Student Affairs & Club Activities – September

Student clubs and organizations at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, in collaboration with the Division of Student Affairs, organized a wide range of exciting activities throughout September.

To welcome new and returning students to the 2026-27 academic year, the Division of Student Affairs (SA) hosted its annual Open House, giving students a chance to get acquainted with the wide range of services the department offers while enjoying fun-filled games and treats. The division also held an Orientation Recognition Ceremony to thank the student orientation leaders and coordinators for their support during the orientation period. In collaboration with the Dean’s Office and Human Resources Division, SA also hosted World Gratitude Day, where the WCM-Q community came together to celebrate the importance of showing gratitude to one another.

The Medical Student Executive Council-Qatar (MSEC-Q) hosted its annual Club Fest, giving students a chance to learn about registered student clubs and organizations, and providing a platform for them to recruit new members and promote upcoming activities. In addition to interactive games and activities, the event allowed students to engage with off-campus community organizations such as Best Buddies, the Doha Film Institute, and representatives from The Interprofessional Education Committee (IPEC) at Qatar University.

Additionally, the MSEC-Q team organized Class of 2029 Welcome Back, an event to welcome second-year medical students back to campus after spending the past four months learning virtually.

The Dermatology Interest Group hosted an event to mark Alopecia Awareness Month, a condition characterized by hair loss that can affect the scalp, eyebrows, eyelashes, beard, and other parts of the body. The event featured a presentation by second-year medical students Almayasa Al-Marri and Layan Al-Ansari, along with a Kahoot quiz with LEGO prizes.

The SA Health and Wellness team collaborated with the Student Interest Group in Neurology to organize Alzheimer’s Awareness Day. Marked annually on September 21 as part of World Alzheimer’s Month, the day is dedicated to increasing the community’s understanding of the disease, supporting affected individuals and families, and highlighting the importance of early diagnosis and care. The purple ribbon-themed campaign included educational activities during which participants learned about ongoing research efforts to prevent, treat, and cure the disorder.

The SA team also organized the CBT Skills Presentation, an interactive workshop that introduced students to the principles of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Led by Ms. Sarah Burshan, the session helped students explore how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are interconnected and learn to recognize common unhelpful thinking patterns. Students received guidance on simple strategies for responding to challenging situations in healthy and effective ways. The team also hosted an interactive Community Night at QF Housing for all WCM-Q students residing there.

The month’s activities ended with the Campus Movement Sticker initiative, where the SA Health & Wellness team in collaboration with Global Institute for Population Health encouraged staff and students to incorporate more movement into their daily routines. Stickers were placed throughout campus hallways, offering motivational prompts indicating distances and steps, making it easy for individuals to track their movement as they navigate campus grounds.