During the inauguration of KFMC Academy for Postgraduate Studies in Family Medicine in the presence of Dr. Ayman Abdo - SCFHS Secretary General, Dr. Mahmoud Al-Yamany- President and CEO of Riyadh 2nd Health Cluster- and a number of health leaders; Dr. Fahad Al Ghofaili, KFMC Chief Executive Officer, asserted that KFMC Academy for Postgraduate Studies in Family Medicine is a national project that relies on qualifying national cadres and benefiting from the international experiences in the fields of training and qualifying in cooperation with the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS) and the Irish College of General Practitioners in response to KSA's current need to qualify huge numbers of Saudi family physicians.
In relation to admitting trainees in the academy, Dr. Al Ghofaili indicated that the academy targets the admission of 100 trainees annually, and noted that the academy seeks to implement the curriculum of the Saudi Specialty Certificate in Family Medicine accredited by SCFHS with the highest standards in an endeavor of qualifying national cadres and meeting the significant need in such vital specialization.
"The National Transformation Program is based on a strong foundation along with a solid infrastructure of Family and Community Medicine physicians. For the future of healthcare in KSA, the idea of establishing the academy through the national transformation project is generated. It is a unique idea. In present, we need 3000 Family and Community Medicine physicians prior the end of 2020. The best approach to graduate such a number is through the specialized academies such as KFMC Academy for Postgraduate Studies in Family Medicine. This year, 25 applicants will be graduated in the first class of the academy, and it will afterwards graduate 100 applicants annually.", Dr. Al Ghofaili added.
"Once we provide such specialties in a health framework, we would have achieved the perfect healthcare and developed a clearer vision for its future, and the patient would become able to reach healthcare through the nearest access. Healthcare national transformation is also established based on healthcare model, which is based on taking care of patients outside the hospital, taking into account that prevention is better than treatment, and initial treatment is better than advanced treatment. ", Dr. Al Ghofaili explained.