.
Another goal is to improve the career satisfaction of physicians and health professionals by providing them with educational opportunities which keep them current with the latest developments in medicine and health sciences, while simultaneously offering current faculty and CME participants the opportunity to interact with physicians and other health professionals at other institutions through CME activities.
The medical varsity is committed to the maintenance and continued development of a community of scientific and clinical scholarship. The scope of the CME program shall appropriately include all areas of medicine and health professionals based on an assessment of their educational needs. The CME offerings for the local community of health professionals shall be concentrated in areas where the Colleges of GMU and its affiliates have recognized excellence, while its in-house activities shall attempt to complement its academic and clinical strengths.
The potential participants for GMU CME activities are intended to be:
- the physicians and other health professionals on the staffs of all the Colleges and its affiliated hospitals
- alumni of the Colleges of Medicine, Pharmacy, Dentistry and Health Sciences and Graduate Studies and the Gulf Medical College Hospital and current medical students
- all physicians located in the communities surrounding the Gulf Medical College Hospital and its affiliates (SKHA, Ajman, UAQH, UAQ, and MH, AD)
- all other physicians and health professionals and health care workers practicing and working in Ajman and the neighboring emirates.
To address these participants’ educational needs, activities and services provided by the Center for Continuing Education & Community Outreach shall offer medical and health education programs that shall be primarily face to face courses and conferences. However, in response to changing physician needs and new technologies, it shall produce learning packages including internet-based activities, although they are not currently a major focus of its educational efforts. Collaborating with extramural organizations of recognized merit to offer jointly sponsored programs will also be considered part of its mission.
The overall CME program efforts shall result in activities that succeed in the transmission and application of knowledge of medicine and health sciences. Understanding the impact of the CME activities on patient care is central to the mission of these programs. The CCE&CO shall assess the outcome of its programs, with studies undertaken to assess changes in participant’s knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors as a result of participation in its CME activities, and to endeavor to understand the impact these have on patient care.
Through the CCE&CO the university shall reach out to the employed and unemployed health workforce in the community in an attempt to extend the educational resources of GMU and additional courses and activities to the nontraditional learners to complete their degree or advance their education.
The CCE&CO shall extend the University’s educational resources and services through its outreach programs and provide noncredit and credit-based instructional programs for individuals, organizations, and businesses in the health sector. The CCE&CO shall provide coordination, logistical support and administrative oversight of all distance and college-based continuing education programs to help the University fulfill its educational mission. During this year, the center will be re-organized as the Office for Continuing Education and Community Outreach, to serve better the University’s mission and vision as a comprehensive university for generating a skilled health work force for the country.
The center shall offer lifelong learning courses, services, and programs designed to meet the personal improvement, career, and cultural needs of individuals. Courses shall be non-credit and include special interest, certificate programs, computer skills; professional development and test preparation. Various non-credit educational programs (workshops, seminars, short courses, etc.) shall be scheduled through the year by the colleges of the University and the CCE&CO making it possible for the University to serve greater numbers of people of all ages with richer and more diversified programs. The programs vary in length from one day to less than 12 months, and the subject matter shall be concentrated as needed for the group being served.
The Continuing Education Unit (CEU) shall be awarded to participants who successfully complete programs that are sponsored by the CCE&CO and approved by an academic unit. Transcripts indicating awarded CEU that shall be made available.
The CCE&CO shall develop programs for the health professionals and industry, government, professional, civic, and service groups. A variety of instructional methods shall be used to assure maximum participation. Distinguished faculty members from GMU and other institutions of higher education, and national and international resource persons shall serve as consultants, instructors, and lecturers for the programs.
Professional program coordinators shall be available to provide technical assistance in program planning, budget preparation, and evaluation, and to assist organizations in developing programs consistent with the needs of the group and the overall educational objectives of the University.
The Health Communication Division (HCD) shall assist in the delivery of short-term programs (conferences, institutes, workshops, symposia, and seminars) consistent with the needs of specific groups and organizations to broaden their professional competencies. This division currently serves the academic and administrative units of the University as well as liaises between organizations such as government agencies, schools, professional organizations, and other interest groups.
The HCD shall accommodate activities that require only management support during the conference itself, as well as those that require a full complement of services. Professional program coordinators shall provide assistance with conducting needs assessments, technical program design, program budget development, instructional resources, brochure preparation, logistics, registration, and recording of Continuing Education Units, on-site program management, program evaluation and certificate.