More than 120 pre-university students from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United States participated in the annual “Doctors of the Future” conference organized by Weill Cornell Medicine – Qatar (WCM-Q). The event, held virtually this year, provided aspiring medical students with an opportunity to engage with WCM-Q’s educational programs and explore career paths in medicine.

Open to students, educators, and school counselors primarily from Qatar and the surrounding region, the conference is designed to introduce prospective medical students to the campus environment and the range of educational offerings available. This edition featured the qualifying round of the High School Research Competition, where 15 teams representing 14 schools presented research posters to a panel of judges comprising WCM-Q faculty members, researchers, and medical students.

The top teams from the qualifying round advanced to the final stage, culminating in the announcement of the top three winners. First place was awarded to a team from Doha British School – Ain Khaled for their project titled “HeatSafe: A Wearable Early-Warning Device for Heat Stress Prevention.” Their research assessed the effectiveness of a wearable prototype designed to monitor physiological indicators and provide early warnings against heat stress, aiming to promote health and wellness across all age groups.

Second place went to a team from Hunter College High School in New York with the poster “Air & Genes: What Traffic and Dust Do to Your Body?” This project examined the molecular effects of pollution on individuals exposed to differing environmental conditions, offering insights that could inform public health policies and preventive measures. Third place was awarded to students from DPS – Modern Indian School for their research on “Monosodium Glutamate Exposure and Wellness: Insights for Advancing Qatar’s Public Health Targets,” which investigated the long-term cellular impact of food additives.

Alongside the research competition, participants engaged in a panel discussion focused on medical school admissions and took part in an interactive quiz session. The conference is organized by WCM-Q’s Office of Student Outreach and Development with the aim of fostering partnerships between the medical college and secondary schools, enhancing students’ interest in science and medicine, and building foundational skills required for higher education.

Noha Saleh, director of pre-medical administration, student outreach, and educational development at WCM-Q, noted the growing momentum of the conference, highlighting its role as an international platform for aspiring medical students to collaborate with faculty, researchers, and medical students. Dr. Rachid Bendriss, associate dean for foundation, student outreach, and educational development programmes, emphasized WCM-Q’s commitment to empowering motivated pre-university students by helping them develop the skills and knowledge necessary for successful medical careers.