Research Profile - College of Medicine and Health Science - United ...

Department of Surgery
Ophthalmology under the directorship of Dr.
Tahra Mahmoud commenced in October 2008.
Skills and Procedural Training
In April 2004 the Department hosted inaugural
back to back Provider and Instructor courses in
the UAE for the Advanced Trauma Life Support
(ATLS). Four invited Faculty and staff from the
USA and one from Canada participated in the
teaching and Provider courses have since been
held again in the Faculty and in Fujairah. These
courses are training Emirati graduates and others
in trauma care and will help reduce the burden
of disabling illness and mortality from motor
vehicle crashes. In 2005 the Department hosted
two ATLS courses in Al Ain and members also
participated as Instructors in two courses held
in Fujairah. Courses were held in the Faculty in
March, April, November and December 2006. In
addition, Prof. Branicki participated as Faculty for
two Instructor Courses held in Abu Dhabi in May
2006. Dr. Ali Jawas and Prof. Derek Younge
successfully completed the Instructor Course.
In 2006 participation in Courses (teaching
activities and assessments) conducted over 2.5
days at weekends was as follows: Dr. Fikri Abu
Zidan (4), Prof. Derek Younge (5), Assistant
Professors Fawaz Torab (4), Ali Jawas (2) with
Frank Branicki who is a Course Director for the
Emirate of Abu Dhabi, directing and teaching
courses in Al Ain (6), Sheikh Khalifa Medical City
(5) and Fujairah (1).
In 2007 ATLS activities continued with
participation of Faculty members as follows:
Prof. Fikri Abu Zidan (2), Prof. DerekYounge (4),
Prof. Frank Branicki (6) being the Course Director
and Faculty for courses in Al Ain as well as
teaching courses in Fujairah (2). In 2008 Faculty
participation as Instructors continued in Al Ain
with courses taught by Dr. Ali Jawas (1) and
Prof. Branicki (2) and Fujairah Dr. Fawaz Torab (1)
and Prof. Branicki (1). By December 2008 a total
of 889 doctors had been trained in 41 Provider
and 5 Instructor courses – all of this made
possible with active participation of Instructors
(Anaesthetists, Emergency Medicine Physicians
and Surgeons) at Tawam Hospital. Several
Faculty also participated in an international
Emirates Trauma and Emergency Surgery
Conference which took place in Fujairah in May
2006. Data relating to ATLS courses and training
have been presented nationally and at
International Surgical Congresses.
In March 2008 the FMHS was the site for
inauguration of the Advanced Trauma Provider
Course for Nurses (ATCN) in the UAE, followed
by an ATCN Instructor course and a second
Provider Course in November 2008. These
activities run in concert with ATLS courses are
made possible with the enthusiastic
participation of Instructors from Tawam Hospital.
In addition, the Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support
Course (PHTLS) has been conducted in Tawam
Hospital with Prof. Branicki acting as Faculty in
December 2008.
The Department has organized a number of
CME/CPD activities including an International
Surgical Conference with more than 600
delegates held in Abu Dhabi in October 2003.
This was highly successful with fourteen invited
international Faculty and 72 free paper
presentations of research activity from the UAE
and elsewhere. The Department raised 75% of
funding required for the meeting from corporate
sponsorship. Members of the Department were
involved in Pre-conference Surgical Skills
workshops in January and November 2004 and
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