The next generation of doctors

July, 2012

High school students were treated to a taste of what life is like at WCMC-Q when they took part in the summer Medical Explorer Program.

In all 40 potential pre-medical students – about a third of whom were Qatari – took part in the scheme, which was designed to prepare them for life at university, explain what is expected of them and also offer help with their SATs. The students were from schools across the country, although two students travelled a little further; one came from Bahrain while the other flew in thousands of miles from Ireland.

Noha Saleh, Director of Student Recruitment at WCMC-Q, said: “The whole idea of the Medical Explorer Program is to show potential students what a medical degree at WCMC-Q will involve and demystify the process for them.
“We want them to apply to the college knowing exactly what we require of them them but also the support, facilities and world-class faculty that we will provide in return.

“We want to make sure that competitive applicants have the best possible chance of success and the Medical Explorer Program is just one way of doing this.”

In previous years the program has taken students for just one week but for the first time this year the program lasted three weeks, providing potential undergraduates with more information about what a career in medicine entails.
They also had the chance to meet faculty members and attend lectures from some of WCMC-Q’s professors as well as have hands-on experience in the laboratories.

Mohammed Al Abidi, who attends Omar Bin Al Khattab School, said the program was very useful in knowing what to expect if a successful application is made to WCMC-Q.

The 17-year-old said: It’s good to be here as I know Weill Cornell is going to give us knowledge about studying medicine and I also just wanted to know about the place as after high school I will maybe apply here.

“If successful I might be here for six years so it’s good to find out about the university and the facilities.”