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Tribune News Network
Doha
Hamad Medical Corporation's (HMC) Medical Education Department recently welcomed students attending Qatar University's (QU) College of Medicine to orientation sessions aimed at enabling them to find out more about Qatar's largest healthcare provider.
The orientation sessions, which took place in August, provided the medical students with an opportunity to visit some of HMC's clinical sites, and more broadly, helped stimulate their interest in potential specialties as they begin their medical school journey.
In total, one hundred medical students attended the orientation sessions, which were held over two days. The programme included a visit to HMC's Medical Education Center followed by talks from Dr Abdullatif al Khal, HMC's Deputy Chief Medical Officer and Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs at Qatar University; Dr Yousef al Maslamani, Medical Director of Hamad General Hospital; and Maitha al Bouainain, Executive Director of Community Affairs and Patient Engagement at Hamad General Hospital.
The students learned about HMC as an organisation, and specifically its role as the main provider of secondary and tertiary healthcare in Qatar. They were given an overview of HMC's 12 hospitals and national ambulance service and were provided with information on the organisation's many academic accreditations and programmes, including the Qatar Organ Donation programme.
The formal sessions were followed by a visit to eight clinical areas in Hamad General Hospital, with small groups of five or six students rotating across each area. Students were introduced to HMC clinicians and staff working in the various departments.
Dr al Khal, who is also Director of Medical Education at HMC, highlighted the importance of both introducing students to Qatar's largest public healthcare provider and giving them a more accurate perception of the lifestyle and work they can expect if they choose a given specialty.
Dr al Maslamani said that HMC is committed to providing the population of Qatar with access to high-quality medical services and sees working closely with QU's College of Medicine as an important part of meeting that objective.
"As the population of Qatar continues to grow, it is important to increase our cohort of highly qualified clinicians who have studied and trained within our healthcare system. These future physicians will take care of Qatar's population which is why it is so important that we (as HMC) work closely with the College of Medicine at Qatar University to support and train their medical students," said Dr al Maslamani.
The students participating in the orientation sessions were joined by senior representatives from QU's College of Medicine. Professor EgonToft, Vice President for Medicine and Health and Dean of the College of Medicine, participated and reinforced the importance of the orientation sessions.
