HOD Message

The Department of Physiology has taken long strides in teaching, research and clinical services since its inception in 1988. The Department of Physiology has two divisions: Basic Physiology located at the College of Medicine and Clinical Physiology located  at the University Hospital (SQUH). The Department teaches basic and clinical physiology, and also familiarises medical students with various clinical physiological procedures. Physiology teaching is coordinated with other basic science departments in an integrated and multidisciplinary fashion. The curriculum is further fortified by live models as well as simulated basic and clinical case demonstrations at different levels of medical training. Clinical students are taught hands-on the diagnostic skills of the most common clinical measurements that they are like to encounter after graduation. The department participates in postgraduate teachings and offers Masters and PhD programmes. The Department of Clinical Physiology is a unique unit that provides clinical diagnostic services under one roof for SQUH and for the whole of Oman.

The Department plays a major role in cardiovascular, metabolic, sleep and neurophysiology disorders’ research from bench to couch. It has strong collaboration with other departments interested in the same field and internationally with universities and institutes conducting similar research. Technical and medical staff  receive regular training and are audited to meet international standards. Several funded projects in these areas had been completed and presented in international conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals. Several other projects are currently running in the department.  

The department’s mission is blessed by the highly qualified academic and technical staff.  We are geared up on all fronts to participate in promoting the cause of medical education and research as per requirements of contemporary international standards.

Thank You

Mohammed Al Abri

HOD, Physiology

Mission/objectives:
 

1. Impart instruction in basic and applied Physiology
2. Empower students with skills in clinical physiological procedures used in medical practice
3. Co-ordinate physiology teaching with other basic science and clinical departments in an integrated multidisciplinary fashion.
4. Update teaching methods and physiology curriculum to keep students in touch with ongoing rapid developments in clinical practice
5. Continue to strengthen departmental research by strengthening existing high point research areas and encouraging new projects

• Provide high quality clinical physiological measurements to the University Hospital and to the whole of Oman by using updated modern equipment and techniques.
  
   

Pre-Clinical Program

Undergraduate phase I and II programmes

The Department has contributed extensively to the development and delivery of various systems modules which have been incorporated into the medical curriculum. The Department of Physiology offers one departmental course and takes major contributions to the system-based courses (Table 1), the Intercalated Phase (Table 2) and to the Nursing Program (Table 3). The Integrated Module course is a problem-based course shared with all clinical departments.

The department participated significantly in the research module. Almost all faculties in the department supervise one or two students. They provide the required training and guide them during the writing of the project report.

Table 1

Table 2

Table 3

Most of the above courses have relevant clinical applications. Case presentations and the appropriate clinical procedures are taught to the students during these courses and elaborated on during clinical years. Students are evaluated in their theoretical and practical components as well as in their basic clinical skills.

Clinical Program
In the phase III clinical program, the Department is involved in the teaching of pre-clerkship, junior clerkship and senior clerkship programme.

 Postgraduate Program
The department offers M.Sc and PhD programmes. The M.Sc program in Biomedical Sciences Major in Physiology is a two year program while PhD is a research oriented program.

The Department of Clinical Physiology (CPH) offers diagnostic services that cover most of the spectrum of neurophysiology, cardiology, pulmonology, sleep medicine and other discrete tests. All clinical CPH diagnostic services are fully functional to date. The department receives referrals for these tests from all departments in SQUH and also provides services of specialised tests for patients referred from other health institutes in the country.   The tests are conducted, supervised and interpreted by well-trained technologists and physicians.

All the equipment used in this department is now digital and therefore the department is ready to be linked to other hospitals in Oman for remote investigation and patient data management. Apart from additions of new diagnostic procedures, the number of existing clinical tests has increased in all specialties, with some having had a substantial increase. Medical research has also increased and results from various projects have been published.

Department of Physiology 

College of Medicine and Health Science

Sultan Qaboos University 

PO Box : 35, Alkoudh.123 Sultanate of Oman

Phone: (+968) 24143514

Fax : (+968) 24143514

E-mail : s.alhinai2@squ.edu.om