WCM-Q students link with elite US residency program directors

Students and faculty at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) have connected with professors from leading US healthcare institutions during the college’s annual Visiting Professorship Program (VPP).

The program was established in 2013 to help residency program directors become acquainted with WCM-Q as an elite medical school that produces highly competent physician-scientists who are extremely well prepared to enter residency training locally at Hamad Medical Corporation or overseas at world-class academic healthcare institutions. The student-focused VPP is held online over two days and gives students the chance to explore medical career options and benefit from the expertise of the visiting professors by asking questions about preparation for residency training and the applications process.

Participating in this year’s program were 15 visiting professors from 12 leading US medical institutions: NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Emroy University School of Medicine/Grady Memorial Hospital, University of Mississippi Medical Center, the Medical College of Wisconsin/Froedtert Hospital, NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, and the University of Maryland Capital Region Medical Center. The visiting professors were specialized in emergency medicine, internal medicine, neurology, obstetrics/gynecology, psychiatry, physical medicine and rehabilitation, radiology, surgery, and family medicine.

The program began with a welcome message from Dr. Javaid Sheikh, dean of WCM-Q, after which senior members of the WCM-Q education leadership team showcased the college’s progressive, integrated and innovative six-year medical curriculum and WCM-Q students’ outstanding outcomes, which include a robust scholarly output and an exceptionally high rate of students securing residency training position at pre-eminent US institutions. The program also demonstrates WCM-Q’s status as a unique international medical school that has the same curriculum and assessment methods as Weill Cornell Medicine in New York. The event featured keynote speeches by Dr. Peter Bulova of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Dr. Sara Krzyzaniak of Stanford University School of Medicine, Dr. Daniel Knoepflmacher of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, and Dr. Kathryn Dielentheis of the Medical College of Wisconsin/Froedtert Hospital.

WCM-Q’s Dr. Thurayya Arayssi, vice dean for academic and curricular affairs, said: “It is wonderful to be able to welcome to WCM-Q such highly qualified professors from some of the world’s leading academic healthcare institutions. The knowledge, expertise and wisdom they shared during the VPP will prove to be of great value to our students as they plan their careers and dedicate themselves to providing excellence in patient care.”

Dr. Amine Rakab, assistant dean for clinical learning at WCM-Q, said: “We are full of gratitude to the visiting professors who provide such wonderful opportunities for our students to investigate a wide variety of career paths and discern which residency training institutions will be best suited to their particular skills, interests and goals. At the same time, the VPP is a great help to our students in their efforts to produce residency applications of exceptional quality which meet the standards and expectations of residency program directors at elite academic healthcare institutions.”