The Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) in Doha, Qatar, recently celebrated being awarded two prestigious accreditations for its family medicine and community medicine residency programs. This success is part of PHCC’s ongoing efforts to advance the healthcare sector in Qatar and ensure the quality of medical training and education. The celebrations were attended by top officials including Dr. Mariam Ali Abdulmalik, Managing Director, and Dr. Zelaikha Al-Wahdi, AMD for quality and workforce development at PHCC. The accreditations include the international American accreditation in family medicine, a recognition received since 2013, and accreditation in community medicine for the first time from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGM-I) in 2024.
Dr. Mariam Abdul Malik highlighted the importance of these accreditations in her speech, emphasizing the commitment of PHCC to continuously improve its performance and elevate the standard of work. She mentioned that the action plans developed by each department within PHCC are aligned with the National Health Strategy, the Primary Health Care Strategy, and Qatar’s national vision 2030. The support provided by the Medical Education Department, led by Dr. Abdul Latif Al Khal, has been crucial in upgrading academic education, ensuring that the training programs meet required standards and graduate competent physicians to serve in PHCC.
Dr. Mohamed Iheb Bougmiza, director of the community medicine program at PHCC, emphasized the significance of graduating community medicine specialists who excel in public health and preventive medicine. He highlighted the challenges overcome and the key lessons learned from this experience. The community medicine program at PHCC is the second program outside the United States to receive accreditation. Dr. Mona Taher, director of the family medicine training program, noted that the program has successfully trained and graduated highly competent specialist physicians who deliver comprehensive family medicine services in health centers across Qatar.
The family medicine training program is a joint program between Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) and PHCC, launched in 1995. The program has trained and graduated 179 specialist physicians to date, who have expanded their activities globally. The program’s advanced training curricula have contributed to the qualification of physicians, consultants, and strategic leaders in healthcare institutions in Qatar. The program has been recognized for quality education and training by various organizations, bringing pride to medical education in Qatar. Qatar and Singapore have been leading the way in accredited programs outside the United States since 2013.
In conclusion, the accreditations received by PHCC for its family medicine and community medicine programs are a testament to its commitment to excellence in healthcare education and training. These achievements reflect the dedication of PHCC to advancing the healthcare sector in Qatar and ensuring the highest standards of medical care for the community. Through continuous improvement and adherence to international standards, PHCC continues to make significant contributions to the development of healthcare professionals and services in Qatar.
