- Home » Expat News » UAE recognition of overseas medical degrees results in more health professionals
UAE recognition of overseas medical degrees results in more health professionals
| Published: | 23 Oct at 6 PM |
Want to get involved?
Become a Featured Expat and take our interview.
Become a Local Expert and contribute articles.
Get in touch today!
Become a Local Expert and contribute articles.
Get in touch today!
The UAE’s new unified professional qualification requirement scheme came into force earlier this month, and has resulted in a larger pool of qualified medical professionals in Emirati hospitals.
The new requirements now recognise international medical degrees from a number of countries worldwide, and are attracting experienced expat healthcare workers at all levels to UAE hospitals and clinics. Senior healthcare officials have announced that the UAE-wide laws are aimed at increasing the quality standards of those working in healthcare.
Ongoing three-monthly reviews of the scheme by a team of experts are expected to improve standards still further, thus keeping up with international developments in medicine. Of the up to 8,000 medical licenses issued every year by the UAE, 30 per cent are given to surgeons and doctors, and 50 per cent are to nurses.
Expat medical professional qualifications are divided into three tiers according to the applicant's country of origin, with Ireland, the USA, Canada, New Zealand and Australia rated the highest. The second and third tiers hold less advanced countries with less rigorous degree and training programmes, and heathcare professionals wishing to work at consultancy level must have at least five years of post-internship experience.
Meanwhile, the recently released 2014 HSBC expat lifestyle survey has seen the UAE’s ranking drop sharply due to its soaring cost of living and the expense of raising children. Now 15th on the list, it was overtaken by Qatar and Oman in 13th and 14th place respectively but is still more popular than Saudi Arabia and Kuwait with their 28th and 29th positions.
The new requirements now recognise international medical degrees from a number of countries worldwide, and are attracting experienced expat healthcare workers at all levels to UAE hospitals and clinics. Senior healthcare officials have announced that the UAE-wide laws are aimed at increasing the quality standards of those working in healthcare.
Ongoing three-monthly reviews of the scheme by a team of experts are expected to improve standards still further, thus keeping up with international developments in medicine. Of the up to 8,000 medical licenses issued every year by the UAE, 30 per cent are given to surgeons and doctors, and 50 per cent are to nurses.
Expat medical professional qualifications are divided into three tiers according to the applicant's country of origin, with Ireland, the USA, Canada, New Zealand and Australia rated the highest. The second and third tiers hold less advanced countries with less rigorous degree and training programmes, and heathcare professionals wishing to work at consultancy level must have at least five years of post-internship experience.
Meanwhile, the recently released 2014 HSBC expat lifestyle survey has seen the UAE’s ranking drop sharply due to its soaring cost of living and the expense of raising children. Now 15th on the list, it was overtaken by Qatar and Oman in 13th and 14th place respectively but is still more popular than Saudi Arabia and Kuwait with their 28th and 29th positions.
Comments » No published comments just yet for this article...
Feel free to have your say on this item. Go on... be the first!
