Tribune News Network
Doha
Foundation and pre-medical students at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) had the opportunity to hear from experienced healthcare professionals about the various training and career paths available to them during this semester’s Medical Career Seminar series.
The Fall edition of the seminar series, which began in August and concluded in early December, featured presentations from Dr Javaid Sheikh, dean and professor of psychiatry and population health sciences at WCM-Q; Dr Nayef Mazloum, associate professor of microbiology and immunology, and associate dean for student research at WCM-Q; and six distinguished WCM-Q alumni.
Each seminar was followed by a question and answer session, giving students an opportunity to explore the career progression of each speaker while considering their own future plans.
During his presentation, Dr Sheikh explained how his interest in psychiatry evolved into a passion for understanding the psychology of health advocacy, education, and leadership. This passion ultimately led him to pursue a career as a healthcare executive while remaining active in research.
"Choosing a career path is one of the most exciting parts of the journey of self-discovery and finding one’s true calling. As students move through medical school, they should always follow what sparks their curiosity and brings them personal fulfillment,” Dr Sheikh said.
Dr Mazloum spoke about his background and professional journey, providing students with key insights into what it takes to build a successful career in medical research.
Alumni speakers included Dr Ghadeer Abdelwahab (Class of 2024), a first-year emergency medicine resident at Hamad General Hospital (HMC); Dr Lina Irshaid (Class of 2017), a consultant pathologist at HMC; Dr Amna M. Al Khuzaei (Class of 2015), a paediatric gastroenterology consultant, and hepatologist and liver transplant specialist at Sidra Medicine; Dr Sultan Abdulla S K Al Raban (Class of 2024), a first-year otorhinolaryngology and head and neck surgery resident at HMC; Dr Ramez Bodair (Class of 2021 and graduate of WCM-Q’s Foundation Programme), a chief resident in internal medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Health in the US; and Dr Sadeer Al Kindi (Class of 2013), an associate professor at Houston Methodist & Weill Cornell Medicine in the US.
The Medical Career Seminar series is a weekly activity for students.