Project scope:
Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC) was developed by the Government of Dubai to serve as a regional hub for health care delivery, medical education, and research. DHCC engaged Partners Harvard Medical International in 2003 to provide assistance in creating the appropriate organizational models to realize the government’s vision. A major component of this collaboration was the creation and implementation of the Harvard Medical School Dubai Center Institute for Postgraduate Education & Research.
Collaboration with PHMI:
PHMI assembled a multidisciplinary team to develop the vision, strategy, and implementation plan for the HMSDC. Early work involved conducting an assessment of postgraduate medical education in the Gulf Region, and measuring this against the rising demand for well trained health care professionals. Academic planning experts outline the core program elements for HMSDC, including simulation-based teaching, residencies, fellowships, and continuing medical education programs. Concurrently, PHMI experts in facilities development put together a plan for the physical infrastructure to support these programs.
HMSDC began delivering its core education programs in late 2003, with the development of its first continuing education programs for local physicians and nurses. Fellowship programs bringing promising Gulf Region scientists and physicians to Boston for study at Harvard Medical School soon followed.
The development of the permanent physical home for HMSDC has commenced, and construction is underway. The HMSDC facility will include the Maktoum Harvard Medical Library, which will be the most advanced collection of digital and print resources for medical education in the region. A defining feature of the facilty’s design is the HMSDC’s close physical connection to the Dubai University Hospital. The HMSDC facility also features comfortable workspaces for faculty, and an overall floorplan design that removes traditional barriers between different academic departments to foster collaboration and collegiality.