RCSI Bahrain

We are pleased to announce that RCSI Medical University of Bahrain and Royal Life Saving Bahrain renewed their agreement to advance life-saving training and community volunteering for medical and nursing students.

The renewed agreement was signed at the University’s campus by Her Highness Shaikha Nayla bint Hamad bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, Chairperson and Founder of Royal Life Saving Bahrain, and Professor Sameer Otoom, President of RCSI Medical University of Bahrain, in the presence of senior management from both organisations.

Building on the initial partnership established in 2021, the renewal follows the development of 196 student volunteer lifesavers who have collectively contributed more than 2,000 hours of service since 2022.

We extend our sincere appreciation to Her Highness Shaikha Nayla bint Hamad bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa and the Royal Life Saving Bahrain team for their continued collaboration with RCSI Medical University of Bahrain.

Congratulations to our student, Mr Ahmed Alalban (MED 5), for representing RCSI Medical University of Bahrain at the World Congress of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery in Istanbul, Turkey, the largest international congress dedicated to the speciality.

Mr Ahmed showcased his research on early surgical treatment of post-intubation subglottic stenosis, which was displayed throughout the congress. During the event, Mr Ahmed connected with global ENT leaders, residency directors, and presidents of international societies.

Beyond presenting research, he expanded his clinical horizons by attending insightful sessions on head and neck oncology, advanced airway surgery, skull-base surgery, and AI in ENT, and gained hands-on exposure to advanced surgical technology, including state-of-the-art 3D visualisation systems for otologic surgery.

Reflecting on an insightful elective clinical attachment, our student, Ms Sara Aljalham (MED 2), shares her journey in the Neurosurgery Department at Hamad General Hospital’s Surgical Speciality Centre in Doha, Qatar.

Ms Sarah learned to combine clinical reasoning with active listening, tailoring care to each patient’s needs, and performed her first supervised lumbar puncture.

“This experience further deepened my interest in surgery and motivated me to continue developing my clinical skills and pursuing more surgical opportunities in the future.”

Our MED 2 students, Ms Remas Al Harthi and Ms Saima Bandarkar, embarked on a four-week research elective at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, joining the Gastroenterology team to investigate imaging techniques in parathyroidectomy, colon polyp resection and inguinal hernia procedures.

Immersed in data collection, analysis, and manuscript preparation, they gained valuable insights into research methodology and academic publishing.

Working closely with clinicians and researchers, they developed their skills and deepened their interest in academic medicine, making this experience a significant step in their professional journey.

We are proud to celebrate our students and alumni who shared their research at the 13th International Family Medicine Conference & Exhibition in Dubai, UAE, alongside clinicians and researchers from across the region.

Congratulations to Mr Fahad Alsaad (MED 2), who was awarded Second Place for Best Student Poster for his research on omega-3 intake and cognitive performance in older adults. Fahad was supervised by Dr Ebrahim Rajab, Senior Lecturer in Physiology and Year 2 Co-Director.

Ms Lin Marza (MED 2) delivered both a poster and an oral presentation on the role of AM404 in paracetamol's pain-relieving effects, in collaboration with Professor William Ford, Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Director of Assessments.

Mr Naser Salem, who graduated from our BSc Nursing programme this year, presented his review on how nurse-led education can improve the quality of life for adults with epilepsy. His work was supervised by Dr Sumaya F***j, Lecturer in Nursing.

Congratulations to all students and alumni for this achievement.

We were delighted to host the SMILE Painting Auction, where 20 talented artists generously offered their artworks for auction. All proceeds will support children with cancer through the SMILE initiative of the Future Society for Youth.

Organised in collaboration with the Community Engagement Office, the Language and Culture Unit and SMILE, the event welcomed the participating artists to campus for a gallery walk and meet-the-artists session, alongside a SMILE merchandise sale.

Professor Kathryn Strachan, Professor and Head of School of Nursing and Midwifery and Professor Alfred Nicholson, Vice President for Academic Affairs / Head of School of Medicine, together with Dr Amal Al Qallaf, Vice Chairman of the Future Society for Youth, welcomed our guests and artists.

Thank you to all the artists for supporting this cause.

From Bahrain to Canada, our MED 4 student Ms Lulwah Alselahy embarked on a four-week summer elective in vascular surgery at St Michael’s Hospital, guided by Dr Elisa Greco, Board Director at the University of Toronto.

Each day brought new challenges and opportunities from independently assessing patients and presenting findings to practising suturing and Doppler assessment.
Experiencing a different healthcare system broadened her clinical perspective and strengthened her skills in communication, documentation and patient care.

Congratulations to our alumna, Ms Aziza Burshaid, on achieving Saudi Board Certification in Adult Critical Care Nursing and being appointed as a Specialist Nurse.

Her role centres on caring for critically ill patients, managing complex medical interventions, and supporting patients and their families through challenging times.

Read the full article about Ms Aziza’s career via the link in our bio.

We are delighted to share the experience of a group of our students who spent two weeks at Keele University taking part in an Anatomy Dissection Programme, gaining valuable hands-on experience through full cadaveric dissection.

Working directly with donor specimens enabled the students to deepen their understanding of anatomy, explore complex anatomical and neurovascular relationships in three dimensions and connect classroom learning with its clinical applications. The programme also strengthened their practical skills, confidence and understanding of the professionalism and ethical practice required when working with human specimens.

Alongside collaborative learning with peers and the supportive team at Keele University, the experience offered an opportunity to build connections and create lasting memories beyond the laboratory.

An enriching international experience that helped our students return with greater confidence and a stronger foundation for their future clinical learning and practice.

Our alumni, Dr Ammar Alalawi (Class of 2025) and Mr Ismaeel Alawadhi (Class of 2021), recently attended the KEYS Programme Careers Fair, which offered students the opportunity to engage directly with professionals across various fields and gain valuable insights into different career paths.

Dr Alalawi shared his experience in medicine, offering advice about the journey ahead and the support available at RCSI Medical University of Bahrain. Mr Alawadhi spoke about his path in Nursing, emphasising the importance of compassion, resilience and lifelong learning.