Dubai Healthcare City’s first medical university, MBRU, is advancing its vision to become an internationally recognized location of choice for quality healthcare and an integrated centre of excellence for clinical and wellness services, medical education and research.
Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU), founded in 2014, is named after His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai. The University embraces His Highness’ principles of respect, integrity, innovation and advancement for the benefit of humanity.
This blog highlights the factors that are establishing MBRU as a global hub for innovative and integrated healthcare education and research.
Medical Education
The University offers undergraduate and postgraduate degrees through its three colleges:
The College of Medicine offers the Bachelor of Medicine Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) and a Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences.
The College of Nursing and Midwifery, which opened in January 2020, offers a range of postgraduate courses of study. These include MSc programs in Cardiovascular and Paediatric nursing, in addition to an integrated and aligned program of research and scholarly activities.
The College of Nursing and Midwifery (opened January 2020) offers a range of postgraduate courses of study, including MSc programmes in Cardiovascular and Paediatric nursing, alongside an integrated and aligned programme of research and scholarly activities.
Digital Learning and Innovation
The MBRU’s Digital Learning service aligns innovative approaches with education and research goals through learning design and technology.
Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor Medical Simulation Center
The Khalaf Ahmed Al Habtoor Medical Simulation Center stands as the largest medical simulation facility in Dubai. Fully accredited, it serves as a comprehensive medical education and training center.
Hospital-grade equipment equips the center, facilitating realistic hospital environments and a clinical skills lab. Its ultimate goal is to enhance education for both students and the broader medical community. The Simulation Center facilities are available for hire by healthcare professionals and educators.
Al Maktoum Medical Library
The Al Maktoum Medical Library is a cornerstone in supporting MBRU students, faculty, and the wider medical community. It provides access to high-quality and authoritative information resources. Its mission is to promote excellence in medical education, research, teaching, and patient care.
Collaborative Partnerships
MBRU’s educational programs benefit from partnerships and affiliations with hospitals, and academic research institutions. These collaborations, both within and outside the UAE, serve to enhance program quality, broaden the university network, and further expand outreach efforts.
Queen’s University Belfast is MBRU’s international academic partner.
Al Jalila Children’s Hospital has partnered with MBRU to offer a pediatric Residency program and a Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship program.
Partnerships with Mediclinic Middle East and Dubai Dental Hospital provide clinical training for medical and dental students.
Scientific and Medical Research
MBRU aims to align with the UAE’s vision by becoming a top research-focused medical academic institution. The university strives to create an innovative research environment to advance healthcare locally and globally, in support of innovation, research, science, and technology.
Research projects are currently underway at MBRU. They focus on various areas, including cardiometabolic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, mental health, neurodevelopmental disorders, and respiratory and infectious diseases.
A joint clinical trial is currently underway, in collaboration with Dubai Health Authority (DHA) and Breathonix Pte Ltd. The trial’s objective is to evaluate the accuracy of an easy-to-use breath test for detecting COVID-19 within one minute.
Center for Genomic Discovery
The first-of-its-kind in the UAE, the Center for Genomic Discovery is bridging the knowledge gap in understanding of genetic disease, in collaboration with Al Jalila Children’s Specialty Hospital, and Al Jalila Genomics Center.
The first whole genomic sequencing in UAE, was achieved in December 2018.
Design Lab
The pioneering Design Lab, launched in February 2019, which is nurturing and fostering innovative healthcare solutions for the region and the world.
Located within the main building of the College of Medicine, facilities available in the Design Lab include a 3D printer, Virtual Reality (1x HTC Vive Pro, 2x Oculus Quest), hand-tracking (Magic Leap) and micro-computers (Raspberry Pi, Arduino, Minnowboard). etc
MBRU Organ Transplant Program
Since 2016, the MBRU Organ Transplant program, in partnership with Mediclinic Middle East . Al Jalila Children’s Specialty Hospital, has completed 19 successful transplant surgeries as of January 2021. These surgeries include living donor kidney transplants.
