Faculty of Medicine - American University of Beirut, Lebanon
Arab World Awards
Hamdan Award for the Best Medical College/Institute or Centre in the Arab World
2001-2002
The American University of Beirut is a private, non-sectarian institution of higher learning founded in 1866, which functions under a charter from the State or New YorK, USA and is administered by a private, autonomous Board of Trustees.
The University has five faculties: Arts and Sciences, Medicine (which includes the School of Nursing), Engineering and Architecture, Agricultural and Food Sciences, and Health Sciences. In addition to these faculties, the university has a School of Business. At present, it offers programmes leading to both the bachelor s and master's degrees in these faculties and in the School of Business.
The objective of the faculty of medicine is to provide optimum, advanced, state of the art, comprehensive, timely, and cost effective medical education for each of the students. By implementing innovative teaching techniques, recruiting and retaining outstanding faculty and students, they aim to reach this objective. The faculty also strives for improved student performance and career opportunities, as well as improved basic and clinical research, more effective patient management, and new and innovative medical approaches.
The faculty also focuses on enhancing the regional and global reputation of the AUB Medical Center (AUBMC) by encouraging the development of additional centers of excellence and developing more effective uses of physical resources and funds. The faculty of medicine also aims at providing a better environment for personal growth and recognition for all its students. The faculty of medicine is subject to the regulations of the Board of Regents of the State of New York, under which the university is chartered. The entrance requirements and the program leading to the degree of doctor of medicine are similar to those of medical schools in the United States. Graduates are qualified for the licensing examination in Lebanon. The faculty of medicine endeavors to provide opportunities for its undergraduate students to develop individual initiative creative ability, and professional leadership through participation in extracurricular seminars, discussion groups, research projects, and student organizations Although the primary function of the faculty is to give students basic training in medicine the faculty also offers a number of special undergraduate and postdoctoral programmes including an MS (Basic Science) - MD combined programme, and MS (Basic Science) - Ph.D. (Basic Science) - MD combined programme, internship, residency and fellowship training programmes. The residency-training programme, inaugurated in 1946, consists of a two to four-year residency in the AUB Medical Center, involving training in the main medical specialties.
A programme of continuing medical education provides refresher courses and conferences in the medical specialties for physicians in Lebanon and the region.
Members of the faculty and prominent specialists from abroad conduct these courses and conferences jointly.
The faculty of medicine consists of a 420 bed hospital, providing all medical, surgical, paediatrics, OBS/GYN and psychiatry specialties. The centre offers comprehensive healthcare services, extensive tertiary resources, and medical, nursing and paramedical training. The Centre adheres to the standards of the joint commission on accreditation of healthcare organizations, the independent agency granting accreditation to hospitals in the United States. The Centre consists of the following sub centres:
• The Children's Cancer Centre affiliated with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
•The Bassil Adult Oncology Programme, which includes a Bone Marrow Transplant Unit.
• A Neuroscience Centre
• A Cardiovascular Centre
• A Women's Health Centre
Hence, the Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut is a worthy recipient of the Hamdan Award for one of the best institutions from the Arab World.