Family Medicine is a relatively new concept in Saudi Arabia and the idea of having a family physician seems unusual to many. That is because Saudis have always been able to self refer to specialists directly. But that is changing as government healthcare strategy aims to focus on prevention as well as treatment and primary care becomes a speciality in its own right. This article will outline the steps you need to take to secure a family physician job in the Kingdom.

The Family Physician Role in Saudi Arabia

The family physician, or family medicine consultant, as many hospitals style the position, is a novelty in Saudi Arabia and that is because most Saudis have, quite simply, survived without one. The traditional emphasis of the Saudi healthcare system on the treatment of disease and the relative neglect of preventative medicine, plus the ability of Saudis to self refer to a physician specialist of their choice, has always marginalised the generalist medical practitioner. However that is changing with the implementation of the Saudi government Vision 2030 project which aims to improve healthcare quality, affordability and access to a fast growing population.

The key processes of the Vision 2030 project are increased private sector influence in the healthcare system with an expansion of infrastructure, services and private healthcare insurance and digitalisation opening the way for telemedicine to assume a greater role in prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease. Primary medical care is to assume a greater role, particularly in the field of preventative medicine at which it excels and chronic disease management.

In contrast to the commonly used job title of General Practitioner (GP) in the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, Saudi Arabia uses the American job title of Family Physician which implies a holistic care of family members of all ages going beyond that of general primary care. This title is supplemented with the term Consultant or Specialist, which varies by employer.

In most hospitals and clinics, the Consultant is a physician with at least three years experience of independent medical practice in primary care after the completion of a residency or structured postgraduate programme and a certification or fellowship in primary care or general practice or family medicine, depending upon the country where the qualification is obtained. A Specialist is a recently qualified family physician with less than three years experience.  A specialist will usually work in a subordinate role to the consultant.

It is worth noting that a General Practitioner in Saudi Arabia, as in the rest of the Middle East, is a undifferentiated physician or surgeon who has completed internship but not residency. It is important to understand the distinction so that you do not apply for unsuitable roles.

Family Physician Working Conditions

Unlike the USA, family physicians in Saudi Arabia are mostly salaried employees and not fee earning practice owners. With a few exceptions, most family physicians are employed in hospital family medicine clinics or polyclinics where they work with a variety of specialists providing a broad range of services to patients. Usually dermatologists, internists and paediatricians can be found working in a clinic often supplemented by ophthalmologists, ENT Surgeons and gastroenterologists.

Home visits are unusual as are night calls and most family physicians work office hours. Out of hours emergency patients attend the hospital emergency departments. This makes for a relatively easy work load and an attractive work / life balance. During the day clinical duties may be accompanied by responsibilities for teaching medical students and junior doctors adding to the interest and versatility of the role.

There are 2282 primary health-care centres (PHCCs) in Saudi Arabia, 60% of which are in rural areas. More than half of the PHCCs have a laboratory and more than one-third have a Radiology Department. Out of the 6107 physicians working in these clinics, just 10% are qualified family physicians (10%). The rest are general practitioners ( ie undifferentiated physicians).

The total number of physicians registered with the Saudi Commission for Health Services (the sole national medical regulatory authority) in Saudi Arabia is around 115,000. This number has increased from 66,000 back in 2010. There are currently around 3,200 non-Saudi nationals practicing family medicine in the Kingdom. 

The Qualifications Required for Family Physician Jobs

All medical colleges in Saudi Arabia have a family medicine department and run family medicine courses of 4–8 weeks' duration for undergraduate medical students. Some medical schools also have internships and residency programmes in family medicine leading to the Saudi Board of Family Medicine (SBFM), the required specialist qualification for family physicians trained in the Kingdom.

International medical graduates (IMGs) need to have a specialist qualification accepted by the professional regulatory authority, the Saudi Commission for Health Specialisms for registration as a consultant or specialist in family medicine. This must have been obtained upon completion of a structured postgraduate training program in family medicine / general practice.

Qualifications routinely accepted, and indeed much sough after, are:

• MRCGP - Membership of the Royal College of General Practitioners (UK) + Certificate of Completion or Training (CCT) in General Practice
• American Board of Family Medicine (USA)
• FRACGP - Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
• CCFP - Certification of the Canadian College of Family Physicians
• MICGP - Membership of the Irish College of General Practitioners

The above qualifications are classed as Tier 1 and holders of these qualifications are permitted exemption from the prometric examination for registration in Saudi Arabia. Holders of other qualifications including those from Western Europe will usually have to take the prometric exam to obtain the professional registration as a family physician.

The Recruitment Process for Family Physician Jobs

For International Medical Graduates (IMGs) looking for family medicine jobs in Saudi Arabia, the best opportunities are mainly in the larger cities such as Riyadh, the capital, Jeddah, the Red Sea port city, and Al Khobar and Dammam in the Eastern Province. Rural clinics are inappropriate work places unless the physician is a fluent Arabic speaker and can navigate the local area well.

All prospective candidates for family physician roles should read the job adverts carefully to determine the eligibility criteria for successful applicants for the role, and ensure that these are met; particular attention should be paid to the qualifications which the employer will accept, the level of experience and specific skills sought. Some positions require fluent Arabic proficiency.

Physicians who meet the eligibility criteria for a position, should apply for the job with a current Curriculum Vitae (CV) clearly setting out personal details, qualifications and education, employment and practice history and scope of practice including specialist or enhanced skills.

Interviews for shortlisted candidates are usually conducted by zoom or other on line interview platform and last 30 - 60 minutes. Candidates can expect questions about scope of practice, experience and skills plus some general questions about motivation, communication and team working abilities and problem solving skills. Candidates are given the opportunity to ask questions and should have some relevant and appropriate questions prepared in advance.

For successful applicants, job offers are usually made after a single interview although some employers may request a second interview. Job offers should be set out in formal written format with details of the job title, place of work, employer details and remuneration package including any incentives. A deadline of 7-10 days for acceptance of a job offer is usual and job offers must be accepted in writing. 

Upon acceptance of a job offer, the employer will proceed to apply for visa authorisation for the physician to work in the position and sponsor the residency of accompanying family members. The employer will also apply to the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties for the physician's licence to practise at the designated healthcare facility in the role offered.

Prior to mobilisation, candidates need to complete a DataFlow Report, which is a primary source verification of qualifications, professional registration and experience. Our guide to the DataFlow Report explains how to obtain this.

Family Physician Remuneration Packages

Remuneration packages vary by employer and candidate experience and qualifications, but some features are essential to all, whilst others are exclusive to the public sector or the private sector. Family medicine tends to attract average lower salaries than surgical specialties and specialties with a high level of interventional procedures.

Universal Terms

1. Basic Salary or Fee for Service Agreement (paid monthly in local currency Saudi Arabian Riyals - SAR)
2. Healthcare insurance (individual + family)
3. End of Service Award (2 - 4 weeks salary for each year worked paid on completion of contract of employment)
4. Travel - international travel from and to point of hire
5. Paid vacation (30-40 days is usual per annum)
6. Public Holidays (approximately 14 per annum)

Additional Terms

1. Accommodation: provided free of charge or an annual allowance for rental paid in SAR. This is normal in the public sector and most of the private sector
2. Incentive Scheme: private sector only may offer a percentage of revenue generated by medical practice as a bonus. This is performance dependent and may vary from month to month.
3. Education allowance: usual in the public sector and in some but not all private sector employers. This is an allowance paid annually in SAR for school fees for 2-3 children under age 18, educated within the Kingdom.

Applications for Family Physician Jobs in Saudi Arabia

If you are interested in working as a family physician in Saudi Arabia, please browse advertised jobs or contact us for advice and register your CV on our website. You can sign up for job alerts to receive prompt notification of newly advertised positions.

You can find further information about working in Saudi Arabia on our website and keep up to date with the job search and employment insights in our career resource section.

Case studies offer personal and unique tips into successfully searching for a job in Saudi Arabia and are always worth a read for the personal insights.