Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar is adding a third year to its existing two-year, pre-medical program for students who join in August 2010 and later.
The move extends the current six-years pre-medical and medical education to a seven-year program leading to the MD degree, which is granted by Cornell University on the completion of all graduation requirements. There are separate admissions processes for the pre-medical and medical programs.
"The three-year pre-medical curriculum will provide greater course breadth, more opportunities for research and independent study, more time to acquire English language skills and greater opportunity for academic success," said Javid Sheikh, MD, interim dean.
All students in the standard three-year curriculum will take the same classes during the first semester. Highly motivated students with proven academic performance based on their first semester grades will have the option to take an accelerated track to finish in two years.
"We believe the new curriculum provides the most flexibility to best meet the needs of our students. The three-year pre-medical curriculum with an option for an accelerated two year program provides more choices for our students. In effect, the students place themselves in the track most likely to lead to their academic success," added Sheikh.
WCMC-Q currently offers a two-year pre-medical program focusing on the sciences basic to medicine and a four-year medical progam that follows the highly successful curriculum of Weill Cornell Medical College in the US. A one-year foundation program offers high school graduates intensive classes in basic sciences, math and English to prepare them for the pre-medical and medical programs.
Students who do not enter the four-year medical program earn Cornell University credits for the pre-medical courses completed, and those credits may be transferrable to another university. They are given assistance identifying the best plan of action for them based on their academic record and support to help them identify alternative career options.
