Dr. Abdul Latif Al Khal, left, director of the Department of Medical
Education at Hamad Medical Corporation, receives congratulations
from Dr. Marcelina Mian, associate dean for clinical curriculum, and
Dr. Javaid Sheikh at Medical Education Day.

There was plenty of applause at the second annual Medical Education Day as physicians from Hamad Medical Corporation and Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar celebrated the residents and fellows who graduated from HMC training programs and acknowledged the dedicated work of the HMC physicians who served as preceptors to guide and supervise them along the way.

The 66 residents who successfully completed the Arab Board Medical Specialization Examination were acknowledged along with the 17 doctors who completed their fellowship in advanced ultrasonography at HMC Women’s Hospital. Recognition was also given to the eight Quatari residents and fellows who completed their training abroad in Canada, Germany and Hong King and to the 34 directors and chairpersons of the residency training programs .

“Hamad Medical Corporation is becoming well known for the quality of its residency training programs, thanks to the hard work and dedication of all those who pass on their skill and knowledge to the younger generation, ” said Dr. Latifa Al-Houty, chair of the HMC Board of Directors in her remarks during the program. “There are 150 HMC medical staff persons who have faculty appointment at Weill Cornell Medical College. We value this special relationship and we are committed to making it stronger.”

The partnership between WCMC-Q and HMC started like an arranged marriage, according to Dr. Javaid Sheikh, Interim Dean of WCMC-Q. “The partners didn’t know each other but were 100 percent committed to creating value and providing first rate education and establishing a true center of excellence in research education and clinical care.”

Over the next few months, WCMC-Q will recruit more clinical faculty who will participate in clinics at HMC and see their patients at HMC facilities. “At the same time, HMC physicians will participate more in the training and education of our students. In two or three years we will truly be a shining light in the region,” said Dr. Sheikh.

Some other achievements of the partnership between HMC and WCMC-Q that were highlighted during the Medical Education Day program are listed below.

• HMC introduced nine fellowship programs in the Department of Pediatrics and six in the Department of Medicine.

• 17 HMC physicians were certified as evidence based medicine teachers.

• 18 batches of the evidence-based medicine training course were attended by 197 residents.

• More than 400 HMC residents are involved in the education of WCMC-Q students.

• WCMC-Q students have spent over 10,000 hours at more than 10 HMC affiliated hospitals and centers as part of their medical education.

• More than 30 HMC faculty are involved in didactic teaching to WCMC-Q students

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Report by Kristina Goodnough