Students of the Class of 2017 took their first steps on the long road to becoming doctors at the 10th annual white coat ceremony of Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar.
The 41 students entering the 2013 medical class took to the stage at Hamad Bin Khalifa University’s Student Center to receive their white coats and stethoscopes in front of their parents and family members.
Dr Javaid Sheikh, dean of WCMC-Q, said: “Donning the white coat of our profession for the very first time is a moment of great significance in the life of every young doctor-in-training. With this gesture, our students accept the historic responsibility of healing the sick and showing compassion to the vulnerable, and at the same time dedicate themselves to the pursuit of the very highest standards of excellence in the practice of medicine.”
The event was introduced by Dr Stephen Scott, acting associate dean for student affairs, with keynote speeches being given by Dr Abdulla Mohd Alkaabi, executive vice chief medical officer of Sidra Medical and Research Center, and deputy chairman of paediatrics and head of paediatric nephrology at Hamad Medical Corporation.
The Class of 2017 is drawn from 19 countries, and nine Qatari nationals are enrolled on the course. In total, 33 students were admitted upon completion of the WCMC-Q premedical programme, while four students completed the biological sciences bachelor’s degree at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar and four completed their training at other institutions.
Geraldine Kong Wai Jin joins WCMC-Q from the National University of Singapore. She said: “Starting the medical course is like a dream come true for me, something I have been looking forward to for a very long time. I want to practice medicine because the amount of conflict and illness means that the world needs doctors and I feel compelled to help.”
Qatari national Khalid Albureshad completed both the foundation programme and the premedical programme at WCMC-Q.
He said: “I am very excited about wearing the white coat for the first time because it feels like I am making progress towards my goal of becoming a doctor. This is what I have wanted ever since I was a child when my mother was unwell and I wanted to help her.
“With my parents’ support I have got this far and I am looking forward to the challenge of learning more about the human body and interacting with patients. I’m ready to take the next step.”
The Peninsula
