Department of Family Medicine
The Department of Family Medicine was established in 1979. It is the first family medicine program in the Arab world. In that same year, the department assisted in launching another program in Bahrain. In 1982, the department played an important role in establishing the Arab Board for Family Practice. On the national scene, it plays an instrumental role in promoting primary care. Our staff is involved in providing expertise to several regional programs in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and others.

We are the only training site that can sit for the in-training examination prepared by the American Board of Family Practice outside the United States. This allows residents in Jordan, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Hotel Dieu De France in Beirut to sit with our residents for the exam. Over the years, our residents’ performance in this test was more than satisfactory. Many of our residents scored above the ninetieth percentile.

The research output is one of the best in the region. The department produced the first communication skills video in Arabic which was used by several programs in the region.

The department is highly involved in teaching medical students. All our full-timers teach problem-based learning to first year medical students. Fourth year medical students have a one month clerkship in family medicine. The department coordinates an ethics course given to third year medical students. Over the last three years our staff instructs second year and fourth year students in communication skills.

Several foreign students, residents, and family physicians had rotations in our department. Our program can build an educational program tailored to the needs of learners when requested.

On the clinical level, the department expanded over the last seven years. During this period a family medicine team was established to look after in-hospital patients. Our physicians and residents manage the health of more than thirteen thousand students, employees and their dependents, and provide 24 hour emergency coverage for the same population.

University Health Services

The University Health Services started as a one room dispensary in Bliss and Thomson Hall in 1945. At that time it was part of the department of the Internal Medicine. In 1949 the Gulbenkian (Infirmary) building was completed and the University Health Services became an administrative part of the Faculty of Medicine.

In the early 50's a group of AUB professors and employees met and decided to start the Hospital Insurance Plan. At that time there were no health insurance plans in the country. That plan covered 50 % of Hospital expenses and the University covered the remainder. Specialty consultations were carried on a courtesy basis then without any records kept nor any charges done. HIP gradually developed into becoming a comprehensive Health Insurance Plan and the University Health Services into its primary care provider. In the early 60's and 70's the number of patients seen at UHS hovered around 60. It became around 100/day in the 70's and currently it ranges between 150 - 200/day.

In July 1995 the University Health Services were merged within the Department of Family Medicine.