JEDDAH, 10 September 2006 — Most of the 200 men and women enrolled at the newly established Batterjee College for Medical Sciences & Technology (BMC) had an orientation at the Saudi German Hospital Auditorium here yesterday. Students were accompanied by their parents.
One common question from parents was how their children would cope with English as the medium of instruction. Both Khalid A. Batterjee, BMC’s vice president, and Samir Mousa, BMC’s vice dean, said English would not pose a problem as students would be well prepared during the foundation year.
Mousa explained: “English will not be a problem. What students need to learn and perfect is medical English rather than literary English. We’ll concentrate on making them learn medical terminology and teach them how to understand the different terminologies,” Mousa said.
Dr. Khalid added that counseling would be available for students to overcome initial difficulties in dealing with English.
Of the 200 students enrolled, there are 120 boys and 80 girls. “A majority of students have chosen the College of Medicine and the rest colleges of nursing, physiotherapy and health administration,” Dr. Yahya Yousif, director at Foundation Academy for Sciences and Technology (FAST), told Arab News.
He said until BMC’s buildings were completed at Obhur, students would attend classes at FAST located on Batterjee Street, a few blocks from the Saudi German Hospitals Group. Regular foundation classes will begin at the end of the one-week orientation.
Dr. Khalid emphasized that an innovative curriculum had been prepared. “It’s a problem-oriented curriculum and not the traditional classroom teaching,” he said. “We aim to teach with fun and not with pressure.”
Dr. Khalid explained that BMC aimed to be a forerunner in all aspects of medical education and health promotion services, and to uphold and fulfill the vision and mission of the Ministry of Higher Education and the international partners which include the University of Tubingen, University of South Africa and Nebraska Wesleyan University.
BMC is described as the first integrated private college for medical sciences and technology and will ultimately operate five medical colleges to the highest international standards.
As for the first phase, which now begins with the foundation year, students will begin courses in the colleges of medicine, nursing, physiotherapy and health administration. Dentistry and medical-imaging technology colleges will be added in the second phase in 2007, and pharmacy and pharmaceutical industries, and lab technology courses will be instituted in the third phase in 2008. The fourth phase in 2009 will see the opening of the management of health information and technology college.
In addition to the foundation year, all colleges will have four-year academic sessions, except the College of Medicine which will have a six-year course and the Colleges of Dentistry and Pharmacy which will have a five-year course plus a year of internship after graduation.
The foundation year covers courses in English language, medical terminology, medical ethics, biology, math, chemistry, physics, computer science and study skills development. “BMC certificates are accredited by the Ministry of Higher Education and the Saudi Council for Health Specialties,” Dr. Khalid said.
SGH Group President Sobhi Batterjee described the BMC as a pioneering effort to promote medical education and health care services.
