Career Seminar Series Shows WCM-Q Foundation Students the Way Forward

Taking place entirely online for the first time this semester, the seminar series featured presentations by eight qualified physicians who explained how they developed their careers after graduating from medical school. Each seminar was followed by an informal Q&A session, giving the students an opportunity to delve deeper into the career progression of each speaker while also helping them begin to think about their own plans for the future.

The Fall series began in August with a talk by Dr. Mohamud Verjee, WCM-Q’s Associate Professor of Family Medicine in Clinical Medicine/Assistant Dean for Medical Student Affairs, and concluded in mid-November with a presentation by Dr. Javaid Sheikh, Dean of WCM-Q.

Dr. Sheikh told the students: “Choosing a career path can seem like a daunting prospect, but I believe it should be approached as an inspiring and exciting journey. As you progress through medical school, take note of which parts of the curriculum fire your imagination and pursue them. Be open-minded and allow yourself to follow a path that brings you satisfaction and joy and you will find your calling.”

Dr. Sheikh explained that his interest in psychiatry had developed into a passion for understanding the psychology of health advocacy, education and leadership, which in turn led him to pursue a career as a healthcare executive while simultaneously remaining active in research.

The students also heard from Dr. Nora Al Jefairi of Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), the first native Qatari female cardiologist and electrophysiologist. She explained how she won a scholarship to study medicine in Bahrain and subsequently was sponsored by HMC to study General Cardiology at Geneva University Hospital in Switzerland.

This semester’s series featured five WCM-Q alumni as speakers: Dr. Nour Barakat, ophthalmologist and fellow in corneal and refractive surgery at HMC; Dr. Shaikha Al-Shokri, internal medicine specialist/general medicine fellow at HMC; Dr. Bothaina Al Mulla, attending OB-GYN at HMC; Dr. Abdulrahman Al Abdulmalik, internal medicine resident at HMC; and Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Thani, psychiatry resident at HMC. Of those, Dr. Al Abdulmalik, Dr. Al-Shokri and Dr. Al-Thani completed the Foundation Program at WCM-Q, which was established in 2007 to provide a bridge from high school to medical school for talented Qatari nationals. The program, which lasts for one academic year, provides intensive tuition in math, the basic sciences and English to prepare students for the rigors of the WCM-Q Six-Year Medical Program.

Dr. Marco Ameduri, Associate Professor of Physics/Senior Associate Dean for Pre-Medical Education and Education City Collaborative Curricular Affairs, said: “We are extremely grateful to all of our speakers and very proud to be able to welcome back graduates of WCM-Q and the Foundation Program to tell the inspiring and enlightening stories of their careers.”