Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research

University of Basrah

College of Medicine

 

 

Department of Family and Community Medicine

 

 1. Preface

The Department of Family and Community Medicine was established in the academic year 1971-1972 as the Department of Public Health, Preventive and Social Medicine. In 1980 it was re-named to become the Department of Community Medicine.

     The department main activities are: teaching medical students both under and postgraduates the principles and methods of epidemiology, medical statistics, basic epidemiology and control of communicable and non-communicable diseases. This is in addition to teaching of primary health care concepts and practical programmes in Iraq. Health care administration (planning management and evaluation techniques) as well as medical sociology and demography are also taught by the department. Brief sessions are also given on topics related to health economics, health information and utilization of health care services. A short course is also arranged to tackle problems of environmental and occupational health.

In addition to teaching, members of the department are pioneers in research and advisory work to other departments in the college of medicine and to the health authorities in Basrah. The research activities cover a variety of health problems such as measurement of population health, identification of risk factors, evaluation of health services performance, and medical ethics conduct. The interest in health system research is growing and the department is active in research and development in coordination with health authorities in Basrah during the last 20 years. The department conducted a series of household survey in different parts of Basrah city and its suburbs. These surveys were designed to provide practical opportunities to both staff and medical students to apply community medicine and epidemiology concepts and techniques at population level. They also provide relevant data on socio-demographic, health and environmental conditions of the population, which all can be used to improve health and services delivery in targeted study areas.

 

 2. Department setting

The Department of Family and Community Medicine is one of eleven academic departments operating in The Medical College, University of Basrah. It consists of Department Head Office, Secretariat, and Faculty members. The policy and duties of the department are the responsibility of the Department Council which delegates part of its authorities to the head of the department. A number of scientific and administrative committees are assigned the responsibility of specific areas of interest to the department (Scientific committee, examination committee, Quality assurance committee are examples). Teaching and research tasks are discussed and approved by the department council which also endorses the achievements of faculty. Students' performance and examination results are endorsed by the department council before they are submitted to the college administration.

From structure point of view, the department occupies an assigned section within the new building of the College of Medicine, with sufficient offices and small group teaching and seminar rooms. In addition, the department makes use of all common lecture halls at the disposal of the college.

 4. Department staff

Head of the Department

Amall Yassin Yousif (M.B.Ch.B., MSc, PhD in Community Medicine). Assistant professor Maternal & Child Health.

 

 

The teaching staff

 

1. Amall Yassin Yousif (M.B.Ch.B., MSc, PhD in Community Medicine). Assistant professor Maternal & Child Health.
2. Asaad Q. Taha Al-Yassen (M.B.Ch.B., MSc. Community Medicine). Professor of Dermato-Epidemiology and Occupational Health and Non Communicable diseases
3. Narjis A.H. Ajeel (M.B.Ch.B., MSc, PhD PhD in Community Medicine). Professor of Maternal & Child Health.

 

4. Lamis Aziz Hameed. (M.B.Ch.B., FIBMS  Family Medicine) Assistant professor. Family Medicine, Child Health, Public Health Nutrition.
5. Rasha Ahmed Abdul-Kader (M.B.Ch.B., FIBMS  Family Medicine) Assistant professor. Family Medicine, Communicable disease epidemiology.
6. Wasen hassen ghani  . Assistant teacher
7. Raghde assam salim . Assistant teacher
8. Layla tahir abbas . Assistant teacher
9. Zahra yassin essa . Assistant teacher
10. Aya ali zayed . Assistant teacher

 

 

 

Heads of the department since its establishment

 

            Name                                                   Years

1- Dr. Nodu Marshak                                    1971 - 1973

2- Dr. Sa'eed A. Ahmed                       1973 - 1975

3- Dr. Ahmed M. Al-Khafaje                        1975 - 1985

4- Dr. Yarub S. Al-Zuhair                              1985 - 1989

5- Dr. Omran S. Habib                          1989 - 1995

6- Dr. Narjis A.H. Ajeel                        1995 - 2001

7- Dr. Omran S. Habib                          2001 - 2004                

8. Dr. Narjis AH Ajeel                                 2004 - 2009

9 .Dr.Jasim N Al-Asadi                                 2009 - 2010  

10.Dr Omran S Habib                                   2010-  2015 

11.Dr. Asaad Q. Al –Yassen                          2015 -  2021  

12.Dr. Lamis Aziz Hameed                           2021-2022

13.Dr. Amall Yassin Yousif                             2022     

 

 

Faculty ever worked as faculty members in the department and currently are not linked to it

1. Professor Saeed Abdu (Egypt)

2. Dr. Nodu Marshak 

2. Professor Ahmed MB Al-Khafajie

3. Dr Abdul Samad

4. Dr Akermann (Germany)

5. Professor Mohammed Anwar (Pakistan)

6. Professor George Joseph  (India)

7. Professor TN Sugathan (India)

8. Dr. Ramman Kutty  (India)

9. Dr Raju Antony  (India)

10. Mrs Achama G Joseph (India)

11. Dr Widad Naji

12. Dr Hana M. Al Rabih

13. Dr Sabiha M Abdullah

14. Dr Yarub S Al-Zuhair

15. Dr Alim AH Yacoub

16. Dr Amir Y Abdullah

17. Dr Ghada Abdul-Hussain

18. Dr Sadiq J Abbas

19. Dr Mahasin A Al-Taha

20. Dr Eman A. Salman Al-Kamil

21. Dr Hamid Fathi Al-Azawi

22. Yusra T. Ismaiel

23. Dr Laith AM Al-Rudainy

 

 

5. Teaching activities

 

5.1. undergraduate teaching

The department faculty is involved in teaching of community medicine topics for two grades of medical students; third year and fourth year. The teaching is based on theoretical classes; desk based exercises, field projects as well as health care institutions based practice.

 

5.2. Academic postgraduate teaching

The department currently runs various types of postgraduate courses:

a. Diploma in community medicine for medical graduates and lasts for one full time academic year

The course consists of a series of teaching sessions strengthened by problem-based exercises as well as short reports on selected health programmes.

The student is qualified to receive the diploma degree certificate when he or she passes a final comprehensive examination consisting of three papers (epidemiology and medical statistics, epidemiology and control of communicable diseases and health care programmes and administration) and submitting a report (30-50 pages) tackling a significant local health problem.

 

b. Master in community medicine

This is a more advanced course intended to qualify medical graduates who are further interested in research, administrative work and teaching in the fields of community medicine. The course accepts medical graduates as well as holders of diploma in community medicine. The course consists of two parts: Teaching-learning class based and field-based one full year course (First term and second term courses) at the end of each a written examination is arranged for each of the subjects covered. Those who pass the first year successfully may be registered for a research project for one year. The thesis and the candidates are subjected to an oral examination at the end of the second year. When the students fulfill the requirements of both the academic (courses) year as well as the thesis, they are eligible to be awarded the degree of Master in Community Medicine (MSc).

 

 

5.3.  Professional postgraduate studies of the Iraqi Board of Medical Specialization

The department is responsible for the Training Centre in Basrah for postgraduate specialization in Community <Medicine and Family Medicine since 1993.

5.4. Foundations of Medicine

Members of the faculty of the department are involved in teaching parts of Foundation of Medicine for the first year medical students. They teach somewhat about 50% of the assigned topics.  

5.5. Courses for other Colleges

Faculty members are totally responsible for teaching public health to Dentistry students and partially involved in teaching foundations of medicine in Missan College of Medicine, Community Medicine in Thi Qar Medical College and they give advice to College of Medicine, University of Al-Muthanna

 

 

6. Mission, Objectives and vision

 

The Department of Family and Community Medicine has established dynamic mission and objectives which fit the overall college mission and objectives and reflect the special role of the department. Also it envisages its own vision for the foreseeable future in accordance with the ever increasing role of public health expertise. These mission, objectives and vision were drafted by the Senior professors at the department and endorsed by the department council. It is made known for each faculty and displayed at the front view of the administrative office of the department. 

 

6.1. Mission 

The Department of Family and Community Medicine carries a fundamental message which encompasses deep-rooted faith in and continuing efforts to cultivate the concepts, principles and practices of Community Medicine or public Health Medicine at philosophical, practical and academic domains. The department endeavor every effort to share at any level to help promote, protect and restore population health, to contribute to relevant teaching, research and advisory work. In addition, the department tries to disseminate the culture of partnership, team work and system approach to problem analysis and system design. The department of Community Medicine is pioneer at the national level in establishing and strengthening of postgraduate studies both at the academic and professional level. 

 

 

6.2.  Objectives

1. To actively contribute in qualifying doctors who are able to serve the interests of population in promoting, protecting health and restoring health and rehabilitating handicapped.

2. To strengthen research capacity both at the level of the department work territory, the level of College of Medicine- University of Basrah and at the level of the health care system.

3. To carry out and supervise research work that assists in supporting the first two objectives and also to contribute to the solution of important public health problems.

4. To provide advisory work to relevant local and national partners and non-governmental organizations within the context of public health medicine domains and in accordance with the department objectives and national interests.

5. To enhance, support and evaluate the adoption of family health model in Iraq.

6. To enhance the provision of high quality medical teaching and high quality health care with emphasis on adequacy, effectiveness, efficiency and scientific and technical excellence as important components of quality.

7. To make mutual links with external scientific and professional partnerships in accordance with department mission.

 

6.3. Future vision

Given  the current spirit of high quality at the level of higher education in Iraq and the current vision of the Iraqi Ministry of Health which sees the adoption of family health model as a strategic choice, it is expected that the demand on highly qualified doctors in community medicine and family medicine will substantially increase to met the future strategy. The Department of Community Medicine envisage that postgraduate studies need expansion vertically and horizontally like splitting the Master degree in  community medicine into at least two degrees; one is in epidemiology and the other is in Health Care. Initiation of diploma courses in family medicine and planning for the establishment of a Public Health Institute in Basrah are two other inspired aims. Efforts to increase the teaching and research staff is inevitable in the coming 5-10 years.  We inspire to see our department as effective contributor to the future educational and health strategy and pioneer in scientific research.

 

7. Syllabi

7.1.Undergraduates

7.1.1 Syllabus of 3rd year medical students

Term and main subject	Topics	Hrs
First Term: Medical Statistics	Introduction to medical  statistics	1
	Summarization and presentation of data	2
	Measurement of central location	1
	Measurement of variability	1
	Introduction to sampling	2
	The normal distribution and its characteristics	1
	The confidence interval and limit	1
	Tests of significance:  ►the Z test                                      ►the t test ►the X2 test	3
Sub-total		15
Second Term: Public health nutrition	Definition of relevant terms	1
	Nutrient metabolism and   requirements	3
	Nutrition and infection	1
	Nutrition of specific groups of population	2
	Nutritional surveys and assessment of nutritional status of population	2
	Selected Nutritional diseases	3
	Diet therapy and nutritional rehabilitation	3
Sub-total		15
Grand-total		30

 

Practical: This consists of class-based desk exercise sessions, two hours each. The classes are run as one session per week for the 15 weeks during the first term. Students are divided into groups of 15-25 students each. Each group is assigned a tutor from the department faculty. The tutors may  rotate on groups to interchange expertise and experience and to reduce interpersonal variation in assessing the students

No practical classes are organized during the second term by the Department of Community Medicine. Students will be trained on principles of clinical practice by the Department of Medicine during the second term. 

 

 

  

 7.1.2. Detailed syllabus of 4^th year –community medicine

 

 

7.2. Postgraduates

7.2.1. Diploma in Community Medicine

The scientific report usually covers a significant local health problem. Topics are mainly chosen from the research plan of the Ministry of Health in accordance with the lines of research activities of the department of community medicine.

7.2.2. Master in Community Medicine

Second academic year Ten credit hours (units) are assigned to the second academic year during which the candidate is required to  prepare a thesis on  relevant topic. Health problems that involve fieldwork are preferable as topics for research work.