Dear Prospective Student, Congratulations on taking the first steps to applying to Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar! This brochure will help you to understand the steps and requirements of the application process. The Offices of Student Recruitment and Admissions are also available to answer any questions you may have about the procedures. We look forward to working with you as you submit and complete your application. It is to your benefit to complete and submit your application as soon as you are able so that the Admissions team may begin processing and corresponding with you regarding any questions we or you may have. We encourage you to check your application in the status section of the online application. If you are a resident of Qatar, there are several opportunities to meet with Student Recruitment and Admissions Team members through school visits or participation in admission workshops. Of course, you can also contact us at any time during office hours. In addition, you can participate in many of our open house activities, public events, or simply schedule an appointment to meet with one of our representatives. If you are a regional or international student, there will be some opportunities to meet with us as we conduct regional roadshows and school visits during the fall semester. For information about visits conducted at your school, please contact your high school counselor. We look forward to meeting you! For more details about dates and locations of our activities in general, please visit our website where we announce all our upcoming events and activities. Thank you for your interest in. 1
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About WCMC-Q Established in partnership with Qatar Foundation, Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar (WCMC-Q) is part of Cornell University and Weill Cornell Medical College (WCMC), the first US institution to offer its MD degree overseas. WCMC-Q shares the triple mission of WCMC: a dedication to excellence in education, patient care, and biomedical research. Cornell is a major research university with strengths in the life sciences, physical sciences, humanities, and social sciences. Faculty members work in collaborative, multidisciplinary teams to extend the frontiers of knowledge in diverse and numerous fields of study. With 13,500 undergraduates and 6,000 graduate students, Cornell University is the largest and youngest university in the Ivy League. Its campus includes 14 colleges and schools: seven undergraduate units and four graduate and professional units in Ithaca; two medical graduate and professional units in New York City, and one in Doha, Qatar. Founded in 1898, and affiliated with what is now NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital since 1927, Weill Cornell Medical College is among the top-ranked clinical and medical research centers in the US. Weill Cornell Medical College is divided into 24 basic science and patient care departments that focus on the sciences underlying clinical medicine and/or encompass the study, treatment, and prevention of human diseases. offers students the opportunity to study in an atmosphere that is both stimulating and challenging. Our progressive science curriculum emphasizes active learning, self-directed inquiry, and active and creative partnership between students and faculty. The clinical program is characterized by early exposure to a patient population that may be the most diverse in the world. Our students embody a passion for changing the world and for improving and transforming healthcare. 3
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Education Programs The educational mission of follows an educational philosophy that emphasizes the importance of combining a strong basic foundation in the medical sciences with extensive clinical training in patient care. By promoting a true social commitment, stimulating creativity, and fostering independent thought and study, WCMC-Q makes a vital contribution to training tomorrow s leaders in the field of medicine. Pre-medical Program The Pre-medical Program at WCMC-Q is a two-year non-degree course of study designed to prepare students to meet the educational requirements of the four-year, degree-awarding Medical Program. The selection of subject material for the course is guided by the following statement from the Medical School Admission Requirements 2003-2004 published by the Association of American Medical Colleges: The study and practice of medicine are based on modern concepts in biology, chemistry and physics, and on appreciation of the scientific method. Hence, mastery of these basic scientific principles is expected of all entering medical students. These courses should be academically rigorous and acceptable for students majoring in those areas. All science courses should include adequate laboratory exercises. The course content focuses on those aspects of the basic sciences that have direct relevance to medicine. The courses are identical to those taught on the Ithaca campus and are supplemented by laboratory sessions including demonstration experiments given during the lecture periods. First year courses include Biology, Chemistry, Calculus, Physics, Laboratory Sessions and Writing Seminar. Second year courses include more advanced courses in biology and chemistry disciplines, such as organic chemistry, biochemistry, genetics, neuroscience and immunology. Introductory psychology and medical ethics courses round out the second year curriculum. 5
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The small class size and student to faculty ratio enhance the WCMC-Q classroom experience. Several of the classes have teaching assistants who are available to assist students in their subject and learning development. There are extensive opportunities to take part in related extra-curricular activities, by spending time at local hospitals and clinics, and joining research teams. All applicants must submit an online application prior to the appropriate deadline. The Pre-medical application can be found at: https://premedapplication.qatar-weill.cornell.edu/ Below is a checklist of required documents that need to be submitted to complete your application. Completed application and personal statement (submitted online) Two or more letters of reference, one of which must be from your science or math teacher and the second from your counselor or principal (reference forms are available with online application) Official transcripts of course grades from all secondary and postsecondary programs of study Certified copies of any diplomas and degrees earned Official results of standardized external examinations such as the SAT or ACT exams (SAT Reasoning Test or ACT with Writing. SAT Subject Tests are recommended in Mathematics Level II and two relevant sciences.) Official results of an approved English proficiency examination: either the TOEFL or IELTS Photocopy of student s valid passport One passport-size photograph These requirements and other important information can also be reviewed at: www.qatar-weill.cornell.edu Please note that all original documents submitted with the application become property of WCMC-Q and cannot be returned. 7
WCMC-Q selects applicants for interview on a competitive basis, according to the extent to which they fulfill the Pre-medical admission requirements. Please note that not all applicants are selected for interviews. Applicants asked to appear for interviews must participate in this process in order to be considered for acceptance. All interviews are held in Doha, Qatar. PRE-MEDICAL APPLICATION TIMELINE Gathering required documents and submitting them to the Admissions Office During the last two years of high school Students prepare for standardized tests Fall Semester Early September : Online application available February 1st Application Submission Deadline March 1st Application Completion Deadline Taking Standardized Tests Interviews for selected students For exact dates of the current application cycle, please refer to the insert of this brochure. 8
Foundation Program The WCMC-Q Foundation Program* is a one-year program designed as a pathway to entering the Pre-medical Program. It allows students to study the relevant subjects while they develop the study skills, habits, critical thinking, and knowledge application needed to successfully complete the Pre-medical Program. The subjects students will study have been specially designed to provide students with appropriate academic background for their intended degree. Foundation students study biology, physics, chemistry, and calculus, as well as English. Foundation faculty are Cornell University professors who can prepare applicants for the challenges of the intensive Pre-medical Program. Students will re-apply to the Pre-medical Program after completion of the Foundation Program. * Offered to selected students only. Students should apply to the Pre-medical Program to be considered for the Foundation Program. 9
Medical Program offers the highly successful curriculum of the Weill Cornell Medical College. In the first two years, the curriculum is composed of five consecutive, full time, integrated basic science courses (Molecules, Genes and Cells, Human Structure and Function, Host Defenses, Brain and Mind, and Basis of Disease) and the year-long patient-doctor courses known as Medicine, Patients and Society I and II. The clinical curriculum consists of an introduction to clinical clerkships, followed by the traditional third-year clerkship rotations in the principal clinical disciplines, and fourth year selective and elective courses. 10
The following are the principal features of the curriculum: Integration of the teaching of the basic and clinical sciences: this is achieved by offering interdisciplinary, sequential basic science courses; structuring the sciences into basic and advanced modalities; exposing the students to clinical concepts from the first week of classes; and providing early clinical experiences in physician s offices. Problem based learning (PBL) in the basic sciences; PBL emphasizes active learning and requires the student first to identify issues needed to solve a medical problem, then to seek out the information needed to solve the problem, and then to reconvene in small groups to apply the information learned. Thus, basic sciences are learned in a clinical context. Gradual acquisition of clinical skills in the first two years preceding the traditional training in clinical medicine of years three and four. Medicine, Patients and Society series: a three-year, integrated sequence in public health, behavioral sciences, psycho-social medicine, ethics and clinical skills. Emphasis on self-education by students who will spend a significant proportion of their time learning in small groups or individually through independent study. Problem-solving and critical thinking skills are emphasized, so that students acquire the ability to, on their own, absorb and evaluate the ever-increasing amount of new scientific knowledge, both during their years of post-doctoral training and in professional practice. To apply to the Medical Program all applicants must submit an online application available at: https://medapplication.qatar-weill.cornell.edu Below is a checklist of required documents that need to be submitted to complete your application. Completed application and personal statement (submitted online) One letter of reference from the Pre-Professional Advisory Committee of your college or university or at least two letters from professors who can provide a detailed evaluation of your performance in university science courses (reference forms are available within the online application) Official results of MCAT (mandatory) Official/certified copies of all college and university transcripts Official/certified copies of all diplomas and degrees earned Photocopy of student s valid passport One passport-size photograph These requirements and other important information can also be reviewed at: www.qatar-weill.cornell.edu Please note that all documents submitted with the application become property of WCMC-Q and cannot be returned. 11
WCMC-Q selects external applicants for interview on a competitive basis, according to the extent to which they fulfill the admission requirements. Please note that not all applicants are selected for interviews. Applicants asked to appear for interviews must participate in this process in order to be considered for acceptance. All interviews are held in Doha, Qatar. MEDICAL APPLICATION TIMELINE External Applicants Students Who did not Complete their Pre-medical Studies at WCMC-Q Internal Applicants Students Who Completed their Pre-medical Studies at WCMC-Q Fall Semester Online Application Available Fall Semester Online Application Available December 15th Complete Application Submission March 1st Complete Application Submission For exact dates of the current application cycle, please refer to the insert of this brochure. 12
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Financial Aid Qatari Applicants Qatari applicants are eligible for financial sponsorship by government agencies such as the Higher Education Institute and Sidra Medical and Research Center. Applicants may contact these agencies to receive further information. Non-Qatari Applicants Qatar Foundation offers need-based financial assistance through the Hamad Bin Khalifa Financial Aid Program to help students meet the financial obligations of their universities. Financial aid given to students through this program is in the form of loans. In exchange for the loans awarded, students will be expected upon graduation to repay the full amount of the loan according to a repayment plan or to participate in a paid service program at an organization in Qatar approved by Qatar Foundation. The Financial Aid Committee at Qatar Foundation will determine financial need according to a uniform method of need analysis. Qatar Foundation strives to maintain fair and equitable financial aid policies and practices that ensure equal access for all students who have been admitted to an Education City university. Financial aid recipients will go through an annual re-evaluation process. This will involve completing supplementary forms and providing updates on previously submitted documents. Students will also be assigned to meet periodically with a financial aid representative from the Education Division of Qatar Foundation. For further information please visit: www.myeducationcity.com/financial-aid/financial-aid/ 14
OFFICE OF ADMISSIONS Education City PO Box 24811 Doha, Qatar Office: +974 4492 8500 f. +974 4492 8555 Email: admissions@qatar-med.cornell.edu Website: www.qatar-weill.cornell.edu