MoHESR Approves Clinical Training Guidelines for Health Profession Students
The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MoHESR) has approved new Clinical Training Guidelines for health profession students, establishing a unified national framework to regulate partnerships between higher education institutions (HEIs) and clinical training facilities and to enhance the quality of practical medical education.
The guidelines set out requirements for structured and high-quality clinical training across eligible health programmes under the National Qualifications Framework, excluding postgraduate tracks such as internships, residencies and fellowships.
Officials said the move strengthens governance of clinical training as a core component of health education, aligning academic learning with real-world healthcare practice and labour market needs.
His Excellency Ibrahim Fikri, Acting Assistant Undersecretary for the Higher Education and Scientific Research Regulation and Governance Sector, said the framework complements the Ministry’s recent decision governing work experience obligations in higher education institutions.
He noted that the guidelines support the integration of academic and practical training while setting unified standards across institutions. He added that the step reinforces sector sustainability and efficiency and supports the UAE’s vision for an integrated education and healthcare system prepared for future needs.
Unified framework for clinical training governance
According to MoHESR, the guidelines establish a comprehensive governance model covering planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of clinical training in workplace settings. They clearly define the roles and responsibilities of HEIs, supervisors, healthcare facilities and the Ministry in oversight and quality assurance.
The framework requires formal, documented agreements between universities and clinical training providers. These agreements must specify training scope, student capacity, supervisor qualifications, assessment methods, and legal and insurance responsibilities, ensuring consistent training quality without affecting patient care.
The guidelines also emphasise competency-based clinical environments supported by qualified supervisors, appropriate educational resources and progressive hands-on exposure that advances with student level.
Health authorities highlight workforce impact
The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) said the guidelines will contribute to building a resilient national healthcare workforce.
His Excellency Dr Hussain Al Rand, Assistant Undersecretary for the Public Health Sector at MoHAP, said standardising clinical training frameworks helps align graduate skills with evolving healthcare system needs while strengthening competence, professional responsibility and patient safety.
He added that early-stage workforce readiness and closer collaboration between educational and healthcare institutions will support long-term healthcare sustainability and evidence-based policy development.
Training quality and readiness focus
His Excellency Dr Mohammed Al-Houqani, Secretary General of the National Institute for Health Specialties, described the guidelines as a pivotal step toward improving practical training quality across hospitals and healthcare facilities.
He said the standards will help ensure structured, high-quality training experiences and strengthen professional readiness among health students, enabling smoother integration into the workforce and supporting sector advancement.
MoHESR said the guidelines also require systematic documentation of clinical activities through task logs, assessments and supervisor observations to support continuous monitoring, early issue detection and ongoing improvement in training outcomes.
