Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) recently hosted an event that brought together residency programme directors and senior healthcare leaders from across Qatar as part of its annual Visiting Professorship Programme (VPP). The in-person gathering took place at WCM-Q's campus and was moderated by Assistant Dean Dr. Ali Hallal.

The event included senior representatives from key healthcare organizations in Qatar, including Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), Sidra Medicine, and the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC). Among the attendees were Dr. Abdulla Rashid al-Naimi, deputy chief medical officer for medical education at HMC; Dr. Eman al-Maslamani, medical director of infection prevention and control and senior attending physician in pediatric infectious diseases at Sidra Medicine; and Dr. Muna Taher Aseel, programme director for family medicine residency at PHCC.

Participants toured WCM-Q’s advanced facilities and engaged with faculty members and students to discuss postgraduate medical education opportunities in the country. The event allowed students to gain direct insights from residency programme leaders regarding various medical specialties, training environments, application requirements, and the key qualities sought by residency programmes.

“We are delighted to welcome medical education leaders and residency programme directors from across Qatar to the WCM-Q to give our students the opportunity to engage directly with them,” said Dr. Hallal.

The event also offered healthcare leaders a chance to review WCM-Q’s curriculum and its alignment with Qatar’s broader healthcare workforce needs. WCM-Q Dean Dr. Javaid Sheikh emphasized the institution’s close collaboration with national healthcare bodies, describing the partnership as central to the school’s mission to prepare highly qualified physicians who contribute to community health.

“Approximately 30% of our graduates pursue residency training at the HMC, while many others return to Qatar after completing training abroad,” Dr. Sheikh noted, underscoring the role WCM-Q plays in supporting the development of Qatar’s medical workforce.

The event reflects ongoing efforts to strengthen the integration between medical education and healthcare delivery across the country.