RCSI – Bahrain

History of the College

RCSI – Bahrain is a constituent university of RCSI Dublin which was first established over two centuries ago in 1784. The role of the university, like RCSI Dublin, is to deliver healthcare education to the highest international standards.

The RCSI Bahrain campus was established in 2004 with its first intake of medical students and graduated its first class in 2010. In the period since its establishment, RCSI Bahrain has become an integral part of both the RCSI global family and of the healthcare education system in Bahrain.

The University is listed in the International Medical Education Directory (IMED) of the Foundation for the Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER) and its degrees are recognized throughout the world including Europe and North America.

Entry Requirements

6 Year Program

• Designed for applicants entering directly from High School who have taken biology, chemistry, and either physics or mathematics with a minimum cGPA or equivalent, of 3.60 calculated on Grades 10, 11 and 12. Candidates from the United States require SAT or ACT.
• Students presenting International Baccalaureate Diploma need to study six subjects in total. Three Standard Level (SL) and three Higher Level (HL) subjects. Subjects must include English, Mathematics (Analysis and Approaches or Applications and Interpretations) and at least one laboratory science subject (Biology, Chemistry and Physics) at Higher Level. A minimum score of 30 IB Diploma points is required (inclusive of bonus).

5 Year Program

• Students who will have completed their degree program by August of year of entry (including pre-med subjects in Biology, Chemistry and Physics or Mathematics with a competitive cGPA) can apply for the 5-year program.
• Students from High School must present three AP subjects which must include Chemistry and Biology. The third Subject can be Calculus, Physics or Psychology. You need a minimum score of 12 points with no score less than 4. Students must also complete their High School Diploma with competitive cGPA or equivalent calculated on Grades 10, 11 and 12.
• Students presenting International Baccalaureate Diploma will need to study six subjects in total. Three Standard Level (SL) subjects and Three Higher Level (HL) Subjects. Higher Level subjects must include Chemistry (minimum score of 5) and one of the following: Biology, Physics and Mathematics (Analysis and Approaches or Applications and Interpretation). However, if Mathematics is presented at Higher Level, another science subject (as shown above) must be presented at Standard Level. Subjects must also include English. You need a minimum of 35 IB Diploma points (inclusive of bonus points).

ALL students who apply to RCSI Bahrain must provide copies of their high school transcripts, regardless of highest level of education achieved.

Applicants who pass RCSI Bahrain’s initial evaluation will be invited to an in-person interview in Toronto in April/May.

NOTE: North American candidates are exempt from the English language testing requirements

All students must have completed a minimum of 12 years of schooling by the end of secondary school.

Six-Year Medical Degree

The preclinical years cover the first two and a half years. The first year curriculum is divided into initial stand-alone modules followed by a series of integrated modules in physical, biological and chemical processes. The second and third years comprise of an integrated course in the clinical application of basic science. This course encompasses the subjects of Anatomy (including Histology and Embryology), Physiology, Biochemistry, Pharmacology and Behavioral Science, and focuses primarily, though not entirely, on the systems of the body (cardiovascular, respiratory, etc.) with introductory courses in some disciplines.

The clinical course commences in the fourth year with the students spending the majority of their time in one of the College’s teaching hospitals. Students complete a 33-month training period in the hospitals, during which the students study twenty medical and surgical specialty courses such as Pediatrics, Psychiatry and General Surgery.

Teaching Hospitals

Students at RCSI Bahrain will receive their clinical education at the following facilities:

King Hamad University Hospital
Ministry of Health, Bahrain Defense Forces Hospital
Salmaniya Medical Complex