The Ministry of Health allows faculty members at medical universities to work in health facilities

Dubai, 1st April / WAM / The Ministry of Health and Community Protection announced that faculty members in universities and medical colleges, including doctors and other health specialties, can practice the profession within health facilities, in coordination with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, and the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation.

The Ministry also announced the exemption of some categories of nursing and allied health professions from the requirement of having six months of experience after graduation to obtain a license, within the framework of enhancing the efficiency of the health licensing system and aligning it with the needs of the labor market.

These decisions aim to develop regulatory procedures in a comprehensive manner that achieves a balance between empowering medical academic competencies in the health sector and accelerating the involvement of nursing and allied health professions graduates in the labor market, to benefit from the expertise of human cadres while maintaining the quality of performance, in addition to enhancing integration between education and practical practice, and establishing governance, compliance and unified standards for licensing, in a way that supports the sustainability of the health workforce and enhances the health sector’s readiness for the requirements of the present and the challenges of the future.

The decisions came after joint coordination meetings between the concerned authorities, and legal studies that included reviewing the law on practicing human medicine and its executive regulations, and the law on the practice of certain health professions for non-physicians and pharmacists, in addition to Cabinet Resolution No. 20 of 2017 regarding unified medical licensing standards, where the study concluded that there is no legal impediment to faculty members practicing the profession, provided that they have academic qualifications and clinical experience and that academic work does not conflict with professional practice.

The Supreme Committee for Follow-up on Procedures for Unifying Health Licensing confirmed the possibility of issuing a professional license to faculty members if they meet the requirements for qualifications, experience, and previous licenses, in addition to counting teaching hours within continuing professional development hours (CPD) in accordance with the medical education policies approved by health authorities, which reflects a qualitative appreciation of the scientific role of academics, and enhances the culture of sustainable learning in the health professions.

The decision to exempt some categories of nursing and allied health professions from the requirement of having six months’ experience after graduation to obtain a license confirmed the exemption of the registered nurse, the nurse’s assistant, and a number of specializations of the supporting professions, including medical laboratory technician, laboratory technician, respiratory care technician, and health assistant, for all graduates from inside and outside the country, with guidance to study other specializations within the category of supportive professions by representatives of health authorities, and to discuss the possibility of exempting each specialty separately in a way that does not affect the quality of medical services provided and the safety of patients.

His Excellency Dr. Amin Al Amiri, Assistant Undersecretary for the Health Regulation Sector at the Ministry of Health and Community Protection, confirmed that these decisions reflect an institutional approach based on harmonizing organizational flexibility and adherence to governance standards, explaining that empowering faculty members to practice professionally enriches the health work environment with advanced scientific expertise, and contributes to raising the efficiency of the health system, while maintaining unified licensing requirements that guarantee the quality of professional performance and the health of service recipients, which contributes to the health sector’s sustainability, flexibility, and efficiency in meeting the goals of the “We Are” vision. UAE 2031.

He added that modernizing the exemption and licensing mechanisms forms part of an integrated vision to develop the health licensing system in the country and enhance compliance with applicable legislation and regulations, in a way that supports the sustainability of human competencies and accelerates the involvement of graduates in the labor market without violating quality standards. He pointed out that unifying procedures at the state level enhances confidence in the health system, establishes the principles of transparency and professional justice, and establishes a more efficient regulatory environment capable of keeping pace with the requirements of the present and anticipating the needs of the future.

His Excellency Ibrahim Fikri, Acting Assistant Undersecretary for the Regulatory and Governance of Higher Education and Scientific Research at the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, said that these decisions reflect advanced integration between the higher education systems and the health sector, which contributes to linking education outcomes with the needs of the actual labor market, and enhancing the readiness of national competencies, stressing that enabling faculty members to practice the profession enriches both the educational and applied environment, enhances the transfer of knowledge, and enables experiences to have a positive impact in a practical way.

He explained that accelerating the involvement of faculty members in universities and medical colleges and graduates of nursing and allied health professions in the labor market supports the sustainability of the health workforce, while maintaining the highest standards of quality and governance, pointing out that the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research confirms its commitment to continuing to develop educational and regulatory policies in a way that enhances integration between theoretical education and practical application, and supports the building of a more efficient health system capable of responding to the requirements of the future.

For his part, His Excellency Rashid Al-Saadi, Acting Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation for the Labor Market Services Sector, said that updating the health licensing policy reflects the level of flexibility and integration between the relevant government agencies, and their keenness to continuously develop the legislative environment for the labor market, and to develop mechanisms and procedures and govern them in a comprehensive and integrated manner, ensuring increased benefit and gain for all parties, and meeting job needs in the health sector.

He stressed the Ministry’s readiness and constant readiness to keep pace and support the efforts of government agencies in developing their work, within its pivotal role in regulating the labor market, noting that the smart digital infrastructure contributes to facilitating integrated electronic connectivity between agencies, and the legislative and administrative structure, accelerating updates, supporting government trends in pioneering services, and sustaining the state’s leadership in all fields.

He pointed out the exceptional importance of the health sector, and the sustainability of its leadership among all parties in the country, as it is one of the main sectors, which is directly linked to the quality of life, the health of the country’s population, and the provision of health services with the required speed and efficiency.

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