Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) recently concluded a one-day symposium aimed at fostering professionalism within diverse medical education settings.

The symposium, titled ‘Fostering Professionalism in Medical Education: Exploring Effective Approaches for Diverse Learners,’ provided participants with valuable insights into how the perception of professionalism and professionalism identity formation can vary across diverse learning contexts. The agenda included recognising differences in interpretations of behaviours among diverse healthcare providers, discussing professionalism assessments, strategies for applying culturally adept coaching skills, and developing individualised remediation plans.

A key highlight was the integration of coaching techniques tailored to address professionalism challenges within multicultural contexts. The symposium featured a blend of live and virtual didactic sessions led by esteemed medical educators and field experts, complemented by interactive workshops fostering robust discussions and hands-on learning experiences.

Hosted at WCM-Q and coordinated by the Division of Continuing Professional Development at WCM-Q, the workshop attracted a diverse audience, including physicians, allied health professionals, dentists, nurses, pharmacists, researchers, educators, and students.

The symposium was directed and presented by WCM-Q’s Dr Amal Khidir, associate professor of paediatrics; Dr Fatimah Isa, assistant professor of psychology teaching in medicine; Dr Moune Jabre, assistant professor of clinical obstetrics and gynaecology; and Dr Mange Manyama, assistant professor of anatomy in radiology.

International and Qatar-based speakers included Dr Adina Kalet, Stephen and Shelagh Roell Endowed Chair at the Medical College of Wisconsin; Dr Goran Stevanovski, health professions education consultant and the founder and former director of the Medical Education Department at Ss Cyril and Methodius University, North Macedonia; Dr Marianne Mak-van der Vossen, assistant professor of general practice at Amsterdam University Medical Centre and Dr Majda Sebah, assistant professor of chemistry in pre-medical education at WCM-Q.

The symposium was accredited locally by the Ministry of Public Health’s Department of Healthcare Professions – Accreditation Section and internationally by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education.