The health system in Egypt faces challenges as a developing country with a large population of over 83 million people. The medical education system includes 6 years of study plus an internship year to become a doctor. Hospitals are divided into primary, secondary, and tertiary levels, with university hospitals providing free tertiary care. However, the system is strained, with long wait times, fewer hospital beds than other countries, and heavy patient loads. Continuing medical education allows doctors to specialize in areas like internal medicine and plastic surgery.

1. The health system in
Egypt
A brief overview of the medical educational system in Ain Shams University and the
health care system in Egypt

2. Overview: • Egypt is a developing country.
• The Population of Egypt is about 83,386,739 as of July 1st. 2014.
• Egypt’s population is equivalent to 1.15% of the total world population.
• 44% of the population live in Urban areas.
• 25.2% of population are below poverty line.
• The median age in Egypt is 25.5 years.
Male
71.3
Female
75.4
World Rank
88
Life Expectancy:
• Top 3 causes of death: Coronary heart disease (21.73%),Stroke (14.37%) & Liver
disease (7.34%)
• Infant Mortality Rate: 20.84 deaths/1000 Live births

3. The Medical health system:
Primary
Secondary
Tertiary
Public:
Private: Clinics
Hospitals
Pharmacies

4. The Tertiary health care system (University hospitals):
Ain shams university hospital
 Ain Shams university hospital (El-Demerdash hospital) was founded by ElDemerdash Pasha at 1931.
 It’s located at Abbaseya square, easily accessible by all means of transportations.
 Divided into 4 major specialty hospitals, each has its own facilities, OPCs, blood bank, and profitable units (Burn, toxicology and
psychiatric unit)+Dentistry hospital.
 Number of beds per each facility: inconclusive.
 Access to the hospital: Direct or by referral.
 Fees: Free, patient only pays for prescription charge.
 Funded by governmental taxes.

5. Japan (Kameda) Egypt
Hospital access Direct Direct/Referral
Waiting time Short Long
Hospital beds 13.7/1000 Inconclusive (1.7/1000)
Fees 30% Free+prescription charges (University
hospital)
Doctors’ working
hours
Average of 72hrs/week Junior resident: 120-140 hrs/week
Senior residents: 70 hrs/week
Staff (assistant prof/prof: 40-50 hrs/week)
Insurance Universal Public health insurance (Separate
hospitals)
Private workers insurance
IT Computerized system Paper based
(Computerized system being newly
implemented)
Investigations & tests Mainly done by residents Done by the residents or the house officers
Some tests are done by the lab
Consultations Requested electronically or emergency
calls
Direct request
Imaging Easily done A request of approval is required from the
radiologist in most cases
Family
consultation/meeting
Necessary Not often done
Infection control Strict Average
Patient flow Moderate Heavy

6. The Medical educational system (Ain Shams university):
 Years of study: 6 years + Internship year
 Number of students per class year: Average of 1600
 Number of medical schools: 21
 Number of medical graduates: Average of 10,000 doctors annually
Year1
•Physiology, Histology, Biochemistry & Anatomy
•English, Human rights & Computer
Year2
•Physiology, Histology, Biochemistry & Anatomy (Cont.)
•Behavioral science
Year3
•Pharmacology, Microbiology, Pathology, Parasitology
Year4
•Ophthalmology, ENT, Community medicine, Forensics & Toxicology
Year5
•Internal Medicine
•Pediatrics
Year6
•Surgery
•OBGYN
Year 7
• Internship (Training)

7. Post Graduate path: House
officer/intern
Junior Resident
(2 years)
GP
(1-2 years)
GP/Resident
(1-2 years)
Senior
Resident
(3 years)
Assistant
Professor
Professor
Resident
(3 years)
Specialist
Consultant
Resident
(3 years)
Specialist
Consultant

8. CME (Continuing medical education) List of options:
Masters
(first part)
Masters
(second)
PHD
Egyptian board
USMLE
Australian boardCanadian board
PLAB
MRCS/MRCP..etc
Standard:
International

9. The internal medicine department:
 The hospital consists of 5 floors, each of 3-4 departments.
 Each department (subspecialty) covers the ER once a week.
 The clinics open for 6 days a week from 9am to 2pm.
The plastic surgery department:
 Located at the surgical hospital.
 The doctors are on call on daily basis for ER consultations.
 There are at least 5 major operations on the daily list+ OPC
(minor) operations + Emergency operations.
 The average rate of admission is about 3-5 cases/day.
 The department is of 5 wards and about 35 beds.
 Post explosive hand injuries are the common emergency
cases.