Manama: The Arabian Gulf University (AGU) continues to welcome applications from physicians wishing to join the sixth cohort of its Clinical Master's Programme in Family Medicine, following the launch of admissions by the College of Medicine and Medical Sciences for the 2026-2027 academic year.
According to Bahrain News Agency, applications will remain open until August 31, reflecting the university's commitment to preparing specialised family physicians equipped with the clinical and leadership competencies needed to support and advance primary healthcare services across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.
The programme responds to the growing demand for qualified family physicians in the region. It is regarded as one of the region's leading advanced professional programmes, holding international accreditation from the World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA) as well as recognition from Bahrain's National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA), granting graduates an academic and professional qualification that allows them to practise family medicine according to the highest professional standards.
Over the past years, the programme has successfully graduated five cohorts of family physicians who have gone on to join various healthcare institutions and contribute to improving the quality of primary healthcare services, reflecting the programme's quality and the stability of its academic and training outcomes.
The two-year programme is clinically intensive, with trainees receiving hands-on training at accredited primary healthcare centres and government hospitals across the Kingdom. It offers an integrated educational framework combining direct clinical supervision, continuous workplace-based assessment, academic mentoring, a quality improvement research project, and a weekly academic day on campus dedicated to the latest scientific developments and evidence-based medical practice.
The programme is built on the Canadian Medical Education Directions for Specialists (CanMEDS) competency framework and comprises a curriculum of 75.5 credit hours, delivered by a distinguished faculty of professors and consultants specialising in family medicine, ensuring the preparation of physicians capable of providing comprehensive, integrated healthcare that meets community needs.
As part of its vision for continuous development, the College of Medicine and Health Sciences at AGU announced plans to introduce specialised subspecialty fellowships in family medicine in the coming period, aimed at expanding professional development opportunities for programme graduates and strengthening Bahrain's healthcare sector and the wider region, with specialised consultant-level expertise to support the healthcare system's readiness for future needs.
The programme accepts applications from citizens of GCC states, as well as Arab nationals residing in these countries, who hold a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree or its equivalent from a university recognised by AGU. Applicants must also meet medical licensing requirements, pass the admissions process and interview, and achieve the minimum required score on an English-language proficiency test.
The programme offers students a range of academic and professional benefits, including an internationally accredited clinical master's degree, hands-on training in accredited clinical settings, a competency-based curriculum aligned with the CanMEDS framework, a system of academic mentoring and continuous assessment, and future pathways into subspecialty fellowships, qualifying graduates to work as specialised family physicians in both the public and private sectors.
Physicians who meet the admission requirements may submit their applications electronically through the university's admissions portal, joining a programme that helps prepare a new generation of family physicians capable of leading the future of primary healthcare in the region.
With the arrival of its sixth cohort, the programme continues a track record of success that has established it as an advanced educational and training model in family medicine at the regional level, built on a strong record of academic and clinical achievements and outcomes that have proven their effectiveness in healthcare. This success underscores AGU's commitment to its mission of preparing family physicians who possess the knowledge, skills and ability to lead the development of primary healthcare and contribute effectively to achieving the health development goals of the GCC states.