Pre-university students flock to WCM-Q Doctors of the Future Conference
More than 200 pre-university students with ambitions to pursue careers in medicine participated in Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar's (WCM-Q) two-day Doctors of the Future Conference.
Held annually, the conference gives pre-university students the chance to explore WCM-Q's state-of-the-art campus, learn about the college's world-class educational programs, and discover the wide range of opportunities that can be accessed by studying for a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree.
During the conference, students engaged with a range of activities, including meetings with faculty, current students and WCM-Q alumni, the grand finale of a research contest, and panel discussions on applying to medical school, the life of a medical student, and careers in medicine. There were also talks on pre-college programs and the fundamental principles of research, presentations of research posters by current WCM-Q pre-medical students, and a quiz session, among other activities.
The event, which is organized by WCM-Q's Office of Student Outreach and Development, also serves to develop partnerships between WCM-Q and local secondary and high schools, stimulate interest in careers in science and medicine among pre-university students, and help enhance college readiness skills. The conference is open to students, teachers and school counselors from all over Qatar, across the wider region and beyond.
Noha Saleh, director of pre-medical administration, student outreach and educational development, said: 'The Doctors of the Future Conference provides an annual interactive platform where high school students engage with peers from other high schools, current medical students as well as faculty members at WCM-Q, in order to enhance their research skills and understanding of college expectations. We were delighted to welcome so many enthusiastic and highly accomplished students to the conference once again this year.'
The second day of the conference featured the final round of the research contest, with first prize going to the team from GEMS Wellington International School Qatar for their poster, titled The Effect of Gaming on Promoting Knowledge, Attitude and Awareness of Diabetes. The competition began with a preliminary round in January 2025 with an initial field of 54 teams. Second place was shared by teams from Doha College and Swiss International School Qatar.
Mohamed Siddig Mohyeldin, a student at GEMS Wellington School Qatar and a member of the winning team in the research competition, said: 'The conference was an amazing learning experience. Getting to meet both doctors and medical students helped me to understand what it is really like to study and practice medicine, which has helped me feel more confident about choosing this career path.'
Heidi Elkassas, a student at Doha College and a member of one of the second-placed teams in the research competition, said: 'We did a lot of preparation so it was great to go so far in the contest. The best thing about the conference for me was the panel discussions, which were really informative but also very inspiring—there was so much useful advice from different perspectives. One of the big messages I received was to believe in yourself, because if you work hard you can achieve your ambition to become a doctor and make a real difference.'
Dr. Rachid Bendriss, associate dean for foundation, student outreach and educational development programs, said: 'Our Doctors of the Future Conference continues to offer pre-university students a highly effective way to engage with the worlds of science, medicine, and higher education, while simultaneously helping them to develop skills that will enhance their readiness to apply to college. We were extremely impressed by the maturity, drive, and aptitude of the students who attended this year.'
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