Thumbay Group and UMFST launch the International Residency Pathway Program

For immediate release

Ajman, UAE / Târgu Mureș, Romania, 2026 — Thumbay Group and George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Târgu Mureș (UMFST) have jointly launched the Thumbay – UMFST International Residency Pathway Program, giving eligible medical graduates access to residency training across 49 medical specialties recognized under the Romanian and European healthcare systems.

The scale of the program sets it apart. Residency options span the full breadth of modern medicine: 28 clinical medical specialties including cardiology, neurology, psychiatry, emergency medicine, and paediatrics; 13 surgical specialties ranging from general surgery and orthopaedics to neurosurgery and cardiovascular surgery; and 8 paraclinical specialties such as radiology and medical imaging, laboratory medicine, and public health. Training durations run four to six years depending on the specialty, in line with European postgraduate standards, and are conducted under the official Romanian medical specialty nomenclature set by the Ministry of Health.

Residency education at UMFST is delivered under the framework of the Romanian Ministry of Health and the Romanian higher education system, through accredited university-affiliated teaching hospitals and under the supervision of experienced faculty and clinical mentors. Residents train to European clinical standards in modern hospital environments, building competencies in evidence-based medicine that travel with them wherever their careers lead.

For candidates, the process is designed to be transparent and personal. Applicants indicate two to three preferred specialties, ranked in order of preference, and UMFST makes reasonable efforts to reflect that ranking when offering an available place, subject to training capacity, specialty availability, and the requirements of the competent Romanian authorities.

Thumbay Group serves as the regional gateway for aspiring physicians, providing comprehensive support at every stage: pre-residency orientation, admissions facilitation, visa and documentation assistance, Romanian language preparation where required, career counseling, and continuous student support throughout the residency journey, in line with the framework set by UMFST and the competent Romanian authorities. For medical graduates in the UAE and the wider region, the program removes much of the complexity that has traditionally stood between them and European postgraduate training.

“Every year, thousands of talented medical graduates in our region search for a clear path into specialty training. This program gives them one, and it gives them choice. 49 specialties, European clinical standards, accredited teaching hospitals, and Thumbay Group beside them at every step, delivered in close partnership with UMFST. That is what a real pathway looks like.”

“For decades, UMFST has trained physicians across the full range of medical, surgical, and paraclinical specialties within our accredited teaching hospitals and under the supervision of experienced faculty. We bring this expertise to our partnership with Thumbay Group: a well-established residency pathway, now open to candidates from the Gulf region. We see this collaboration as an important step towards building a long-term bridge in postgraduate medical education, offering young physicians access to high-quality clinical training while strengthening the exchange of knowledge, expertise, and best practices between our institutions and regions.”

Program highlights

• A direct pathway to residency opportunities through UMFST, one of Romania's leading public medical universities.
• Access to 49 accredited residency specialties across clinical medical, surgical, and paraclinical fields, subject to eligibility and regulatory requirements.
• A ranked-preference application model allowing candidates to indicate their top two to three specialty choices.
• Training durations of four to six years, aligned with European postgraduate specialist standards.
• Residency training within modern university-affiliated hospitals operating to European clinical standards.
• Comprehensive academic, administrative, and relocation support from Thumbay Group, from application through completion.
• Enhanced international career mobility through European postgraduate specialist training, subject to the recognition requirements of individual countries.
• Direct entry into residency immediately after MD, without completion of a mandatory rotating internship. Preference for admission will be given to MD graduates of Gulf Medical University and the Thumbay International Medicine Pathway Program.

The Thumbay – UMFST International Residency Pathway Program reflects Thumbay Group's and UMFST's shared commitment to creating global career opportunities for medical graduates while strengthening international academic collaboration and contributing to the development of a highly skilled healthcare workforce.

Interested candidates can write to pathway@gmu.ac.ae or start an application.