Alfaisal medical students shine in nationwide progress tests

Alfaisal College of Medicine’s students harnessed the highest results among eleven other medical schools in the Kingdom on the nationwide progress test (PT).
The PT is a comprehensive longitudinal testing approach that assesses the end of curriculum objectives of undergraduate medical training schools across all medical disciplines. Alfaisal medical students secured six positions out of the top ten highest scoring students.
“It was a fair exam, which tested the overall medical knowledge we have attained throughout our journey in Alfaisal. We entered the exam with great confidence and our aim was to be number one in the Kingdom and we have achieved that. We have a great administration, excellent staff and faculty, and beyond all we have high spirits,” said Abdullah Shamari, one of the students who sat for the exam.
The progress testing has been used in medical education for over 30 years, both in McMaster University in Canada and Maastricht University in the Netherlands, and many universities in the West are adopting the progress testing.
Al-Qassem University’s medical school has utilized its partnership with the Maastricht University to prepare the progress test. Many medical colleges including Alfaisal College of Medicine in the Kingdom contributed in the preparation for the test.
All medical students sit for the exam at the same time and are tested on their comprehensive understanding and knowledge of all the subjects they learned throughout medical school. The exam aims to monitor the individual learning paths of students.
“It was a great challenge to start a medical school at Alfaisal university 5 years ago. The mission and vision was to be student centered and provide world class education. Today our student’s achievements in the national progress test is a strong indication of the high quality of education provided by Alfaisal University,” said Khaled M. Alkattan, professor of surgery and dean of Alfaisal College of medicine.