Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar awarded Cornell University medical degrees to 45 new doctors during the institution’s commencement ceremony May 7.
The Class of 2025 comprised 28 women and 17 men who hail from 19 countries around the world, including 13 Qatari nationals. To date, WCM-Q has graduated 641 new doctors since its inaugural graduation ceremony in 2008.
“It is a great honor to be here to congratulate the Class of 2025 on their outstanding achievements,” said Cornell University President Dr. Michael I. Kotlikoff, who conferred the medical degrees upon the graduating students. “Their success is testament to the commitment to excellence that is the hallmark of Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, which continues to thrive and grow in its role as a regional leader in the advance of science, medicine and technology.”
Notably, of the 37 graduates who applied for a residency program, all secured positions at health care institutions in Qatar and the United States, including at Hamad Medical Corporation and NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center.
HE Mansoor bin Ebrahim bin Saad Al Mahmoud, Dr. Javaid I. Sheikh, Dr. Michael I. Kotlikoff, and Dr. Robert A. Harrington with the WCM-Q Class of 2025.
“We know that all of you in the Class of 2025 will give your all to these institutions and to your patients, and that you will be exceptional representatives of Qatar and Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar wherever you go,” said Dr. Javaid I. Sheikh, Dean of WCM-Q. “We are blessed that many of you will build your careers in Qatar, dedicating yourselves to bringing good health to the community which has nurtured and developed your talents.”
Dr. Sheikh thanked Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, chairperson of Qatar Foundation, and Her Excellency Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, vice chairperson and CEO of Qatar Foundation, along with the leadership of Qatar, acknowledging the crucial support and guidance they continue to provide to enable WCM-Q to produce world-class physicians.
Family, friends and faculty from WCM-Q and Weill Cornell Medicine in New York joined the graduates to celebrate this academic milestone.
“We are delighted to see this incredibly talented group of physicians obtain their M.D. degrees,” said Dr. Thurayya Arayssi, vice dean for academic and curricular affairs at WCM-Q. “They are not only supremely dedicated to their craft, but also demonstrate great ingenuity and intellectual curiosity, which will enable them to push the frontiers of medical knowledge and enhance healthcare outcomes for patients all over the world. We wish them the very best of success.”
“Class of 2025, you have overcome many hurdles to earn the right to take the Hippocratic Oath today and begin your new lives as doctors,” said Dr. Robert A. Harrington, the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean of Weill Cornell Medicine and provost for medical affairs of Cornell University. “Please remember that no matter where the road takes you, you will always remain a member of the Cornell community. We hope our paths will cross again many times in the future. We wish you every success on the journey ahead and in your mission to help and heal those in need.”
Dr. Robert A. Harrington, the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean of Weill Cornell Medicine.
Mohammed Khalid Ibrahim Ahmed Khalid, who gave the graduate English address, reminded his fellow graduates of the privilege they each had in studying medicine.
“I would like to thank the great State of Qatar and its visionary leaders for providing us with the opportunity to learn the beautiful practice of medicine at this prestigious institution,” he said. “We have been given a gift—use it, and use it to help those who cannot help themselves.”
Giving the graduate Arabic address, Aya Issa Khalil said: “This graduation is more than just a certificate, it is a testament to years of hard work, perseverance, and the steadfast support of everyone who contributed to our journey. We are especially proud that all of our graduates who applied for residency positions in advanced medical specialties successfully matched into prestigious programs, both here in Qatar and in the United States, reflecting their excellence and the strength of our academic training.”
WCM-Q alumna Dr. Bothina Al-Mulla, M.D. ’11, extolled the graduates and their perseverance.
“To the Class of 2025: You overcame a pandemic,” said Dr. Al-Mulla, who is a physician at Hamad Medical Corporation. “You adapted, persisted and grew in a world that was changing around you. That’s not just resilience—it’s brilliance.”
Alumnus Dr. Abdulwahed Zainel, M.D. ’14, now a pediatric infectious disease consultant at Sidra Medicine and assistant professor of clinical pediatrics at WCM-Q, reminded the newly minted doctors of their importance to health care.
“You are walking into a world that needs you—not just your degree, but your compassion, your energy, and your ideas,” he said. “So don’t be afraid to speak up, stand out and maybe even break the mold.”
View full Qatar Commencement photo gallery here.