The air was filled with excitement and pride as 31 Weill Cornell Medical College–Qatar graduates crossed the stage May 4 to receive their Cornell University medical degrees. Family members and WCMC-Q faculty reflected with Cornell's leadership and students on the many achievements over the past six years and the promise of this class' future impact on health care.
"Congratulations to the class of 2011 of WCMC-Q," said Dr. Mohammad Fathy Saoud, president of Qatar Foundation. "We applaud their determination and hard work. Their accomplishments and the increasing size of the graduating class are evidence that we are making real progress toward our goal of building a knowledge-based society in Qatar. As they move ahead in the medical profession, they take our commitment to excellence in education and research with them beyond our borders, out into the world."
"Our graduates' achievements over the past six years inspire awe and foreshadow the deep impression they will make on humanity into the future," said Dr. Javaid Sheikh, dean of WCMC-Q. "In addition to personal achievements, as a class they were able to accomplish so much more, traveling to developing nations to serve communities in need, and collaborating with Hamad Medical Corporation, the Supreme Council of Health and Reach Out to Asia, locally, to institute local programs that have and will positively impact countless lives.
"The spirit of collaboration is alive in our students and has been exemplified by our dedicated faculty and staff as well as the Qatar Foundation and all of our partners, to whom we express our deepest gratitude," Dean Sheikh continued.
"I would like to once again acknowledge the leadership and support of His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, Emir of Qatar, and Her Highness Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser, chair of the Qatar Foundation, said Cornell President Dr. David Skorton. "They have been visionary in their aspirations for the people of Qatar and most generous in their commitment to Weill Cornell Medical College–Qatar and our partners in Education City."
Highlighting not only the unprecedented size of the class but also the strength of its members and the curriculum, President Skorton said: "These graduates have been extraordinarily successful in finding their next opportunities as residents and research fellows. Some of them have elected to stay in Qatar for residency programs with Hamad Medical Corporation or to pursue research fellowships. The 23 WCMC-Q students who sought residencies in the U.S. were matched to some of America's best teaching hospitals.
"To achieve so many excellent placements in the U.S. is a testament to the high quality of the WCMC-Q program and to the exceptional talent and commitment that the graduates have brought to their medical education."
Dr. Antonio M. Gotto Jr., dean of Weill Cornell Medical College in New York, expressed gratitude to the students and supportive members of the community. "We are grateful to you and your families for entrusting your education to us. We would also like to thank the faculty and staff of Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, as well as the Qatar Foundation and Dr. Fathy Saoud, for making this day possible."
The new physicians number 18 women and 13 men. Qataris are the largest national group within the graduating class, and the graduates in total represent 16 nationalities, hailing from Algeria, Bahrain, Bosnia, Canada, Egypt, France, India, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Mauritania, Mauritius, Qatar, Russia, Syria, and the U.S. Among them, they speak 11 languages — Arabic, English, French, Bosnian, German, Spanish, Hindi, Malayalam, Urdu, Tamil and Creole.
"While they have excelled as individuals in many areas, they have benefitted from the varied backgrounds and perspectives, as well as the diversity of skills and experiences, found in the class as a whole," President Skorton said.