INTEGRATION OF FAMILY MEDICINE TRAINING WITHIN THE IRAQI BOARD OF MEDICAL SPECIALTIES SYSTEM

Abstract

Background: The Iraqi Board for Medical Specialties (IBMS) provides the national framework for postgraduate medical education. Its system integrates three institutions—the Ministry of Health (MOH), the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MOHE), and the Colleges of Medicine—to ensure cohesive academic and clinical training.

Objective: To describe the significance of integration in Family Medicine training within the IBMS system and to discuss the consequences of limited cooperation from academic institutions.
Discussion: The IBMS depends on full collaboration among hospitals under the MOH, academic departments under the MOHE, and the Board’s regulatory mechanisms. Professors from medical colleges serve as trainers and examiners, linking academic standards to practical service delivery. When a College of Medicine neglects or minimizes participation in Family Medicine training, the unified system becomes fragmented. Such non-cooperation disrupts quality assurance, weakens academic leadership in primary care, and discourages young physicians from entering this crucial discipline.
Effective Family Medicine training requires dual supervision—academic and clinical—and shared accountability among the three institutions. This structure parallels successful models in the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia. Failure to sustain integration risks producing hospital-oriented physicians and undermines Iraq’s vision for a strong primary-care-based health system.

Conclusion: Maintaining active academic participation in Family Medicine is essential for training qualified community-oriented physicians. The IBMS model remains vital for developing a resilient, equitable, and preventive national health service.