54 Students Launch the First Cohort at the College of Medicine, Abdullah Al-Salem University

Abdullah Al-Salem University’s College of Medicine and Health Sciences welcomed its first cohort of students with the start of the 2026/2027 academic year. Fifty-four students will begin the six-year Doctor of Medicine (MD) program.

The program awards the MD degree from Abdullah Al-Salem University and was developed in academic partnership with King’s College London, with a focus on mental health alongside physical health, prevention, technology utilization, and quality improvement.

Dr. Mona Al-Ahmad, the university’s president, expressed pride in welcoming the first cohort of students to the College of Medicine and Health Sciences. She added that the college represents an ambitious step toward building an educational system that prepares medical professionals capable of keeping pace with the rapid evolution in medical sciences and technologies, contributing to serving society, and enhancing human health and quality of life.

Dr. Al-Ahmad advised the students, “As you embark on this journey, recognize that success in the College of Medicine and Health Sciences is achieved through patience, discipline, perseverance, time management, and the ability to work in teams. The path of knowledge is long, and a true doctor remains a lifelong learner.” She expressed hope that the college would become a house of knowledge, a field for excellence, and a space for research and discovery, asking God Almighty to grant the students success in their journey, bless their knowledge and work, and make the college a towering academic institution.

For his part, Dr. Aaid Khader, the acting dean of the College of Medicine and Health Sciences, welcomed the new students, describing the day as a “historic moment for the college, as they are the first cohort to carry the honor of launching the university’s MD program.”

Dr. Khader stated in a similar statement that these students “have chosen one of the noblest human professions, which is not limited to knowledge and expertise but is fundamentally rooted in humanity, compassion, responsibility, and trust.” He added that an outstanding doctor is not merely one who possesses knowledge, but one who utilizes it to serve patients and society, excels in listening and empathy, and makes the right decisions at the right time.

He clarified that the students are not joining a traditional medical program but are enrolling in a modern college that, since its inception, has set a clear goal: preparing the doctor of the future who can keep pace with the rapid advancement in medical sciences, technology, and artificial intelligence, while also treating the patient as a human being with needs, emotions, and rights.