WCM-Q and TAMUQ jointly hold Physics for Future Doctors Summer Program for high school students

Twenty-three students from 14 local and international high schools successfully completed the Physics for Future Doctors Summer Program, an initiative developed by Texas A&M University at Qatar (TAMUQ) in partnership with Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar.

The Physics for Future Doctors Summer Program is a one-week on-campus program, designed to provide motivated high school students with an opportunity to sharpen their physics problem-solving skills through medically relevant examples.

Hosted at WCM-Q, the program was offered by WCM-Q’s Office of Student Outreach & Educational Development in the Pre-medical Division. The program was co-created by TAMUQ professor Dr. Sami El Borgi and WCM-Q professor of physics Dr. Mohammad Yousef, and aims to develop students’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills through interactive, practical sessions.

The program targets students who have a strong foundation in the physical sciences, demonstrated by high achievement in physics subject in their high school, and English language proficiency. Additionally, students must aspire to pursue a career in a STEMM-relevant field (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, and Medicine).

The participants had the opportunity to engage in hands-on sessions through a series of case studies, group projects, presentations, and various experiments. The interactive program allowed students to explore the applications of biomechanics and the anatomy of the arm and skull. Additionally, the program featured experiments on the biceps, triceps, and skull, as well as sessions on the science of resistance training, among other topics.

The program was organized and led by students from both universities, including Ali Abid and Noor Jannah Rob, from WCM-Q, as well as Muhammad Nafees, a Ph.D. student, and Khalifa Al-Baker, from TAMUQ.

The program concluded with a closing ceremony at which all the participants were awarded certificates. In addition, the Best Presentation Award was given to a team that excelled in presenting the projects the participants had collaboratively put together.

Commenting on the program, Dr. Yousef said: “We were delighted to host a group of high-achieving high school students who are passionate about science, particularly physics, in our one-week program in collaboration with TAMUQ. We were pleased to witness the enthusiasm of TAMUQ and WCM-Q graduate and undergraduate students as they engaged in hands-on experiments and thought-provoking discussions with the participants. The program was designed to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills and included activities that encourage teamwork, experimentation, and exploration. The program was a resounding success, and I am grateful for the commitment and dedication of the students from both universities.”

TAMUQ team leader, Nafees, said: “It has been an honor to participate in this program. Our goal was to integrate physics and biology to introduce students to biomechanics, aiming to spark their interest in medicine and engineering from an early age. We incorporated TAMUQ’s innovative StaticStudio software to enhance their understanding of statics and free-body diagrams, facilitating the visualization of physics in the context of the human body. Through the collaboration between WCM-Q and TAMUQ, we leveraged the resources of both institutions to offer students experiences that will support their academic development.” 

One of the supervisors, Anns Mahboob, said: “This program helps nurture the next generation of medical students by fostering an early interest in the field. The collaboration between the two universities provided lectures, interactive activities, and icebreakers, highlighting the fundamental connection between physics and medicine.”

Participating high schools included Al Bayan Independent School for Girls, American School of Doha, Birla Public School, Doha College, DPS - Modern Indian School, Durham School for Girls, Hassan Bin Thabit Independent Secondary School for Boys, Michael E. DeBakey High School – Qatar, Omar Bin Al-Khattab Independent School for Boys, Qatar Academy Doha, The English Modern School, and Vision International School from Qatar, and Super Nova School from Pakistan.