DOHA: Cessation of smoking was the theme of an inter-professional education (IPE) event organised by Qatar University’s College of Pharmacy (CPH).
It was the third and biggest in the series of IPE events in which students interacted with counterparts from other universities and faculty from various departments.
Led by Alla El Awaisi, Assistant Dean, Student Affairs, CPH, and Chair, IPE, 60 students from CPH, College of Arts and Sciences Department of Health Sciences, Weill Cornell Medical College Qatar (WCMC-Q) and College of North Atlantic Qatar (CNA-Q) participated in sessions under the theme ‘Smoking Cessation’.
The sessions were conducted by Dr Ahmed Awaisi, CPH, and Dr Mohamud Verjee, WCMC-Q. The event was hosted by CNA-Q Pharmacy Technician Programme with support from its Lead Instructor Norman Wong.
Collaborative activities are part of CPH’s aims to promote inter-professional learning among students pursuing healthcare disciplines, including pharmacy, medicine, nursing, and public health.
Dr Awaisi explained the relevance of smoking cessation and the need for healthcare professionals to join forces for a healthier society. He stressed the role for collaborative care at tobacco cessation clinics as part of strategies to control tobacco use in Qatar. “Learning together using an IPE model is an opportunity to build a strong foundation for future partnership among healthcare professionals.”
Employing strategies learned during the session conducted by Dr Verjee, students formed teams to help a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patient quit heavy smoking.
They also developed strategies for establishing a smoking cessation clinic and discussed its role. CPH will host the first Inter-professional Education Symposium in February 2015 which will include health sciences institutions such as WCMC-Q, CNA-Q, and University of Calgary-Qatar.The Peninsula
