Dubai Medical University (DMU) proudly announces the launch of a comprehensive longitudinal training program in Prescribing Skills Assessment (PSA), developed collaboratively by the College of Pharmacy and the College of Medicine. This pioneering initiative reflects the University’s commitment to advancing patient safety, interprofessional education, and practice-readiness among near-to-graduate healthcare students.

The Prescribing Skills Assessment is designed to rigorously evaluate and strengthen students’ competencies in safe and effective prescribing. The assessment framework encompasses multiple critical domains, including:

• Safe and rational prescribing
• Prescription review and validation
• Identification and management of adverse drug reactions
• Therapeutic planning and clinical management
• Laboratory and diagnostic data interpretation
• Pharmaceutical calculations
• Therapeutic drug monitoring
• Patient communication and counseling

The program is structured as a longitudinal curriculum model beginning in Year 2 and continuing through Year 5. It progressively builds prescribing competence from foundational principles to advanced clinical application during experiential and clinical training. The initiative is fully integrated across courses within the curriculum, ensuring continuous reinforcement of prescribing competencies in both theoretical and clinical contexts.

This collaboration is particularly timely. While medical graduates are already licensed prescribers, pharmacy prescribing authority is anticipated to be introduced in the United Arab Emirates soon for selected minor ailments. By proactively preparing pharmacy graduates for this expanded scope of practice, DMU is positioning its students at the forefront of evolving healthcare delivery models in the region.

The integration is led by the College of Pharmacy under the supervision of Dr. Riza Assadi and Dr. Ahmad El-Ouweini, in close collaboration with the College of Medicine, represented by Prof. Nevien Hendawy and Dr. Rania Shalaby. This intercollege leadership exemplifies DMU’s commitment to interprofessional education (IPE) and collaborative practice.

The inaugural session of the program focused on pharmaceutical calculations, an essential foundation for safe prescribing. Students from both the College of Medicine and the College of Pharmacy participated in an interprofessional training workshop, working collaboratively in mixed groups to solve clinically oriented calculation cases. The session emphasized teamwork, shared clinical reasoning, and mutual understanding of professional roles in medication safety.

This initiative marks a significant milestone in curriculum innovation at Dubai Medical University. By embedding prescribing skills training longitudinally and interprofessionally, DMU ensures that its graduates are equipped not only with knowledge, but with the practical competence, clinical judgment, and collaborative mindset required for safe prescribing practice. The University looks forward to expanding the application of this program across additional courses and clinical experiences, further strengthening prescribing readiness and advancing excellence in healthcare education.