Graduation ceremony honors Qatar’s newest doctors

Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) celebrated the graduation of its Class of 2025, awarding US-accredited MD degrees to 45 new doctors in a ceremony attended by local and international dignitaries, family, friends and faculty members.

The new doctors of the Class of 2025 will now begin the next stage of their careers as they take up residency positions at elite-level healthcare institutions in Qatar and the United States, including Hamad Medical Corporation, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, Case Western/University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Virginia Commonwealth University Health System, UC Davis Medical Center, and Johns Hopkins Hospital, among many others.

Dr. Javaid I. Sheikh, Dean of WCM-Q, said: “We know that all of you in the Class of 2025 will give your all to these institutions and to your patients, and that you will be exceptional representatives of Qatar and Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar wherever you go. We are blessed that many of you will build your careers in Qatar, dedicating yourselves to bringing good health to the community which has nurtured and developed your talents.”

This year’s class – comprising 28 women and 17 men – brings the total number of doctors produced by WCM-Q since the college’s inaugural graduation in 2008 to 641. The 45 members of the graduating class hail from 19 countries around the world, including 13 Qatari nationals. Significantly, every one of the 37 members of the class who applied for a residency program secured a position—a much-coveted achievement among medical schools known as a “100 percent match rate”. This year’s class valedictorian is Mohammad Hussein Yaghmour.

In attendance to witness the special occasion were HE the Minister of Public Health Mansoor bin Ebrahim bin Saad Al Mahmoud; HE Dr. Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari, Advisor to the Prime Minister for Health Affairs; and Mr. Francisco Marmolejo, President of Higher Education at Qatar Foundation. Visiting from the US to attend were Dr. Michael I. Kotlikoff, President of Cornell University, and Dr. Robert A. Harrington, the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean of Weill Cornell Medicine in New York and Provost for Medical Affairs of Cornell University. 

Dr. Sheikh also used his speech to give thanks to Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation, and Her Excellency Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, Vice Chairperson and CEO of Qatar Foundation, along with the leadership of Qatar, acknowledging the crucial support and guidance they continue to provide to enable WCM-Q to produce world-class physicians.

Dr. Thurayya Arayssi, Vice Dean for Academic and Curricular Affairs at WCM-Q, said: “We are delighted to see this incredibly talented group of physicians obtain their MD degrees. They are not only supremely dedicated to their craft, but also demonstrate great ingenuity and intellectual curiosity, which will enable them to push the frontiers of medical knowledge and enhance healthcare outcomes for patients all over the world. We wish them the very best of success.”

Dr. Kotlikoff, who conferred the medical degrees upon the graduating students, said: “It is a great honor to be here to congratulate the Class of 2025 on their outstanding achievements. Their success is testament to the commitment to excellence that is the hallmark of Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, which continues to thrive and grow in its role as a regional leader in the advance of science, medicine and technology.” 

Mohammed Khalid Ibrahim Ahmed Khalid gave the graduate English address. He said: “I would like to thank the great State of Qatar and its visionary leaders for providing us with the opportunity to learn the beautiful practice of medicine at this prestigious institution. We have been given a gift—use it, and use it to help those who cannot help themselves.”

Giving the graduate Arabic address, Aya Issa Khalil said: “This graduation is more than just a certificate, it is a testament to years of hard work, perseverance, and the steadfast support of everyone who contributed to our journey. We are especially proud that all of our graduates who applied for residency positions in advanced medical specialties successfully matched into prestigious programs, both here in Qatar and in the United States, reflecting their excellence and the strength of our academic training.”

This year, Dr. Sean Holroyd, Associate Dean for Student Affairs, was macebearer, and Dr. James Roach, Associate Dean for Pre-medical Education, was university marshal.

Graduating student Omar Mourad gave the Qur’an recitation, while the first of two alumnus keynote speeches was given by Dr. Bothina Al-Mulla of the Class of 2011, now a physician at Hamad Medical Corporation. She said: “To the Class of 2025: you overcame a pandemic. You adapted, persisted and grew in a world that was changing around you. That’s not just resilience—it’s brilliance. So, I leave you with this prayer: may your hearts stay kind, may your hands stay steady, and may your dreams never shrink to fit comfort zones. Congratulations, Doctors!”

In the second alumnus speech, Dr. Abdulwahed Zainel of the Class of 2014, now a pediatric infectious disease consultant at Sidra Medicine and Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at WCM-Q, said: “You are walking into a world that needs you—not just your degree, but your compassion, your energy, and your ideas. So don’t be afraid to speak up, stand out, and maybe even break the mold.”

Giving the farewell message to the graduates, Dr. Harrington said: “Whatever direction you take, we –your teachers, your friends, your community and your family – all believe that you’re on the road to making a difference in the world. On this momentous day, we welcome you to join a distinguished Weill Cornell Medicine alumni community.” Dean Harrington added: “We look forward to crossing paths again throughout your professional journey.”