The King Saud University (KSU) will hold the Saudi International Conference on Residency Education with the theme “Innovation in Postgraduate Medical Education” at Riyadh Marriott Hotel’s Makarim Halls on Oct, 21 and 22.

The two-day conference will be attended by Minister of Higher Education Khalid Al-Angary and Badran Al-Omar, KSU rector.

The conference aims to be the largest gathering of program directors and health care professionals devoted to graduate medical education in Saudi Arabia,” said Abdulkareem O. Al-Suwaida, scientific committee chairperson. Al Suwaida is also the director of the postgraduate medical education unit at the KSU College of Medicine.

The topics to be discussed are the future direction of medical education, competency-based medical education, professional development of medical education, communication skills training in postgraduate medical education, designing a faculty development for postgraduate medical education, leadership development for clinicians, new innovation in medical education, medical education in Saudi Arabia and medical professionalism, among others.

Al-Suwaida said the program is designed to improve the training of residents and fellows by communicating the most timely and significant advances in medical education from many different perspectives.

“The sessions will provide comprehensive and unparalleled education through more than 20 presentations of some of the world’s top leaders in the areas of graduate medical education,” he said.

He added that the “world of medical education is an exciting area in which to work, and we’ll continue to meet and bring inspired people together in forums like this, to ensure that our graduate medical education in the Kingdom remains at the cutting edge.”

He said he is looking forward to the participants’ various expertise during the conference.

As organization leaders, they have the vision, the knowledge, the wherewithal and the experience to help us pave our way into the future, he said.

He added: “They are truly the assets of today and tomorrow, and we could not accomplish what we do without their support and leadership. Throughout the conference, I ask them to be engaged and help us shape the future of Graduate Medical Education in Saudi Arabia.”

Rola M. Al-Ghussein, organizing committee chairperson, added that the scientific program will focus on addressing the current and future trends and challenges in postgraduate medical education with a touch of leadership development.

“At the end of the conference, we’ll learn new ideas and insights that will guide us in our medical career. Furthermore, it will give a positive and long lasting impact in the pursuit of a medical career,” she said.

Al-Ghussein is also the director of the event management division for academic affairs at the KSU.