High school students with passion for science had the opportunity to explore careers in medicine courtesy of two summer enrichment programmes offered by Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q).
A total of 73 students were invited to spend two weeks at WCM-Q and participate in Qatar Medical Explorer Program (QMEP) and the Pre-College Enrichment Program (PCEP). The programmes, which are run twice a year, help participants understand what life as a medical student and as a doctor is like through a series of presentations, clinical skills workshops and problem-based learning sessions. The students were also given the chance to formulate a clear impression of their own interests, strengths and areas for improvement.
This summer, 34 Grade 10 and 11 students took part in QMEP, while 39 Grade 11 and 12 students took part in PCEP. The programmes help students develop useful practical skills for college applications, such as interview techniques and how to write personal statements. Participating students were drawn from schools in Qatar, Lebanon, Kuwait, other parts of the Gulf region, the US and Canada.
During their fortnight on campus, the students completed a busy schedule of lectures, labs, workshops and orientation sessions. Their subjects covered human anatomy, dissection, clinical skills, medical ethics, biomedical research, lab safety and the liberal arts, among others. They also met with current WCM-Q medical students, heard about student clubs and societies, toured the world-class teaching and research facilities, and worked on group presentations to present to their peers.
Speaking at the closing event, Noha Saleh, Director of Outreach and Educational Development, said the cohort of students this year impressed them greatly with their appetite for learning, their excellent levels of academic achievement and, most of all, their tremendously positive attitudes.
We hope that many of them will choose to pursue their careers in medicine and to work hard to achieve their dream.’
The programmes also included visits to Sidra Medicine (for the PCEP students) and to Qatar National Library (for the QMEP students). Both groups also had the chance to take sessions in the WCM-Q Clinical Skills and Simulation Lab, where they worked with animatronic medical mannequins and other high technology learning aids, and took part in role plays with standardised patients (actors trained to play patients).
The summer enrichment programmes at WCM-Q are open to students from all over the world. For more information, visit qatar-weill.cornell.edu.
