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High school students explore careers in medicine at WCM-Q

Dr. Mange Manyama, WCM-Q's assistant professor of anatomy in radiology, discusses human physiology with the students.
Dr. Mange Manyama, WCM-Q's assistant professor of anatomy in radiology, discusses human physiology with the students.

A group of talented high school students had the chance to discover whether a career in medicine would suit them thanks to Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar’s two-week Qatar Medical Explorer Program (QMEP).

Thirty-four students from schools across Qatar spent two weeks studying at WCM-Q on the program, which is designed to provide a comprehensive and accurate understanding of what life is like at the college and what it takes to become a doctor.

QMEP, which runs both a winter and a summer session, is one of WCM-Q’s Enrichment Programs, a series of initiatives that engage with the local community, demystify the life of a medical student and inspire talented students with an interest in the sciences to fulfill their potential by applying to the college.

The QMEP acts as a source of inspiration for students, helping them to unlock their potential.

Noha Saleh, director of student recruitment and outreach at WCM-Q, said: “Choosing your career path is a very important step in life and it can be challenging for young people. That’s why we created QMEP – it gives students the opportunity to see the reality of studying medicine, to take the same sort of classes WCM-Q students take, to inhabit the same environment, and to interact with senior faculty members and current students. That way, students can make an informed choice about whether WCM-Q and a career in medicine is right for them.”

QMEP features a full schedule of lectures on subjects such as biology, human anatomy, chemistry, pharmacology, physiology and adolescent health, among others. The high school students also visited WCM-Q’s state-of-the-art Clinical Skills and Simulation Lab, the Distributed eLibrary, and the vivarium, as well as touring the facilities of Hamad Medical Corporation, WCM-Q’s affiliate institution where medical students undertake much of their clinical training.

In addition, students took liberal arts classes on understanding poetry and drama techniques, and received coaching to help them with their college applications, with classes on writing personal statements and interview techniques. Throughout the week the students worked in groups to prepare research presentations for a competition, which they delivered on the penultimate day. The program culminated with the announcement of the winners in the final session of the final day.

Grade 12 student Ahmed Hany Amarah, aged 17, of Musab Bin Omair Secondary School was one of nine students in the team that won the Best Presentation Award, with their presentation on autism and depression. Ahmed said: “I am very happy our team won and also very happy that I had two great weeks here on QMEP. Getting to go into the chemistry lab, taking an anatomy class and meeting the faculty members has been amazing. It has completely confirmed in my mind that studying medicine is the right choice for me.”

Working in the chemistry lab gives the participants a taste of life as a pre-medical student.Grade 12 student Shahd Jaouni, aged 17, of DeBakey High School for Health Professions, was in the team that finished runners-up. She said: “I first became interested in medicine when I visited a center for children with special needs and I felt a strong desire to work with them and help make their lives better. Coming to WCM-Q for QMEP has been really inspiring and it has made me even more passionate about studying medicine than before.”

Dr. Rachid Bendriss, assistant dean of student recruitment, outreach and foundation programs, said: “This group of students impressed us a great deal with their enthusiasm, intelligence and their passion for learning. We are very pleased that for many participants QMEP not only confirmed their interest in medicine but has actually served as a terrific source of inspiration that will help them achieve their goal of becoming doctors.”