Nour Hisham Al Ziftawi won the second place prize of QR10,000.
Doha: Qatar University (QU) College of Pharmacy (QU-CPH) MSc graduate Nour Hisham Al Ziftawi recently won the 2nd place in the National Three-Minute Thesis Competition (National 3-MT) in Qatar.
Al Ziftawi presented a brief 3-minute presentation on her MSc. research project entitled “Clinical and Pharmacoeconomic Analyses of CDK4/6 Inhibitors Use in Stage IV Breast Cancer Females in the State of Qatar: A Comparative Retrospective Observational Study with Cost-Effectiveness and Cost-Utility Analyses.”
The study not only addresses the clinical aspects of two of the primary medications in the treatment of stage IV breast cancer, but also the economic aspects. Locally, cancer is a well-established challenge in Qatar that was chosen as a major research topic in the Qatar National Research Strategy (QNRS), and is the most commonly diagnosed type of cancer.
Al Ziftawi said: “My experience throughout the Master’s journey was not an easy one. I passed through many ups and downs. However, reaching to the point of getting fruitful results that would directly impact the patient’s health outcomes was my greatest reward. Winning at the National 3MT competition was a great accomplishment that I am really so proud of! It was a great opportunity to deliver the significance of my entire MSc journey to the public. I want to thank my primary supervisor Dr. Mohamed Izham for motivating me to participate and win in this competition, and of course I want to thank the rest of my supervisors and the research team members for their continuous help and guidance.
Dr. Izham, meanwhile, said: “Nour’s research work is great and will significantly impact the healthcare system and society.”
For her part, Head of Research and Graduate Studies at QU-College of Pharmacy (CPH), Dr. Fatima Mraiche, said: “We are proud of our students at QU-CPH whose accomplishments continue to be recognized through national and international awards and making impactful changes to the profession as a whole.”
Moreover, the findings of this research will directly serve the QNRS mission and would be utilized by stakeholder decision makers to inform them about the most cost-effective use of these two medications. The findings, considered novel to the region can be used both locally and internationally. Locally in terms of economic profiles, healthcare systems, and similar populations to Qatar, including Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Middle Eastern countries.
Sara Amani bagged the first prize, while Mohamed Danyal Imam the third prize. Both are from Texas A&M University at Qatar (TAMUQ). First place winner received a checque worth QR15,000; second placer, QR10,000; and third placer, QR7,000.
The project was supervised by QU-CPH Professor of Social and Administrative Pharmacy, Dr. Mohamed Izham Mohamed Ibrahim; QU-College of Health Sciences (CHS) Associate Professor of Health Sciences, Dr. Mohamed Fasihul Alam; University Sains Malaysia School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Professor of Pharmacoeconomics and Outcome Research, Dr. Asrul Akmal Shafie; and the Assistant Director of Pharmacy Department, National Center for Cancer Care and Research (NCCCR) Dr. Shereen El Azzazy. It is also in collaboration with the NCCCR Pharmacy Director Dr. Anas Hamad, and the Oncologist Dr. Salha Bujassoum.
This award is another addition to Al Ziftawi’s accomplishments. She also bagged the second place best research in the Third Youth Research Forum 2021: Identity and Cultural Tourism: Towards a Culture of Sustainable Legacy in Qatar, hosted by QU Young Scientists Center, in cooperation with the Qatar National Commission for Education, Culture and Science. Likewise, she had different scientific representations at regional and local scientific conferences.
The 3MT competition is an academic competition that challenges Masters and PhD students to describe their research within three minutes to a general audience. Its goal is to enhance the communication skills of the students and convey the key point of the research output in layman language.
For this year, seven universities participated in the competition including QU, TAMUQ, Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Al Rayyan International University College, VCUarts Qatar, and University of Calgary-Qatar.
