The Arab Board of Health Specializations

What The Arab Board of Health Specializations does

The Arab Board of Health Specializations is a regional professional certification and accreditation body operating under the Arab League, established in 1979 to standardize medical specialty training and certification across the Arab world. Headquartered in Amman, Jordan, with operational offices in Cairo, Tunis, and Sudan, the organization serves physicians, nurses, and healthcare institutions across more than 22 Arab League member states. It is the sole entity providing medical specialty certification mutually recognized across all member states and operates 23 accredited medical specialty training programs including General Surgery, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Family Medicine, Psychiatry, Ophthalmology, Neurosurgery, Anesthesia, Dermatology, Emergency Medicine, Radiology, Orthopedics, and Oncology (added in 2023). Governance is provided by a Supreme Council, an Executive Office chaired by Dr. Adel Adawi, and a General Secretariat, with national coordination entities in 14 countries handling local registration and exam administration.

The organization's core technology stack includes a self-service Trainee Portal for registration, exam applications, document requests, and accreditation; the Zidni e-learning platform (zidnimed.com); an Electronic Examination Platform for computer-based testing with multiple-choice question banks; a LogBook system for tracking trainee performance and research requirements; a Continuous Professional Development (CPD) e-platform with program tracks and accreditation management; and an Electronic Library providing access to Osmosis, Elsevier Clinical Key Student, and Academy Incision content via the Egyptian Knowledge Bank partnership. It also publishes the peer-reviewed Arab Board Medical Journal. The Annual Forum (most recently held in Amman in October 2025) focuses on medical education in the era of digital transformation and AI, and the new 2026-2030 strategic plan explicitly emphasizes AI integration in medical specialty education.

The revenue model is fee-based and organized into Class A and Class B specialty tiers. Annual registration fees are $500 USD per trainee; one-time application fees range from $300 (Class A) to $500 (Class B); examination fees range from $300 to $1,000 depending on exam stage and class; research and thesis evaluation fees are $250-$1,000; and administrative/document fees range from $50 to $500. A 50% fee reduction is available for trainees from Arab countries registered at accredited training centers, and the application fee is non-refundable. Payment processing infrastructure for Visa and MasterCard is in place but described as not yet active. The organization is private, has no disclosed venture or private equity backing, no parent company, and no subsidiaries; its operating model is that of an intergovernmental professional body rather than a commercial enterprise.

Name

The Arab Board of Health Specializations

Legal name

The Arab Board of Health Specializations

Website

https://arab-board.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Arab Board of Health Specializations is an Arab League-affiliated professional certification body that operates accredited medical specialty training and examination programs across 22+ Arab member states, serving physicians, nurses, and healthcare training institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Medical Specialty Certification

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Professional and Management Development Training (611430), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Management Services (8741), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Healthcare & Clinical Professional Certifications (EDAAANAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Healthcare Licensing, Accreditation & Credentialing Boards (HLAJACAC), Nursing & Allied Health Certification Prep (CNA, EMT/Paramedic, Radiology, Sonography, PT/OT) (EDANAIAB), Healthcare Clinical Professions (CME/CE for Nurses, Allied Health, Pharmacy) (EDAAALAC)

Keywords

• Medical specialty certification
• Residency training programs
• Physician credentialing
• Continuing professional development
• Healthcare accreditation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Amman

HQ country

Jordan

HQ region

Middle East

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Arab Board of Health Specializations provides standardized medical specialty training, certification examinations (initial, final knowledge, and final practical), and continuing professional development accreditation across 23 medical and nursing specialties for physicians and nurses in Arab League member states. It also accredits healthcare institutions as training centers, issues specialty certificates recognized across the Arab world, and operates the Zidni e-learning platform, an electronic library, and the Arab Board Medical Journal.

Product overview

The Arab Board of Health Specializations is an Arab League-affiliated organization that operates a multi-specialty medical training and certification platform. The Council offers 23 accredited medical specialty training programs (in categories A and B based on fee structure) including foundational specialties like General Surgery, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, and newer fields like Oncology. The core offerings include: (1) structured residency/fellowship training programs with clinical rotations at accredited centers, (2) electronic trainee services portal for registration and document management, (3) Zidni e-learning platform, (4) digital examination and assessment platforms with computer-based testing, (5) electronic medical library with access to global resources (Osmosis, Elsevier, Academy Incision), (6) continuous professional development programs, and (7) alumni networking forum. The Council also publishes the Arab Board Medical Journal and operates through coordination entities in 14 Arab member states.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Zidni (ZIDNI): Educational platform providing digital learning resources for trainees
• Arab Board Medical Journal

Products and services

• Medical Specialty Training Programs
• Evaluation and Examination Services
• Trainee Self-Service Portal (بوابة المتدربين)
• Zidni E-Learning Platform
• Electronic Library (المكتبة الالكترونية)
• Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Program
• Arab Board Medical Journal
• Training Center Accreditation
• Alumni Forum

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Arab League (جامعة الدول العربية)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 July 2026The Executive Office Chair of the Arab Board of Health Specializations met with the Secretary-General of the Arab League on July 21, 2026, at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo. The Arab Board operates under the umbrella of the Arab League, which provides institutional legitimacy and regional authority for its certification programs.
• Egyptian Knowledge Bank (بنك المعرفة المصري)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 December 2025The Arab Board signed a cooperation agreement with the Egyptian Knowledge Bank on December 29, 2025. This partnership aims to provide trainees registered with the Arab Board access to scientific and medical content from global platforms including Osmosis, Elsevier Clinical Key Student, and Academy Incision. The agreement supports the Arab Board's mission to develop and enhance its educational and training ecosystem.
• Ophthalmology FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2025The Arab Board signed a strategic partnership with the Ophthalmology Foundation to enhance medical education and training in ophthalmology and elevate the standard of eye care across the Arab world to global standards. This partnership strengthens the Arab Board's international presence and expands its strategic partnership network in specialized medical fields.
• Oman Medical Specialty Board (المجلس العُماني للاختصاصات الطبية)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2025The Arab Board signed a cooperation program with the Oman Medical Specialty Board to enhance cooperation in medical education and training between the two organizations. This bilateral agreement strengthens coordination in specialty training and certification between Oman and the broader Arab region.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS): National medical specialty certification body for Saudi Arabia, offering parallel residency and fellowship certification across most of the same specialties. Directly comparable in product offering and customer base (Arab physicians), with broader scope but no cross-border Arab recognition.
• Oman Medical Specialty Board (OMSB): National medical specialty board for Oman, providing residency training and certification. The Arab Board has a bilateral cooperation agreement with OMSB, indicating it is a peer in product, customer, and mission, with national rather than regional scope.

Broad incumbents

• American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS): U.S. umbrella organization coordinating 24 medical specialty boards. Comparable in its role as a federation of specialty certification bodies, although it is a membership organization rather than a direct training/exam operator.
• European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS): European federation of medical specialty boards that works toward harmonized specialist training across EU member states. Comparable to the Arab Board in its pan-regional harmonization mission across multiple sovereign states.
• National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME): U.S. non-profit that develops and administers medical assessments and licensing exams. Comparable core competency in standardized high-stakes examination design and computer-based testing platforms used to evaluate physician competency.
• ACGME International (ACGME-I): International arm of the U.S. ACGME that accredits graduate medical education programs outside the U.S. Comparable in accrediting training centers and residency programs across multiple countries, with overlapping customer base in the Gulf.
• Royal College of Surgeons of England: UK-based professional body awarding surgical credentials and fellowships internationally. Comparable in assessment-driven certification and global recognition of its credentials, often referenced in Arab medical training contexts.
• Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada: Canadian national medical specialty certification body offering residency credentials across specialties. Long-established peer with similar competency-based assessment model and continued professional development frameworks.

Others

• Arab Board Medical Journal: Owned publication of the Arab Board itself; included for completeness as an internal ecosystem asset rather than a third-party peer. Related academic publishing tier relevant to medical specialty training bodies.

Regional players

• College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP): Pakistan's national medical specialty training and certification body, operating in a non-Arab Muslim-majority country with overlapping specialty offerings. Comparable in mission and scale, serving a neighboring regional healthcare workforce.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/TheArabBoard
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheArabBoard
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-arab-board-of-health-specialties

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Arab Board of Health Specializations