As many as 20 high school students, including 17 Qataris from 12 schools participated in the Qatar Aspiring Doctors Programme (QADP) this year, preparing them for a career in medicine.
The year-long programme is run by Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q), and is offered to a select number of high school students, motivated to become doctors.The participants received certificates to mark the completion of the programme.
Now in its second year, the programme is successful in helping high school students fulfil their ambition of becoming physicians through a specially designed academic curriculum that embraces technology and a programme that offers guidance on how to become a high prospect for medical colleges. The course comprises a combination of face-to-face instruction, online modules and hands-on training based on a customised timetable.
Dr Rachid Bendriss, assistant dean, Student Recruitment, Outreach and Foundation Programmes at WCM-Q, said: “The QADP is a self-paced programme that requires commitment and self-discipline. Not only do we help talented students reach the required academic level to be college ready, we also give them the opportunity to experience life at WCM-Q. They meet faculty, students, admissions staff, and gain a real understanding of what pursuing a medical degree at WCM-Q would be like.”
The QADP aims to enhance students’ college-readiness skills and strengthen their college applications. By developing the students’ areas of strength in physical sciences, biology, English and research skills — as well as enhancing their motivation to pursue medicine — the programme aims to enrich the overall learning experience of the students.
The QADP runs from September to April each academic year. To join the programme, interested students must first be nominated by their high schools. Inclusion in the QADP is based purely on merit, and those selected must have excellent academic scores and have demonstrated a strong desire to become a doctor.