Health Training Administration
Health Training Administration (HTA) oversees the implementation and development of training programs in the Paramedical specialties to ensure compliance to National and International accreditation standards, improve training outcomes, and enhance national growth. Training programs serve 55 paramedical specialties/subspecialties and range from undergraduate training, academic and professional diplomas, residency, and Saudi board programs. What makes these programs unique is the ability of the beneficiary to get equipped with up-to-date clinical skills and knowledge, increase chances of employment at reputable healthcare organizations, obtain the professional license or achieve the highest level of professional classification from the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCHS).
In collaboration with paramedical specialties, Health Training Administration contributes to the development of healthcare practitioners' capabilities. Furthermore, it works on establishing and enhancing training programs to meet the demand of workforce plans and contribute to the national growth of qualified healthcare practitioners. By doing so, HTA plays a major role in working toward the vision and mission of King Fahad Medical City to be a leading healthcare facility through education, training, and research.
The Administration holds four departments and they are:
* Academic Allied Health Programs Department
* Graduate Allied Health Training Department
* Undergraduate Allied Health Training Department
* Nursing Training Department
Health Training Administration Contact Information:
Ext: 011-288-9999 Ext. 10806
E-mail: HTA@kfmc.med.sa
Academic Allied Health Programs Department:
Academic diplomas and programs intended to establish and execute rare paramedical specialties or subspecialties for High School (science major) and both Diploma and Bachelor's degree graduates to meet the manpower demand at King Fahad Medical City and the local job market. These programs are executed after the approval of the Education, Training and Scholarship Council in the Medical City and the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties. The training period differs from one program to another depending on the type and the specialty of the program. The department takes pride that many of these diplomas and programs contributed to providing medical services with qualified Saudi technicians and technologists.
To ensure the quality of the program and success of students, each program is supervised by an academic committee that consists of the program director, faculty, and chairperson of the Academic Allied Health Programs Department. Furthermore, King Fahad Medical City has signed collaboration contracts both locally and internationally to establish specialty programs and advance the quality of graduates.
Executed Diplomas and Programs at KFMC:
- Cardiac technology
- Central Sterilization Services
- Clinical Research Coordinator
- Neurophysiology
- Phlebotomy
- Prosthetics and Orthotics
- Respiratory Care North American Registry
The department is also very active in collaborating with the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties to execute diplomas and programs to meet the National demand and contribute to Saudi Arabia vision 2030. Executed programs with SCHS:
- Central Sterilization Services
- Clinical Coding
- Infection Control
- Phlebotomy
Academic Allied Health Programs Department Contact Information:
Ext: 011-288-9999 Ext. 10813 / 10809
E-mail: AAHPD@kfmc.med.sa
Graduate Allied Health Training Department:
• Residency, Saudi Board and Professional Postgraduate Diplomas:
The Saudi Commission for Health Specialties identified the need for professional development in the paramedical specialties through Saudi board, residency, and professional postgraduate diplomas. Over the years, it has established and continues to establish many programs in different paramedical specialties. The Graduate Allied Health Training Department works collaboratively with the medical specialties to provide these opportunities in professional development and career advancement at KFMC. Graduates of these programs with the required years of experience are eligible to obtain senior specialist or consultant classification from the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties.
We are proud to say that we are an accredited center for many SCHF Saudi Board, residency, and postgraduate diplomas in paramedical specialties. We also thrive to obtain accreditation for new programs that will provide career advancement for the paramedical specialties. The followings are the accredited Saudi board, residency, and postgraduate diplomas:
- Audiology Diploma (2 Years)
- Blood Banking and Transfusion Diploma (2 Years)
- Clinical Pharmacy Residency (2 Years)
- Hematology-Oncology / Pharmacy (Subspecialty1 Year)
- Infectious Disease / Pharmacy (Subspecialty1 Year)
- Parenteral Nutrition / Pharmacy (Subspecialty1 Year)
- Pediatric / Pharmacy (Subspecialty1 Year)
- Saudi Board of Clinical Biochemistry (4 Years)
- Saudi Board of Radiology Technology and Medical Imaging (4 Years)
• Saudi Career Development Program (SCDP):
Saudi Career Development Program established to recruit graduates of paramedical specialties with no or minimum clinical experience in healthcare settings. The program is a structured training and based on essential clinical competencies in a tertiary healthcare organization. In addition, many of these program's competencies were built on National and International professional association standards and targeted accreditations by the institution.
In each specialty, an experienced healthcare practitioner is assigned as a training supervisor to support the training program, trainees and preceptors. The program relies on competency-based clinical experience, structured training programs, periodic feedback to trainees and trainers, and an open channel of communication. The combination of these elements assists in providing superior training experience for the trainee and grants better success in the medical fields.
• Saudi Commission for Health Specialties Licensing and Registration Training Program:
Some graduates of paramedical specialties are required by the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties to obtain training in order to be licensed and registered in the field of study. To name a few of the rationale:
- The gap in the clinical experience
- Experience in non-clinical settings
- Paramedical Graduates of International schools with the gap in internship requirement
- Field of study is not clinical (biochemistry, microbiology, physics, psychology, and social work)
This program offers an opportunity for the above-mentioned candidates to be trained and enter the medical field. Due to the highly specialized clinical services provided at KFMC, trainees will cover highly specialized clinical practice in addition to covering the basic skills required for licensing and registration. The gain extends as it opens doors for employment in reputable healthcare institutions.
• Clinical Attachment:
Graduates of paramedical specialties who are awaiting job opportunity may gain a chance to further his/her clinical experience at a highly specialized setting. In addition, the clinical experience with experts in the field and a training certification enhances the opportunity to be hired at reputable healthcare organizations.
• Collaborative Employee Training:
Graduate Allied Health Training Department is a strong advocate of clinical advancement through sharing knowledge and skills in clinical settings. Thus, this program offers paramedical healthcare practitioners the opportunity to get an exposure of the clinical settings at KFMC which has achieved national and international accreditation standards.
• Master and PhD Internship:
As part of providing opportunities for career advancement, GAHT support master and PhD candidates in paramedical specialties to do any required clinical training and rotations.
Graduate Allied Health Training Department Contact Information:
Ext: 011-288-9999 Ext. 10807 / 10804
E-mail: GAHT@kfmc.med.sa
Undergraduate Allied Health Training Department:
• Internship:
The internship is an integral part of paramedical specialty for the academic program and graduation requirement. As part of community service and professional obligation, Undergraduate Allied Health Training Department (UAHT) supports students seeking internships and work collaboratively to expand in all specialties. Tremendous efforts are put to support rare specialties even if collaboration with academic institutions to provide academic teaching is required.
As many programs under Health Training Administration, Internship was established based on developing a clinical manual in each paramedical specialty. The clinical manual identified mandatory and elective clinical competencies to ensure readiness of graduate to work in the field of study. The learning process is supported by periodic evaluation and feedback to guide the intern during the training journey.
Undergraduate Allied Health Training Department serves as the connection between academic institutions and the paramedical specialties. All undergraduate training requests are filtered and processed with the medical administrations to obtain the official training approval. The department serves as a trainee advocate and makes certain training is at the highest level.
• Students Clinical Practicum:
During the paramedical study, students are required to conduct clinical observation or practice as part of the academic course. The department provides these opportunities under the supervision of the medical specialty. This phase is offered to provide a better transition to the internship training.
• Summer Training:
It is a training program made available for university and college students to increase their knowledge about the profession during the summer break. The trainee may also benefit from exploring the healthcare institution setting as a future chance for internship. Many of the healthcare practitioners may also provide trainees with guidance for the field of study.
Under-Graduate Allied Health Training Department Contact Information:
Ext: 011-288-9999 Ext. 10808 / 10812
E-mail: UAHT@kfmc.med.sa
Nursing Training Department:
• Postgraduate Nursing Professional Diploma:
Postgraduate Diploma programs are designed to provide an opportunity for professional nurses to develop a specialized practice and to upgrade the knowledge and clinical competencies of nurses in the area of specialty based on international standards. All Post Graduate Diploma Programs were accredited from the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties. The program areas include: Cardiac, Adult Critical, Oncology, Midwifery, and Neonatal ICU are currently provided in KFMC by Nursing Education Administration in collaboration with Academic and Training Affairs.
- Cardiovascular Nursing Program: Two years of the nursing program designed to train Saudi and Non-Saudi nurses to specialize in several cardiac nursing sub-specialties such as Catheterization lab, CVOR, CVICU, General Cardiac Nursing.
- Adult Critical Care Nursing Program: Two years nursing diploma program designed to train Saudi nurses to care for adult patients in the critical care settings.
- Oncology Nursing Program: Two years of nursing diploma program designed to train Saudi nurses to care for adult patients in oncology settings.
- Advanced Midwifery Program: Two years nursing diploma program designed to train Saudi nurses to care for patients during the perinatal period.
- Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing Program: Two years nursing diploma program designed to train Saudi nurses to deliver safe, effective, and efficient nursing care to neonates in the ICU setting.
All programs consist of 24 months of intensive training in different areas, designed to transition BSN Saudi nurses to specialty practice areas. Each Program begins in October for a 24-month period. The programs emphasize trainee's utilization of the nursing process with theory application, research findings, and the use of critical thinking to formulate a comprehensive nursing care plan for the delivery of care to clients in a holistic approach.
Each trainee will be paired with an experienced nurse who will act as a preceptor. The trainee will have enough amount of time to gain hands-on experience to work with real patients and master most nursing skills needed in that area. Their respective preceptor in coordination will evaluate the trainee with the clinical instructor and program director based on their performance.
Upon completion of the first year of the program, trainees should pass the Saudi Commission for Health Specialist promotion exam to be promoted to the 2nd year of the program. After the completion of the second-year requirements, the trainee will be eligible to take the Saudi Commission Nursing Board Exam. The trainee will earn a Post-Basic Nursing Diploma certification in Nursing Specialization after passing this exam in addition to obtaining senior specialist classification with the required years of experience. This certification is offered under the supervision of the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties.
• Nursing Scholarship for Bachelor Degree:
The scholarship program was developed in 2011 in response to the need to develop improvement initiatives to increase the Saudi nursing workforce at the same time as the growing unrest amongst Health Care Assistants (HCAs) to have a career plan. Added to this was the closure of private institutes offering Nursing diplomas in Saudi Arabia and the withdrawal of the formal recognition of the Health Care Assistant Program and role by the SCFHS.
Internal Nursing Students Scholarship Program: This is a program designed to give an internal nursing scholarship opportunity for Fifth to Eight-semester nurses who are currently undertaking nursing training programs in recognized local nursing universities/colleges in the specified semesters
Nursing Training Department Contact Information:
Ext: 011-288-9999 Ext. 14466 / 16089
E-mail: nursingscholarship@kfmc.med.sa