DOHA: High school students spent two weeks at Weil Cornell Medical College-Qatar (WCMQ) discovering what life as a medical student is like in the annual Winter Qatar Medical Explorer Programme.
Twenty-five students from nine schools were invited to hear lectures from senior faculty members, take part in workshops, quiz medical students about their experiences and conduct experiments in laboratories.
The programme targeted high school students in grades 10, 11 and 12 to introduce them to college life and the study of medicine and provide an idea of career paths a medical degree can offer.
Following an introductory session with Noha Saleh, Director, Student Recruitment and Outreach, and Syed Ahmed Hasnain, Programmes Manager, students explored almost every area of the college and its curriculum.
They were given introductions to biology, chemistry and physics, in lectures and in labs, and visited Clinical Skills Center to learn how to work with standardised patients and discover more about the heart with Harvey, the centre’s lifelike mechanical dummy.
Dr Rachid Bendriss, Assistant Dean, Student Recruitment, Outreach and Foundation Programmes, spoke about reading strategies for college, while Dr Rodney Sharkey, Associate Professor of English, gave sessions on understanding poetry and narratives.
Students were also introduced to the college’s eLibrary.
The programme also included sessions on careers in medicine, adolescent health, pharmacology, medical ethics and a visit to Qatar Robotic Surgery Centre at Qatar Science & Technology Park.
Students received guidance on how to write effective personal statements and techniques to succeed in college admission interviews.
Saleh explained the program presents opportunity for students considering a career in medicine.
“The programme, part of our Cornell Enrichment series, gives students the chance to explore the college, our curriculum and exciting possibilities presented by a career in medicine.
“They go to classes, interact with faculty and current students and are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner by practising good timekeeping and meeting deadlines for assignments, just as our students are.”The Peninsula
