Media Release

Ajman, Sep 24: The College of Pharmacy, Gulf Medical University (GMU), here, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Washington State University (WSU), USA, to promote cooperation in the areas of academia, training and research.

The MoU was signed at Gulf Medical University on September 22 by Prof Hossam Hamdy, chancellor of GMU and Dr Sherief Khalifa, dean of the College of Pharmacy, representing Gulf Medical University and Linda Garrelts MacLean, interim dean of the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Dr Asif Chaudhry, vice-president for international programmes, representing WSU.

According to the agreement, GMU and WSU will cooperate to develop joint educational and research activities, student and faculty exchanges, information sharing and practical training.

Prof Hossam Hamdy stated, “This MoU marks the beginning of GMU’s long-term partnership with WSU in several mutually beneficial areas, with the shared objective of improving quality of education and research. This partnership is in line with GMU’s strategic vision to be a leading international academic healthcare institution through the integration of quality health professions education, research, healthcare and social accountability for sustainable community development.”

Prof Sherief Khalifa, dean of the College of Pharmacy commented, “This is a unique collaboration that is expected to result in a state of the art drug information service in Thumbay University Hospital. The service will be run by licensed pharmacists who are academicians in the College of Pharmacy at GMU and continuous consultation with drug information experts from WSU. The Center for Drug Information and Evidence-Based Practice will serve to enhance clinical pharmacy services in Thumbay hospitals, clinics and pharmacies and will provide an excellent training opportunity for our PharmD students at GMU.

With six colleges and 26 accredited programmes, GMU is a leading medical university in the Middle East region. The Gulf Medical University Academic Health System is the first of its kind in the region’s private sector. GMU enjoys a robust collaboration with 60+ prestigious universities around the world, including the University of Arizona, Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee - USA, University of Saint Joseph School of Pharmacy in Connecticut, Tokyo Medical Dental University etc. GMU receives students from more than 80 countries as its reputation and image go beyond the region.

The Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) programme offered by the College of Pharmacy, GMU, has been recognized by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), making it the first internationally certified entry-to-practice PharmD programme in UAE. The PharmD programme is fully accredited by the Commission for Academic Accreditation of the Ministry of Education, UAE. GMU PharmD students are the only graduates eligible to take the pharmacist license examination right after graduation. The success rate in pharmacist licensure examination in UAE by GMU PharmD students is 100% in the first attempt.

Founded in 1890, Washington State is a public research university in Pullman, Washington. It is one of the oldest land-grant universities in the American west and features programmes in a broad range of academic disciplines. It is the second-largest institution of higher education in Washington.