Pre-med student bags Cornell award

February,2008

Focusing on a health-related topic that has long interested him, first year pre-med student Maen Abou Ziki has won a prestigious prize for writing from Cornell University.

His essay Consanguinity and Genetic Disorders in the Gulf: Medical Response to a Recently Discovered Problem, has been selected for an Adelphic Award* by faculty at the John S. Knight Institute for Writing in the Disciplines.

This is the first time a WCMC-Q student has won a Cornell prize, a major achievement for the Qatar campus.

The paper was one in a sequence of assignments in the First Year Writing Seminars course “Beyond the Bones,” taught by Dr. Alan Weber, assistant professor of English, in the fall semester.

It examines the practice of consanguinity (interfamily marriage) in the region and its implications for health, set in the context of religion, culture and tradition. Concluding that the practice is largely a matter of passive tradition, Abou Ziki discusses ways to effect change by raising awareness and offering genetic counseling.

Mentored by Dr. Weber, Abou Ziki reviewed up to 40 scientific papers on genetic disorders. He followed up by interviewing faculty at WCMC-Q: Dr. Ahmad Teebi, professor of pediatrics and of genetics, and an expert in the field of genetics in the Arab world; and Dr. Amy Sandridge, lecturer in public health, who has studied the epidemiology of genetic disorders in the region.

“In papers and books, you see the statistics and the symptoms of genetic diseases, but you don't get an insight into the cultural aspects associated with them,” Abou Ziki explained. “Talking face-to-face with experts in the subject aided me in addressing unanswered questions arising from my readings and definitely helped with writing the article.”

Dr. Weber said preparing the essay illustrated an important principle emphasized by the Knight Institute and WCMC-Q's writing seminars: “Writing can also be a process of discovery, a means of acquiring, organizing and clarifying new knowledge.”

Abou Ziki's success also demonstrates the quality of WCMC-Q's students and of the education offered by the Medical College, he added.

“I think this demonstrates we are maintaining the same standards as the main campus, and that was the original mission of the school - to deliver the same quality of education in this part of the world,” Dr. Weber said.

Far from being surprised by his success, Abou Ziki, whose career goal is to work as a clinician and biomedical researcher, took the prize admirably in his stride.

“It is important to know that what you have done is good, that this is the right way to work, and to carry on in the same manner; but there's still a lot to learn.”

 *The $300 Adelphic Award is presented by Cornell's John S. Knight Institute for Writing in the Disciplines to selected students whose native language is not English, and who have had no more than 50 percent of their previous education in the English language. It is sponsored by the Adelphic Cornell Educational Fund, with support from Susan A. and Robert N. Cunjak '96.

Report by Sylvia M. Ismail