Admissions staff on the road

WCMC-Q’s admissions and public affairs staff are taking the message about studying at the Medical College to people up and down the Gulf region, as part of the "Discover Education City" roadshow.

Working with colleagues at Qatar Foundation and at our sister institutions, they are reaching out to students, parents, counselors and teachers by visiting schools, staging college fairs and hosting receptions in number of cities.

Pictured is Dr. Maya Hammoud, recently appointed Associate Dean for Admissions and Student Affairs at WCMC-Q, with visitors to the "Discover Education City" event at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Doha, in September.

The events provide a valuable chance to find out more about the Medical College, understand medicine as a career and talk to admissions staff.

“The "Discover Education City" event is an opportunity to show what it is that physicians do, and how important it is,” Dr. Hammoud said. “You really have to speak to the parents and not just to the students, to give them a more rounded picture and to say ‘don’t be so focussed on grades, it’s about what you’re going to do, and what it entails.’”

Doha’s event saw a large crowd of young people drawn from across the city’s schools, and followed a highly successful similar event in Bahrain earlier in the month.

Faculty members were on hand to answer questions, with inquiries covering a wide range of areas from the level of English language skills needed to study at WCMC-Q, to how to apply for financial aid.

Yasr, a student at Al Jazeera Academy, and Hatem who is studying at the Lycee Francais de Doha, said they had both previously visited WCMC-Q. The "Discover Education City" event was a good way for them to find out more about the programs, and to pitch their questions to medical students.

“I had questions for the students,” said Yasr. “First of all, how did they get in? Secondly, how do they find life in Cornell – both the academic life, and life outside the classroom?”

Muhamed Baljevic, a medical student in the Class of 2009, was reassuring. “They are always full of questions about what it’s like to be a student, and if it’s very tough to get in. I think this is a really important role for us, to answer the questions and tell them: ‘Of course, it means hard work and dedication, but this is a really good program, and they can do it.’”

Visitors had also asked him about opportunities for research experience. Drawing directly on the past summer’s work with investigators at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York, Baljevic was able to give them every encouragement.

“I told them that research is one of the strongest aspects of Cornell, so that they may expect to be involved in it if they really want to be.”

Coming up in the next few weeks are "Discover Education City" event in:

Oman: October 29 Abu Dhabi: November 1 Kuwait: November 8

In addition, visits are planned to Jordan: November 11-14.