Tribune news networkDohaFour high school students have won two-week scholarship experience through Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar’s (WCM-Q) annual Healing Hands essay competition. The WCM-Q Doctors of the Future scholarship was awarded to students Ahmed Al-Sulaiti and Maryam Al-Thani of Qatar Academy Al Wakra, AlDana AlDehaimi of SEK International School Qatar, and Tameem Al Maadeed of The International School of Choueifat-Doha for writing the best 800-word essays on the potential of precision medicine to improve health in Qatar. In addition, 11 students received Honourable Mention certificates for the high quality of their essays. The four winning students will spend two weeks in the United States on an educational trip. The contest, organised by WCM-Q’s Office of Student Outreach and Educational Development, is open to Qatari students in grades 10 and 11. The program is intended to inspire young nationals to pursue careers in medicine and biomedical science. Many previous Healing Hands contest winners have gone on to become students at WCM-Q.“A common misconception is that precision medicine is time-consuming,” winning student Maryam Al-Thani wrote in her essay. Qatar’s technology, on the other hand, streamlines the data analysis process, making precision medicine more practical by reducing time, energy, and expense by reaching effective prognosis the first time rather than using a trial and error approach, making Qatar a suitable country for this innovation.”Noha Saleh, director of premedical administration, student outreach and educational development, said: “I offer my warmest congratulations to the four winners of the Healing Hands essay competition and I hope they will find their trip to Weill Cornell Medicine in New York and Cornell University to be a source of great inspiration and motivation to them on their journey to become the doctors of the future.”The following students received honourable mentions for their essays: Aisha Mohammed Al-Nuaimi, Fatima Mohammed AlKaabi, and Roudha Khaled Al-Shamali of Hayat Universal Bilingual School; Amna Abdulla Al-Meraikhi of Qatar International School; Baina Saeed Al-Marri of Al Arqam Academy for Girls; Essa Mubarak Al-Buainain, Laila Khalid Al-Ansari, and Maryam Zayd Al-Jedea of Qatar Academy Al Wakra; Mohammed Ali Al-Tamimi of DeBakey High School for Health Professionals at Qatar; Talal Almarri of Swiss International School in Qatar; and Tameem Mohammed Al-Abdulqader of Qatar Science & Technology Secondary School for Boys.Dr. Rachid Bendriss, associate dean for foundation, student outreach and educational development programs, said: “The standard of the essays entered into this year’s Healing Hands contest was very high and we were extremely impressed with the sophistication of the arguments the students put forth. We heartily congratulate all of the winners and those who received honorable mentions for their excellent work.”
