Dual-degree MBBS-PhD programs in Saudi Arabia: A call for implementation.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Translational Research
• Physician-Scientist Training

Background:

• Developing countries require clinically competent, research-oriented medical professionals.
• Dual-degree MD-PhD programs are vital for training physician-scientists who drive translational research.
• The physician-scientist population is declining in Western countries and is virtually nonexistent in Saudi Arabia.

Purpose of the Study:

• To advocate for the establishment of dual-degree MBBS-PhD programs in Saudi Arabia.
• To address the absence of physician-scientists in Saudi Arabia by proposing a new educational model.
• To highlight the importance of these programs in cultivating a future medical research workforce.

Main Methods:

• This report is a call to action based on existing literature and the current educational landscape.
• Analysis of the role and impact of dual-degree programs in Western medical education.
• Identification of the gap in physician-scientist training within Saudi Arabia's higher education system.

Main Results:

• Dual-degree MD-PhD programs are the most effective pathway for physician-scientist development.
• Saudi Arabia currently lacks any dual-degree MBBS-PhD programs.
• The absence of such programs contributes to a non-existent physician-scientist population in the country.

Conclusions:

• The implementation of dual-degree MBBS-PhD programs in Saudi Arabia is urgently needed.
• These programs are anticipated to generate competent physician-scientists.
• This initiative represents a novel approach to medical research workforce development in the region.