WCM-Q alumni during the event in New York City.
Doha, Qatar: Thirty-four Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) alumni now based in the US came together for a reunion event at the Yale Club of New York City in Midtown Manhattan.
The event was attended by alumni from each graduating class spanning the period 2011 to 2024. The former WCM-Q students now hold positions at some of the most prestigious healthcare institutions in the US, including NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Brown Medicine in Providence, Rhode Island, and Yale New Haven Hospital in Connecticut, to name but a few.
Also in attendance were Dr. Javaid Sheikh, dean of WCM-Q, Dr. Thurayya Arayssi, vice dean for academic and curricular affairs, Deema Al Sheikhly, director for medical education and continuing professional development, Abdalraouf Al Dweiri, alumni affairs specialist, and Houri Tcheroyan, manager of WCM-Q’s New York Office. They were joined by Weill Cornell Medicine in New York colleagues Dr. Michael G. Stewart, interim senior associate dean of education, and Dr. Vishal Dodia, assistant professor of clinical medicine.
Between them, the alumni who attended are now engaged in a wide range of areas of specialization, including neurology, ophthalmology, neonatology, obstetrics/gynecology, psychiatry, internal medicine, surgery, and cardiology, among others.
The event was designed to provide a forum to allow former students to build networking connections, particularly between junior and senior alumni. There were also presentations to share news of alumni achievements, and new programs and initiatives at WCM-Q. Dr. Sheikh gave a speech outlining WCM-Q’s recent activities and research areas, with particular focus on innovation in medicine and advances in the application of AI and machine learning in healthcare.
Class of 2023 alumnus Dr. Zainab Al Ansari, now a psychiatry resident at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, said, “During my time as a medical student at WCM-Q, I deeply appreciated the way the institution invested in fostering connections among the student body. Now, as an alum, I’m happy to say that the effort is carried forward through events like this reunion. It was wonderful to see how many graduates we have in all specialities, and to build personal and professional connections that can be helpful in future. It also gave me insight into the landscape of healthcare in various cities and hospitals, and provided a platform for us to discuss collaborative efforts and learn from each other. I look forward to seeing the WCM-Q community continue to grow and strengthen.”
Dr. Sheikh said, “It was an absolute joy to see so many familiar faces and to hear about the remarkable careers our alumni are building for themselves, as well as their exciting plans for the future. Our ever-expanding alumni community has become a thriving network for facilitating collaborative projects, developing new ideas and accessing opportunities in healthcare in Qatar, the US, and beyond.”
