Doha: Sixty-eight students from 24 nationalities explored their ambitions of becoming doctors as WCM-Q held its annual summer enrichment programmes.
Students in years 10, 11 and 12 from schools across Qatar and their peers from the UAE, Oman, Kuwait, Germany and the UK spent two weeks at WCM-Q, participating in Qatar Medical Explorer Programme (QMEP) or Pre-College Enrichment Programme (PCEP).
QMEP is for students entering 10th and 11th grades, and PCEP is for those entering 11th and 12th grades but both provide a taste of life as a medical student.
Syed Hasnain, Manager, Student Recruitment Programmes, WCM-Q, said the programmes were designed to allow students to explore the college and the field of medicine so they could make informed decisions about their future. “Attending summer enrichment programmes at WCM-Q is a great way for local, regional and international students to see the college first-hand, so they can get a feel of what life as a student at WCM-Q would be like.”
Ahmed Al Tamimi, from Omar Bin Khattab Independent School for Boys in Qatar, said QMEP clarified his career route.
The programmes allowed students to explore the prospect of a career in medicine through challenging lectures, interactive clinical skills workshops, presentations and basic science lab sessions. The students also had the chance to discuss key issues in modern medicine with the faculty.
Both programmes aim at giving students an accurate impression of life as a medical student at the college. QMEP and PCEP ended on July 27 with a ceremony, also attended by families.
Dr. Mohamud Verjee, Associate Professor of Family Medicine, WCM-Q, gave the keynote speech, urging the students to strive for success. He said: “Seize the moment, work hard and gain credit by merit. Surge forward with the focus on meritocracy. Mediocrity in medicine is unacceptable. Push yourself to the edge of capability, don’t hold back, but also be humble in your success.
“As you rise in status in society, be more humble and never take anything as your right. You must strive for it, and it will often be a struggle, but you will overcome adversity if you are genuinely fuelled with your inner desire, with your heart and mind in synchrony.”
Shihab Al Maawali from Al Sahwa School in Oman, said: “Cornell’s Summer Programme has been a unique experience for me. I had the privilege to discover myself as a person and I also gained knowledge of medicine.”
The Peninsula
