There are great opportunities for doctors to work in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The diversity of career and lifestyle opportunities available range from large tertiary hospitals in the major capital and regional cities, to smaller hospitals in regional locations, providing exposure to a wide spectrum of clinical and social experiences.
The government of Saudi Arabia has given high priority to the development of health care services at all levels: primary, secondary and tertiary. As a consequence, the health of the Saudi population has greatly improved in recent decades. The Ministry of Health operates 62% of the hospitals and 53% of the clinics and centers; the remaining facilities are operated by government agencies, including the Ministry of Defense, the National Guard, the Ministry of the Interior, and several other ministries, as well as by private entities.
The breakdown of facilities is as follows:
1) Ministry of Health Facilities
These serve the general public and are located in both the large cities and the small towns throughout Saudi Arabia.
2) Military Hospitals
These serve members of the Saudi Arabia armed forces and members of their families, according to the branch of the military in which the individual serves.
Saudi Arabian National Guard (SANG)
SANG is the branch of the military that is involved with defence against external threats and internal threats. SANG has four hospitals which provide care to the soldiers of the Saudi Arabian National Guard and their dependents:
Saudi Arabian Ministry of Defence and Aviation (MODA)
MODA provides defense against primarily external threats. It includes the Saudi Arabian Army, the Royal Saudi Naval Forces, the Royal Saudi Air Force and Royal Saudi Air Defence. MODA operates nine hospitals which provide care to the soldiers of MODA and their dependents:
3) Ministry of the Interior
This serves members the ministry of the interior, including the police and customs collectors.
Security Forces Hospital, Riyadh (500 beds), serves the Ministry of Interior personnel. There is also a Ministry hospital in Mecca.
4) Referral Hospitals
Every citizen is eligible to go to the referral hospitals for specialized care. These facilities include:
5) Private Facilities
Here are just a few of the private facilities in Saudi Arabia:
For more information, see:
Ministry of HealthThe Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has recently introduced a process know as DATAFLOW to verify qualifications. Candidates seeking to work in the Kingdom must commence this process prior to their application being considered.
If you are intending to work as a doctor in Saudi Arabia, please go to the DATAFLOW web site to:
It is important to print the receipt which was sent to your e-mail to supply to employers as evidence that you have commenced the process. Without this evidence, your application may not be progressed.
Despite aspiring to be a modern country in many respects, Saudi Arabia still has one of the most traditional societies in the world. Life in Saudi Arabia is governed by firm religious beliefs, rules and traditions, and expats living in Saudi Arabia have to get used to that as there is no way around it.
The traditions and attitudes of Saudi Arabia have been shaped by Islam as well as Bedouin culture. Thus, expats living in Saudi Arabia will discover that family bonds are still much stronger than in many other cultures, to an extent that they permeate all aspects of life in Saudi Arabia, even in the business world.
If you are an expat considering living and working in Saudi Arabia, it is strongly suggested that you do considerable research to familiarise yourself with the local lifestyle and customs.
You can view the latest jobs available for doctors in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Global Medical Careers below.