A key component of the improvement of healthcare in Saudi Arabia is the education and training of physicians, nurses, and other healthcare providers. The introduction of a 300-bed rehabilitation hospital comes with staffing challenges, as the overall need for hospital beds in the Kingdom is hampered by a shortage of qualified caregivers.
As part of the overall program, IAMC is working with a leading American university to create a health sciences university that will serve as a pipeline for clinicians and help position Saudi Arabia as a world leader in healthcare education. One of the goals of the IAMC project is to create opportunities for Saudi medical and health sciences students to stay home in Saudi Arabia while receiving an internationally esteemed education. IAMC will build the health sciences university with an initial capacity of 1500 students, with expansion planned. The health sciences university will include medical, nursing, allied health, public health, pharmacy schools, infomatic and biomedical engineering disciplines. The university will also teach future clinicians at the teaching hospital. The university will have a local operator and a board overseeing operations, which will include international healthcare providers, educators, and research.
The IAMC health sciences university will implement a curriculum that integrates Saudi culture and needs. This will be a critical success factor in institutionalizing processes successfully while revising and adapting international education approaches to the local market. IAMC will work with the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health, and other accrediting bodies to ensure alignment while still pushing existing institutions to improve and adapt.
IAMC will also bring state-of-the art learning capabilities to the Kingdom. The facilities will be designed and constructed to enhance the learning experience and will include advanced technology components, from virtual reality and augmented reality to education and research equipment. The health sciences university will incorporate the best practices for health sciences teaching.
The university, designed by CannonDesign, a top 5 university design firm in the world, will be a world-class facility built to specifically enable optimal learning environments for health sciences university students. Design features include:
- State-of-the-art student facilities and amenities, including a world-class medical library, green spaces, and support facilities.
- The latest technology for distance and immersive learning opportunities and Innovation spaces for collaboration and research and development
- Direct linkage with the IAMC hospital to provide opportunities for hands-on learning in a real-world environment
- Environmentally responsible design and connections with nature and the Saudi culture