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Introducing GEM: Students in Gaza through Education

Initiative to Support Medical Students in Gaza

The ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip has posed significant challenges to the healthcare system, resulting in a shortage of medical professionals and limited educational opportunities for medical students. PalMed Academy, along with individual educators, established and launched on the 1st of June 2025, a dedicated program to support Palestinian medical students in Gaza. Our aim is to provide them with the necessary resources, training, evaluation, and opportunities to advance their education and contribute to the future healthcare workforce in the Gaza Strip.

Medical education is delivered through a bespoke online platform and other innovative means of content delivery including interactive lectures by international faculty. This is in line with the curriculum of both medical schools in Gaza and catering to the needs of 2101 students registered on our scheme.  This is in collaboration with the Deans of Alazhar University and the Islamic University Medical Schools of Gaza. Faculty members from the universities are actively engaged to provide theoretical and clinical education to the students and are supported financially by PalMed Academy.

Objectives:

  1. Preservation of the two Medical Schools in Gaza and support their resilience against the destruction of education
  2. Support the Medical Students to progress with their study to become the future healthcare workforce in Gaza
  3. To support The Medical schools and students until the Universities are recovered to take over completely and to hand over the platform and infrastructure to them

Achievements:

1. Platform Development: Fully developed a user-friendly online platform that hosts educational resources, lectures, tutorials, and interactive sessions relevant to the medical curriculum. Ensure accessibility and compatibility with devices commonly available to students in Gaza. This was donated by a South African company and all registered students have been given access.

2. Curriculum Adaptation: the same curriculum used in both universities will continue to be used on the online platform. 

3. Faculty Recruitment: Recruit qualified medical professionals, both local and international, to deliver lectures and facilitate discussions on the online platform. Ensure a diverse pool of instructors to provide comprehensive coverage of medical topics. So far, 760 world experts have volunteered to teach on the scheme with a total of 1004 joining all the other committees within GEM.

4. Student Support Services: 

    1. Student Engagement Committee: establish two way communication with all the students to understand their needs and communicate effectively.
    2. Student Mentorship Scheme: Provide mentorship opportunities and peer support networks.
    3. Mental Health and Well Being Scheme: Establish counselling services and academic support mechanisms to address the emotional and academic needs of students navigating through challenging circumstances

5. Technical Assistance: Offer technical support to students to overcome barriers related to internet connectivity, device compatibility, and access to resources. Provide tutorials and troubleshooting guides to ensure smooth navigation of the online platform. We have worked with a number of missions and agencies to provide teaching rooms in existing hospitals equipped with internet and devices to allow access to the platform.

6. Assessment and Feedback: Implement robust assessment mechanisms to evaluate student learning outcomes and provide constructive feedback. Utilize online quizzes, assignments, and examinations to monitor student progress and identify areas for Improvement, which will be included within the platform. These have been incorporated into the modules in agreement with the medical schools deans.

7. Registration of students: This was opened to students on the 29th of March 2024 following a public meeting and so far have 2101 students able to access the platform.

8. Clinical training commenced in Gaza on 1st of June at the launch of the scheme. Clinical placements for displaced students have been secured for 18 students in Turkey, 37 in South Africa, 10 in Norway and more than 100 placements in Pakistan.

9. Programmed Resounding: The programmed had a resounding success of restarting medical education in Gaza with graduation of 119 students from the Islamic University and 78 from Alazhar University in January 2025. This is in addition to 18 students graduating in Turkey from the Islamic University Medical School.

Gender of Students

Student Locations

COST OF GEM SCHEME IN USD PER MONTH

$150 Per Student Per Month