More than 70 students from the inaugural class of Qatar University’s (QU) new Medical College were given a tour and orientation of Hamad General Hospital (HGH) as part of their week-long orientation programme.
The students were given an introduction to important subjects, such as the ethics of medicine during a series of brief lectures.
The session was attended by senior Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) leaders as well as the dean of medicine and other senior staff from QU.  
As part of the orientation, the students were given the chance to speak to senior clinical leaders at HMC, the state’s principal public healthcare provider.
“QU and HMC have a strong, collaborative partnership and are jointly working to facilitate the interaction between the new medical students and clinicians at HMC. It is vital for their professional development to allow students to receive clinical internships in different medical specialties as per the college curriculum.We are committed to fostering effective communication and interaction between new students and clinical practitioners to further improve their clinical development,” said Dr Abdullatif al-Khal, deputy chief medical officer, Medical Education at HMC, and associate dean for Clinical Affairs at Qatar University.
“It makes me and other Qatari leaders at both institutions immensely proud that 40 students in the inaugural class are nationals,” he said.
“These new students represent the next generation of Qatar’s medical professionals and the partnership between HMC and QU will ensure they have a solid educational foundation to help meet the future healthcare needs of Qatar’s population.”
During the tour, the students also learned about the importance of good communication skills when dealing with patients and colleagues as well as the realities of working in a large and busy hospital like HGH.
“Seeing first-hand how a hospital operates as well as meeting frontline clinicians is an important part of their medical education,” said Dr al-Khal.“HMC and QU Medical College faculty look forward to give these students a well-rounded education and thereby contribute to building capacity in the healthcare profession in Qatar.”