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Tribune News Network
Doha
A GROUP of talented high school students had the chance to discover whether a career in medicine would suit them thanks to Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar's (WCM-Q) two-week Qatar Medical Explorer Program (QMEP).
Thirty-four students from schools across Qatar spent two weeks studying at WCM-Q on the programme, which is designed to provide a comprehensive and accurate understanding of what life is like at the college and what it takes to become a doctor.
QMEP, which runs both a winter and a summer session, is one of WCM-Q's Enrichment Programs, a series of initiatives that engage with the local community, demystify the life of a medical student and inspire talented students with an interest in the sciences to fulfil their potential by applying to the college.
Noha Saleh, director of student recruitment and outreach at WCM-Q, said:"Choosing your career path is a very important step in life and it can be challenging for young people. That's why we created QMEP. It gives students the opportunity to see the reality of studying medicine, to take the same sort of classes WCM-Q students take, to inhabit the same environment, and to interact with senior faculty members and current students. That way, students can make an informed choice about whether WCM-Q and a career in medicine is right for them."
QMEP features a full schedule of lectures on subjects such as biology, human anatomy, chemistry, pharmacology, physiology and adolescent health, among others. The high school students also visited WCM-Q's state-of-the-art Clinical Skills and Simulation Lab, the Distributed eLibrary, and the vivarium, as well as touring the facilities of Hamad Medical Corporation, WCM-Q's affiliate institution where medical students undertake much of their clinical training.
In addition, students took liberal arts classes on understanding poetry and drama techniques, and received coaching to help them with their college applications, with classes on writing personal statements and interview techniques. Throughout the week the students worked in groups to prepare research presentations for a competition, which they delivered on the penultimate day. The programme culminated with the announcement of the winners in the final session of the final day.
Grade 12 student Ahmed Hany Amarah of Musab Bin Omair Secondary School was one of nine students in the team that won the Best Presentation Award.
Ahmed said:"I am very happy I had two great weeks here on QMEP. Getting to go into the chemistry lab, taking an anatomy class and meeting the faculty members has been amazing. It has completely confirmed in my mind that studying medicine is the right choice for me."
