A major objective of the Government of Dubai in creating Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC) is to make Dubai a regional center of excellence for medical education and research by:

  • Bringing updated medical knowledge to Gulf Region health professionals
  • Supporting scientific research projects aimed at addressing the region's health care challenges
  • Fostering the development of physician-specialists to serve the region


Harvard Medical International (HMI) and an international pool of experts in medical education collaborated on the conceptual design of a center for education to be located within Dubai Healthcare City. The launch of this center was preceded by an extensive effort to promote medical education in Dubai. HMI and DHCC:

  • Assessed regional needs and practices, and worked to align international standards for continuing medical education with local demand.
  • Recruited a team of health care and medical education professionals to be based in Dubai and oversee education activities at DHCC.
  • Developed a postgraduate training program to provide opportunities for Gulf Region health care professionals.
  • Organized Practi-Med Dubai 2003, the largest continuing medical education (CME) program held in Dubai to date. More than 1,200 health care professionals gathered to hear about advances in clinical practice from a faculty drawn in large part from Harvard Medical School. The event further clarified the specific demands and areas of interest of the region's physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals.

In May 2004, DHCC took a monumental step in the pursuit of its educational mission with the launch of the Harvard Medical School Dubai Center Institute for Postgraduate Education and Research (HMSDC). The HMSDC is the centerpiece of DHCC's efforts to make Dubai a regional leader in medical education. Notable impacts include:

  • HMI and DHCC organized and delivered Specialty Practi-Med programs focused on diabetes, musculoskeletal health and sports medicine, and respiratory medicine.
  • Jacob Daniel, MD, a neurologist, became the first medical professional to participate in the Harvard-Dubai postgraduate fellowship program.