Department of Family and Community Medicine

The Department of Family and Community Medicine is a clinical department responsible for teaching, training, community service and scientific research. In addition to teaching in the MBBS programme, faculty members teach and train postgraduate residents in programmes overseen by the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS).

Vision

Achieving local, regional, and international excellence in the field of Family and Community Medicine through leadership in medical education, medical care, community and scientific research.

Mission

To deliver excellence in undergraduate and postgraduate education in Family and Community Medicine, provide comprehensive and patient-centred primary health care with active community participation, and advance high-quality research addressing communicable and non-communicable diseases, in alignment with the Department’s enduring commitment to community well-being and professional distinction.

Goals

1. Educational Excellence — To deliver high-quality undergraduate and postgraduate education in Family and Community Medicine that equips graduates with the knowledge, skills, and competencies required for effective primary health care practice.
2. Clinical Care Quality — To provide comprehensive, continuous, and patient-centered primary health care services that address individual, family, and community health needs.
3. Community Engagement and Population Health — To actively engage with communities through health promotion, disease prevention, and community-oriented primary care initiatives that improve population health outcomes.
4. Research and Scholarly Contribution — To advance and disseminate impactful research in Family and Community Medicine, particularly in the prevention and control of communicable and non-communicable diseases, using internationally recognized methodologies.
5. Faculty Development and Academic Leadership — To support continuous professional development of faculty members and strengthen academic leadership in education, clinical practice, and research.
6. Quality Improvement and System Strengthening — To promote quality, patient safety, and evidence-based practice within primary health care services and academic programs.

Departmental Activities

Teaching

The department teaches Family and Community Medicine and evidence-based medicine to male and female medical students. It also supervises and participates in teaching and training for the Saudi Board programmes in Family Medicine and Preventive Medicine, and contributes to selected master’s courses in the health colleges, including the Master of Public Health.

Training

Training activities aim to improve the quality of health services.

• Training primary health care physicians and health teams in primary care centres.
• Training school health providers and school health teams.
• Training school counsellors and principals to address various health problems.
• Training students to deal with certain problems.
• Training parents of students with disabilities in early intervention to reduce the impact of disability.
• Participating in scientific committees for conferences addressing community issues, including mental health, health education and the school environment.

Research

The department conducts priority clinical and community research projects and community-service activities that aim to benefit patients and promote community health. Research examines the prevalence of health problems and methods of prevention, and findings are published in scientific journals. The department also promotes research concepts among health providers and helps improve the quality of medical research through research schools and scientific workshops.

Community Service and Social Activities

Department staff provide medical and advisory services through the university Family and Community Medicine clinics in Abha and the Medical City. They provide preventive and curative services and participate in international health days and events, including early breast-cancer detection initiatives.

Department Gallery

AACE — Middle East and North Africa

Diabetes Complications by Family Physicians — Edward Shahady, MD, FAAFP

Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity

Family and Community Medicine — departmental image