Abu Dhabi strengthens medical expertise with 15 internationally accredited residency programmes

SEHA's expansion of internationally benchmarked specialist training reflects the emirate's commitment to developing homegrown clinical talent and building a sustainable healthcare workforce for the future.

The measure of a healthcare system’s strength lies not merely in its infrastructure or resources, but in the calibre of the physicians who deliver care within it. Abu Dhabi is investing deliberately in this foundation, with 12 additional residency programmes under SEHA, part of PureHealth, now holding accreditation from the Royal College Canada International (RCCI). This brings the total number of internationally accredited programmes to 15, a significant expansion from just three in 2023 and 2024.

These 15 programmes currently support the specialist training of 193 resident physicians across three major healthcare facilities: SEHA Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, SEHA Sheikh Tahnoon bin Mohammed Medical City and Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City. The specialties covered span the breadth of contemporary medicine: emergency medicine, internal medicine, paediatrics, anaesthesia, psychiatry, radiology, dermatology and adult neurology. Each residency extends between four and five years, with the first cohorts expected to graduate by the end of 2028.

The accreditation process itself has strengthened the infrastructure of these programmes. Assessment mechanisms are now more standardised and objective, offering residents structured learning environments anchored in internationally recognised standards. Residents benefit from integrated assessment systems, effective feedback mechanisms, high-quality academic supervision and comprehensive clinical training, all elements confirmed by RCCI’s rigorous evaluation.

This initiative builds upon foundations laid in 2022, when the Department of Health Abu Dhabi signed a Memorandum of Understanding with RCCI to enable physicians in Abu Dhabi to access internationally accredited training and facilitate the exchange of expertise and best practices. As we reported in our coverage of PureHealth’s commitment to governance and sustainability, the organisation continues to embed excellence across its operations, a principle evident in its approach to medical education.

Her Excellency Dr Noura Khamis Al Ghaithi, Undersecretary of the Department of Health, reflected on the significance of this investment. “The strength of any healthcare system ultimately depends on the people behind it,” she said. “Expanding internationally benchmarked specialist training enables us to develop the expertise our healthcare system will need for the future, while creating an environment in which physicians can continue to learn, develop and deliver care according to the highest standards.”

For patients and the wider community, these accreditations translate into deeper specialist capabilities across the healthcare system. The expansion supports safe, high-quality and evidence-based care in emergency and acute settings, chronic disease management, paediatrics, perioperative care, and mental and neurological health. Over time, this investment strengthens the emirate’s ability to respond to evolving healthcare needs across the population.

Saeed Jaber Al Kuwaiti, Group Chief Executive Officer of SEHA, emphasised the long-term vision. “The accreditation of 12 additional residency programmes reflects our commitment to developing medical talent through high-quality training environments that advance academic excellence and clinical care together,” he said. “With 15 accredited programmes now supporting 193 resident physicians, we are expanding the specialist capabilities that Abu Dhabi’s healthcare system will require in the years ahead.”

What it means for Abu Dhabi

This expansion directly serves Abu Dhabi’s strategy to build clinical expertise locally, reducing reliance on external specialist recruitment and creating sustainable pathways for homegrown medical talent. The 193 resident physicians currently in training represent a cohort committed to developing their expertise within Abu Dhabi’s healthcare system, many of whom will remain to serve the emirate’s population long after their training concludes.

Beyond the numbers, these accreditations signal Abu Dhabi’s positioning as a destination for rigorous postgraduate medical education. The international recognition strengthens the emirate’s academic medicine ecosystem and supports its broader ambitions to advance clinical excellence while ensuring the long-term sustainability of the UAE’s healthcare workforce.

Source: WAM