RCSI Bahrain

This winter, our SC2 student, Shaikha Fatema Salman Ahmed Salman Alkhalifa travelled to Toronto for an immersive elective at the world-renowned Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids). 🇨🇦

During her time at SickKids, Shaikha Fatema witnessed the intricate complexities of pediatric cardiac care, where every case presents a unique anatomical challenge. The elective provided a deep dive into advanced surgical planning and the seamless multidisciplinary collaboration required to manage high-stakes outcomes between surgeons, cardiologists, and intensivists.

"I was starting to anticipate decisions and connect physiology to surgical strategy," Shaikha Fatema reflects. "Most of all, I was inspired by the resilience of the children."

We extend our sincere congratulations to Dr Amal Al-Qallaf, Head of the Language and Culture Unit and Senior Lecturer in English at RCSI Medical University of Bahrain, on her appointment as Vice President of the Board of Directors of the Future Society for Youth for the 2026–2028 term.

The University collaborates with the Future Society for Youth in supporting its 'Smile' initiative, which provides psychosocial support to children with cancer and their families in Bahrain through fundraising, student volunteering and community outreach activities.

We are proud to see Dr Amal Al Qallaf recognised for her continued leadership and commitment to community engagement and voluntary work, and we wish her every success in this important role.

We are proud to share that Nursing Year 2 student, Mr Husain Mahdi, recently represented RCSI Medical University of Bahrain at the virtual fifth International Nurses Day Conference, hosted by Keele University.
 
Mr Husain presented on how nursing students can act as public health advocates by sharing public health volunteering opportunities in Bahrain. During his presentation, he emphasised the vital role students play in promoting WHO’s SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 4 (Quality Education) through impactful community outreach.
 
We wish Mr Husain continued success in his future nursing career.
 

Our MED 2 student, Ms Aditi Agarwal, shares her enriching experience on the Student Exchange Programme. Ms Aditi spent a semester at RCSI Dublin, where the multicultural learning environment played a vital role in her academic and personal growth. 🇮🇪✨

“A highlight of the semester was my Student Choice Week at Beaumont Hospital, where I gained insight into the Irish healthcare system and observed work at one of Ireland’s leading cancer research centres. My advice to students considering the programme: go in with an open mind, embrace every opportunity, step outside your comfort zone, and enjoy the journey — it’s truly worth it.”

RCSI Medical University of Bahrain recently conducted high-level meetings in Kuwait to enhance academic cooperation. Professor Sameer Otoom, President of RCSI Medical University of Bahrain and Mr Fadi Ghosn, Head of Recognition, Careers & Alumni, met with His Excellency Dr Bader Al-Busairi, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Higher Education in Kuwait, Ms Nuseiba Al-Nisf, Director of Scholarship Affairs, and Ms Shuaa Al-Salem, Supervisor of Arab Countries’ Scholarships.

Discussions centred on the academic progress of our Kuwaiti students and explored opportunities to strengthen academic cooperation to support students’ best interests and enhance the quality of their educational outcomes.

Additionally, a meeting was held with His Excellency Dr Jasem Al-Ali, the Director General of the Kuwaiti National Bureau for Academic Accreditation and Education Quality Assurance, in the presence of Ms Salma Khajah, Director of Academic Accreditation, to discuss joint cooperation and the exchange of best practices in education quality.

As part of our ongoing commitment to our regional stakeholders, the University continues to play a strategic role in advancing healthcare delivery through education, research, and collaboration. We remain dedicated to nurturing skilled healthcare professionals and contributing to improved health outcomes across the region.

On World Hypertension Day, RCSI Medical University of Bahrain highlights the importance of regular blood pressure monitoring.

With hypertension affecting 1.4 billion people globally, and only one in four people having it adequately controlled, explore the key practices required to manage blood pressure effectively and reduce the risk of hypertension-related complications.

Source: World Health Organisation website.

Congratulations to our student, Ms Varsha Vadassery (MED 3), for being selected as the first International Conference for Healthcare and Medical Students (ICHAMS) Ambassador for RCSI Medical University of Bahrain. In recognition of her efforts and leadership, she was recently presented with the ICHAMS Ambassador of the Year Award at this year’s conference in Dublin.

Varsha shared: "I am truly humbled and honoured to receive this award. Witnessing the growing interest in research among my colleagues has been incredibly rewarding, and I am grateful for the continuous support of the RCSI Bahrain community."

The ICHAMS Conference is the first student-focused event of its kind in Ireland. It provides healthcare professionals and medical students with the opportunity to present their research, attend workshops, and network with peers from around the world, all while fostering collaboration and innovation across global healthcare systems.

We are pleased to announce a new strategic collaboration between RCSI Medical University of Bahrain and Gulf Catering, the catering services arm of Gulf Hotels Group.

Formalised during a meeting between Mr Stephen Harrison-Mirfield, Managing Director of RCSI Medical University of Bahrain, and Mr Ahmed Janahi, CEO of Gulf Hotels Group, this partnership marks a significant step in enhancing our campus services.

Aligned with our recent summer enhancement programme, this collaboration focuses on delivering high-quality, subsidised food services to support the health and wellbeing of our students and staff. By leveraging Gulf Hotels Group’s extensive hospitality expertise, we are ensuring consistent, reliable, and nutrition-led catering solutions across the University.

We look forward to this partnership, which is expected to support long-term collaboration between both entities, with a focus on continuous improvement, service optimisation, and the delivery of a consistent, high-quality experience across the campus.

We are proud to announce the successful completion of a high-level academic visit to Egypt, led by Professor Sameer Otoom, President of RCSI Medical University of Bahrain, conducted under the auspices of the Association of Arab Universities اتحاد الجامعات العربية. The visit aimed to expand our regional engagement strategy and foster strategic partnerships.

The delegation engaged in productive discussions with several prestigious institutions, including Children’s Cancer Hospital Egypt مؤسسة مستشفى سرطان الاطفال 57357 , Ain Shams University جامعة عين شمس, Misr University For Science and Technology and World Health Organization (Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office).

These collaborations focus on student electives, research partnerships, staff mobility, community engagement initiatives, academic cooperation and clinical training pathways. A key highlight was the advancement of plans to establish a WHO Global Health Centre at RCSI Medical University of Bahrain, set to be formalised in June 2026.

We also extend our sincere appreciation to His Excellency Professor Amr Ezzat Salama, Secretary General of the Association of Arab Universities, for his valuable support and assistance in facilitating this important regional engagement.