A staff of WCM-Q explains to students about various parts of human body at an anatomage table during the event.
DOHA: Hundreds of high school students and their families visited Weill Cornell Medicine – Qatar’s (WCM-Q) annual community outreach event to learn more about science and medicine.
‘Medicine Unlimited’ is WCM-Q’s premier student outreach event and is designed to give prospective students — or those who are simply curious about medicine — an insight into life at the college and a chance to meet faculty, students and staff and ask them any questions they may have.
Held on November 10, visitors were also able to tour WCM-Q’s state-of-the-art facilities, visiting the biomedical research laboratories and hearing from representatives of WCM-Q’s various divisions. Stalls were set out in the north and south halls of the WCM-Q building covering medical topics like ophthalmology, human anatomy and global and public health, but also other topics like chemistry, physics and biology, writing skills and information on the admissions procedure.
WCM-Q’s student clubs had a good share of activities at the event this year, including the Debating Club, the Pediatrics Interest Group and the Family Medicine Interest Group. Additionally, Hamad Medical Corporation and Sidra Medicine offered hands-on activities to parents and families.
Dr. Rachid Bendriss, Assistant Dean for Student Recruitment, Outreach and Foundation at WCM-Q, said: “Medicine Unlimited is one of the highlights of our year as it allows us to showcase the outstanding teaching facilities that we can offer students, but it also allows us to meet literally hundreds of students who have an interest in becoming doctors or who are just passionate about science. It is always so rewarding to meet young people who are ambitious, forward-thinking and who want to make a real difference to the world in which they live.”
Students who attended Medicine Unlimited were able to engage in hands-on simulations in basic science labs, interact with faculty, students and staff in a very friendly atmosphere and win valuable prizes by answering the ‘Test Your Information’ quiz questions. Medicine Unlimited has been a yearly tradition since 2008, and continues to be the most vibrant on-campus event bringing the whole WCM-Q community together to attract hundreds of prospective students passionate about science and medicine. The opening remarks of the event were delivered by Ramin Sedehi, WCM-Q’s Chief Administrative Officer, who is also a frequent speaker and author on issues facing higher education, academic medicine and organisational transformation. Sedehi shared his wisdom about career exploration and following one’s dreams. The event was presented by medical students Tala Abu Saman, Malik Mushannen and Ramez Boudair.
Year 12 student Mohammed Yousef Al Ansari, from Tariq Bin Ziyad Secondary School, said it had been a really informative event.
