WCM-Q celebrates graduation of Class of 2023

With Dr Javaid Sheikh, the dean of Weill Cornell Medicine in Qatar ( WCM-Q) urging the graduates to "make an iron clad commitment to their own physical and emotional wellness to serve the humanity,” the university celebrated the graduation of 42 young doctors, including 12 Qataris, of the Class of 2023 Tuesday at Sheraton Doha in a glittering ceremony.The event was attended by Al Faisal Holding chairman HE Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim al-Thani, HE the Minister of Education and Higher Education Buthaina bint Ali al-Nuaimi, Ministry of Public Health's Public Health director Sheikh Dr Mohammed bin Hamad al-Thani, Cornell University president Dr Martha Pollack, Weill Cornell Medicine interim dean and interim provost Dr Francis Lee and a number of guests including the family and friends of the graduates._______________________________Read alsoWCM-Q graduates highlight their learning journey______________________________Dr Sheikh stated that Education City is widely regarded as the beacon of intellectual achievements, a hotbed of creativity and destination for the realisation of the dreams of many young people."Weill Cornell Medicine in Qatar is proud to be part of this unique enterprise and the scientific renaissance that is blossoming in Qatar which is something to treasure and celebrate. It is therefore a great occasion to celebrate the remarkable leadership of Qatar which has been the guiding force of the Education City,” he told the gathering.Dr Sheikh continued: "Despite the stern challenges posed by the pandemic, you demonstrated determination and steely resolve to continue with your studies – you discovered the spirit of friendship, the power of teamwork, and the ingenuity of new strategies to overcome incredible hurdles. Your burning desire to become truly world-class doctors, to show that medicine is more than just a profession to you – that it is a calling, a dedication to the service of humanity - has been evident to all of us at Weill Cornell Medicine in Qatar.”Dr Sheikh also thanked Qatar Foundation Chairperson Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser and Vice Chairperson and CEO HE Sheikha Hind bint Hamad al-Thani, along with the leadership of Qatar, for providing the essential support and guidance over many years that enables WCM-Q to produce world-class physicians.Keynote speaker Dr Nigel Pereira, an alumnus of WCM-Q Class of 2010, appealed to the graduates to be empathetic in their interactions. He said: "Remember that you have three sets of families: your family of colleagues that surround you today, your WCM-Q family of mentors, and - most importantly - your own family, who will always support you unconditionally.”The student Arabic address was given by Najla Ali al-Eshaq, and the English address by Jungyoon Jung. Khalifa Bshesh recited from the Holy Qur’an.Associate dean for student affairs Dr Sean Holroyd was the macebearer and associate dean for pre-medical education Dr James Roach the university marshal.The graduating class comprises of 23 women and 19 men, aged between 23 and 28, hailing from 13 different countries: Qatar, Canada, Egypt, India, Iran, Jordan, Korea, Lebanon, Pakistan, Palestine, Syria, the UK and the US.Including this year’s graduates, WCM-Q has now produced a total of 546 medical doctors serving patients and pursuing research in leading healthcare institutions in Qatar, the US and all over the world since the college’s inaugural graduation ceremony in 2008.The new doctors will shortly begin the next stage of their careers as they take up residency positions at elite-level healthcare institutions in Qatar and the US, including Hamad Medical Corporation, Yale New Haven Hospital in Connecticut, Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore, Case Western/University Hospital Cleveland, University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor, Massachusetts General Hospital, and New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Centre and Columbia University, among many others.