RCSI Bahrain Secures 5-Year Accreditation

Irish Medical Council renews accreditation for undergraduate medical programme

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) – Medical University of Bahrain received approval for a further five-year accreditation for its undergraduate medical programme from the Irish Medical Council, reinforcing the University’s international positioning of its undergraduate medical education.

The accreditation, valid from February 2026 until January 2030, followed an extensive institutional review led by a Medical Council Assessor Team chaired by Mr Graham Knowles, supported by Professor May O’Sullivan and three external examiners. The review included consultations with university leadership, academic teams, clinical faculty and students, alongside inspections of teaching facilities and affiliated clinical sites.

The outcome of the accreditation renewal carries wider strategic implications for Bahrain’s higher education sector, where international accreditation frameworks are becoming a defining benchmark for credibility, graduate mobility and employer confidence across global healthcare systems. 

Against this backdrop, RCSI Medical University of Bahrain’s renewed accreditation strengthens its international relevance and enhances the employability of its graduates in overseas internship and residency pathways. This accreditation also aligns with Bahrain’s Higher Education Council to elevate national higher education standards and international prominence.

Professor Sameer Otoom, President of RCSI Medical University of Bahrain, stated: “We are delighted with the IMC’s continued accreditation of our undergraduate medical programme and the benefits this brings to our medical graduates. In line with the new strategy of the Higher Education Council, we are committed to contributing to Bahrain’s higher education global quality assurance standards.”

RCSI Medical University of Bahrain’s Quality Enhancement Office, led by Dr Nichola McLarnon, Head of Quality and Academic Development, will continue benchmarking graduate competency to strengthen preparedness for increasingly complex healthcare environments in line with the University’s long-term academic sustainability.