United Arab Emirates 05 August 2020: Millions of people are affected worldwide with adverse events due to medicines. Medicines are strong agents programmed to solve health problems, but if not properly used, results in harm or even death. The academic health system of Gulf Medical University is sharing its wealth of medicines knowledge in patient care at Thumbay University Hospital. With an experienced team of clinical pharmacy preceptors and faculty, the GMU College of Pharmacy is running the Clinical Pharmacy Department at Thumbay University Hospital to ensure rational drug use.
Pharmacists have a long history of discovering and manufacturing medicines. Clinical Pharmacy is a relatively new area of practice of pharmacists. Pharmacists work with doctors and nurses to provide direct patient care in rational drug use. With clinical expertise pharmacists recommend and modify right medicines to inpatients and outpatients.
Five preceptors of the College who were practicing as clinical pharmacists in Thumbay Hospital Ajman is transferred to Thumbay University Hospital. Faculty with license is joining the team to provide clinical pharmacy services. Three new faculty are joining the College from USA, Australia, and UAE to strengthen the clinical pharmacy team.
The following services are offered by the Department of Clinical Pharmacy:
• Counsel the patients on appropriate use of medicines, achieve best treatment outcomes, and prevent adverse drug events.
• Work as an integral part of clinical team at hospital to ensure high quality medication management with safe, effective and affordable care.
This Academic Health System is providing unique opportunities for Pharmacy students in Gulf Medical University to be trained in their on-campus 350-bed hospital under the supervision of their preceptors and faculty. Quality clinical pharmacy education at GMU is developing next generation of smarter pharmacy workforce with clinical skills.
College of Pharmacy at GMU started its Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program in 2008 and the graduates are successfully working in many countries in the UAE, America, Europe, MENA region, and other places. Bright graduates are hired by the College, Thumbay Hospitals and Pharmacies. Academic Health System of Gulf Medical University with Thumbay Hospitals and Pharmacies is first of its kind in the UAE.
Gulf Medical University
Gulf Medical University (GMU), Ajman, has six colleges and offers 26 accredited programs with students of over 86 nationalities. The undergraduate programs offered by GMU include Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Nursing, Biomedical Sciences, Healthcare Management & Economics, Anesthesia Technology, Medical Laboratory Sciences, Physiotherapy, Medical Imaging Sciences and Associate Degree in Preclinical Sciences. Graduate programs are offered in Public Health, Physical Therapy, Endodontology, Periodontics, Clinical Pharmacy, Healthcare Management & Economics, Health Professions Education and Medical Laboratory Sciences. Located in Thumbay Medicity, Ajman, the hub of state-of-the-art medical education, healthcare and research, GMU provides clinical training to its students through the various academic health centers of the Gulf Medical University Academic Health System, including Thumbay University Hospital, Thumbay Dental Hospital and Thumbay Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Hospitals located in the campus. Since its inception 22 years ago, around 2000 students have passed out of GMU and successfully working at various positions – including CEOs, COOs, Medical Directors and Head of Departments – in the healthcare industry in the Middle East, Africa, South Asia, Europe, America and Australasia. Among them are a number of Emirati medical practitioners who have made a mark in many UAE hospitals, helping the country advance towards its healthcare goals.
The University’s academic and research tie-ups with over 60 international universities and research institutions ensures global acceptance and employability.