Medical education in Palestine

Abstract

Palestine has a short history of medical education: the first medical school opened in 1994 and a further three have opened since. Doctors are trained against a backdrop of military occupation and ineffective governance, complicating the development and delivery of effective education. Postgraduate education is a particular weakness, with disorganised residency programmes prioritising service provision over the training of specialists, leading to poorer patient care and low morale. This unfavourable learning environment leads into a situation where opportunities for continuing professional development are scarce. Links between healthcare and education providers in Palestine and countries with advanced health systems have great potential for allowing best practice in medical education to be shared and to provide high quality training opportunities that address gaps in Palestine's health education system.