AUD and Penn Medicine Launch First US-Style Four-Year Medical School in the Region
Dubai to Host Region’s First US-Style Four-Year Medical School
Dubai, September 16, 2025 — The American University in Dubai (AUD) and the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine have announced a landmark partnership to create the region’s first U.S.-style, four-year Doctor of Medicine (MD) program.
The agreement was signed at AUD’s campus in the presence of senior leaders, including Dr. J. Larry Jameson, President of the University of Pennsylvania; Dr. Kyle Long, President of AUD; Elias Bou Saab, AUD Executive Vice President; and Dr. Glen Gaulton, Vice Dean and Director of the Centre for Global Health at Penn Medicine.
A First for the Gulf
Scheduled to open in 2027, the AUD School of Medicine will adopt the American graduate-entry model, admitting only students who already hold a bachelor’s degree.
“Students will arrive with more life experience and a deeper commitment to medicine,” said Dr. Gaulton.
This approach contrasts with most regional programs that accept students directly from high school, and it aims to produce physicians trained to American standards while addressing the UAE’s healthcare needs.
Raising the Bar for Medical Education
“AUD’s initiative is a bold step for Dubai, the UAE, and the wider region,” noted Dr. Long. Fewer than 5% of the world’s 4,000 medical schools follow the U.S. model, and none have previously partnered with a Gulf university.
Penn Medicine will help design the curriculum and train faculty, ensuring a balance between rigorous American academics and the UAE’s medical priorities.
Program Structure and Training
First two years: intensive biomedical sciences and clinical foundations
Final two years: hands-on clinical rotations at partner hospitals in Dubai
Teaching team: AUD faculty and local clinicians, with Penn professors contributing through visits and longer-term residencies
AUD plans to collaborate with two to three hospitals, both public and private, to give students broad clinical exposure.
Flexible Admissions
Applicants from diverse academic backgrounds can apply if they complete required coursework in biology, chemistry, and mathematics and achieve strong MCAT scores.
“Graduates of engineering, psychology, or business can pursue medicine with the right preparation,” said Dr. Long.
Scholarship details are being finalized, but AUD expects to extend its existing financial aid—currently benefiting nearly half its undergraduates—to future medical students.
Local Support
Emirati physician and scientist Dr. Maryam Matar called the partnership “a dream come true,” noting it allows aspiring doctors to receive world-class training without leaving the UAE.
A New Medical Hub
For Penn Medicine, the project represents a chance to build “a hub of medical education, research, and innovation that serves both the UAE and the wider world,” said Dr. Jameson.
Key Takeaways
Opening 2027: AUD School of Medicine will launch the Gulf’s first U.S.-style graduate-entry MD program.
Partnership: Collaboration between AUD and the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine.
Training Model: American curriculum, local clinical rotations, and faculty exchanges.
Admissions: Requires a bachelor’s degree and competitive MCAT scores; scholarships planned.
This initiative positions Dubai as a new center for advanced medical education and research-driven healthcare in the Middle East.
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