Enabling medical educators across the world

For over forty years, our renowned Centre for Medical Education (CME) has been shaping the way medicine and other allied professions are taught. Alumnus, Abdullah Aldahmash, shares his own story from Dundee and how he is working with CME to the benefit of his own institution in Saudi Arabia.

Abdullah completed his PhD in Anatomy-Physiology in 2005 and Dundee was always the place he wanted to be.

"I applied for both Dundee and University College London (UCL) due to connections that I had with professors. My application was processed quicker for UCL and I was accepted but I knew it was Dundee I wanted to be. I drove to Dundee from London and fell in love with the city, it was beautiful. I found out that my contact, Bob Sturrock, was about to retire so I was put in touch with Birgit Lane. She called my supervisor at UCL and before I knew it, I was accepted into Dundee.

"It was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I loved the atmosphere and the people, I have great memories of being there.

"I also had a very supportive environment in the lab. Everyone was very welcoming and we all learned from each other. We also had the freedom to just get on with our research."

Indeed, it’s been through a colleague in the lab that has led to Abdullah collaborating with the University. Abdullah and David Russell, International Lead in the School of Medicine, met in the lab during their PhD studies and have been good friends and colleagues since.

"I was nominated to run a private health college, as part of Vision Colleges, and I was keen to initiate collaborations with other institutions to help grow the college. I’ve known David Russell for years and on a visit to Saudi we began discussions on how we could work together.

"Through consultancy, we are enhancing our medical skills simulation lab. We want to encourage academics to engage with Dundee so they can feel ownership of the collaboration. Our goal is bigger than the consultancy around simulation, we want to engage our faculty to develop the leading simulation centre in Saudi, that is underpinned with the latest medical education theory and practice."

Much of Abdullah’s inspiration for the project has come from Dundee.

"CME at Dundee has a world-class reputation for simulation. We want to replicate that in Saudi and be known as the centre of excellence, where colleagues can train and do professional exams.

"Relationships have of course been vital to making this happen. Knowing David and many of the staff at Dundee for years has made the project run very smoothly. We both had the same vision and goals, to grow both institutions and our reputations globally."

You can find out more about the work of CME on their webpages