title: Establishing community-orientated medical schools: key issues and steps in early planning.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe briefly the process of early planning and establishment of community-based medical schools with highlights of the key issues and milestones.
  
  
  METHODS
  After outlining some basic concerns and provisos for the Dean and suggested strategies for setting the stage (preparing the ground) for the innovation, three phases of early planning and action steps within each are listed to serve as a guide and a general checklist.
  
  
  METHODS
  University of Gezira, Sudan and UAE University, AL-Ain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As the curriculum with its implications constitutes the driving force for establishing the schools, it has been given due emphasis and greater share in planning. The communication is concluded with further advice to founding Deans through the proposition of a five-star Dean.
authors.affiliation: WHO Office, Islamabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hamad
mesh_terms: D003151:Community Health Centers / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003906:Developing Countries; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000379:methods*; D006275:Health Facility Planning; D006801:Humans; D012577:Schools, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration*