Doha – Thirty-one students from Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) spent two weeks of their winter break shadowing physicians at affiliate hospitals as part of the Step into Medicine Observership Program’s winter 2025-2026 session.

The program introduces foundation and pre-medical students early in their educational journey to Qatar’s healthcare system and familiarizes them with the daily practices and challenges medical professionals face. It also encourages early career exploration and helps students begin building their professional identity as future physicians.

The students shadowed physicians at affiliate hospitals, Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) and Sidra Medicine, during their daily rounds in various clinics, including obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, surgery, internal medicine, cardiology, neurology, endocrinology, emergency and trauma, and other specialties. They also observed doctor-patient interactions and discussions of cases, diagnoses and treatment plans.

Reflecting on her experience, student Sara Hassan said: “My observership at HMC transformed medicine from an abstract ambition into a lived, human experience. Rotating through all specialties allowed me to see how the same goal can take remarkably different forms. More importantly, it allowed me to reflect on where I might belong within this vast field.”

Fellow student Jassim Al-Hail said: “This observership experience opened my eyes to the challenges doctors face, not only in treating patients but in dealing with patients who take away time from urgent cases. This is especially a problem with patients who present themselves to the ER with the basic flu, diverging time away from doctors who could be attending to stroke patients instead.”

Student Maryam Al-Thani added: “Overall, this observership taught me that medicine is deeply human. Whether it was through conversations with residents or observing patient care, I saw how important communication, empathy and teamwork are in every specialty. This experience made me more confident in my interest in medicine and motivated me to keep working toward a future in healthcare.”

Following the completion of the winter observership program, students submitted reflective essays and received certificates of participation at a special ceremony held in the presence of the HMC and Sidra Medicine teams.

Dr. Rachid Bendriss, associate dean for foundation, student outreach and educational development programs, said: “As an institution, we are committed to offering our students an opportunity to gain firsthand experience with what practicing physicians face daily. This helps them set realistic expectations for a medical career and provides clarity about their own areas of interest. I sincerely thank our affiliates for making these valuable educational experiences possible.”

About Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar 

Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar is a partnership between Cornell University and Qatar Foundation. It offers a comprehensive Six-Year Medical Program leading to the Cornell University M.D. degree with teaching by Cornell and Weill Cornell faculty and by physicians at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), Sidra Medicine, the Primary Health Care Corporation, and Aspetar Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, who hold Weill Cornell appointments. Through its biomedical research program, WCM-Q is building a sustainable research community in Qatar while advancing basic science and clinical research. Through its medical college, WCM-Q seeks to provide the finest education possible for medical students, to improve health care both now and for future generations, and to provide high quality health care to the Qatari population.

For more info, please contact:
Hanan Lakkis
Associate Director, Media and Publications
Weill Cornell Medicine - Qatar
hyl2004@qatar-med.cornell.edu