WCMC-Q joins elite Global Education Medicine initiative

Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar (WCMC-Q) has joined an elite group of prestigious universities promoting international exchange in medical education that aims to connect educators and students around the world and engaging in a global dialogue.

The United States Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) has launched the Global Education Medicine (GEMx) initiative.

This will allow medical schools from around the world to establish strong relationships with other schools to provide students with a wide range of high-quality educational opportunities.  

ECFMG has formed an advisory committee that includes representatives from medical schools including Australia, India, Ireland, Mexico, and Qatar, as well as representatives from ECFMG’s non-profit foundation, the Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research. 

WCMC-Q Associate Dean for Global and Public Health, Ravinder Mamtani, MD has been selected to serve as a member of the GEMx Advisory Committee.

“Inclusion in this prestigious program means that we will now be able to provide even greater opportunities to our medical students,” Professor Mamtani said.  “Through this mechanism that has been established, it will allow our students to apply for electives almost anywhere in the world in schools of their preference. It is a great opportunity. It is also a great opportunity for students of other accredited medical schools to come to WCMC-Q.

“This exchange between students is a step in the right direction. It will add to the experience of students. Health is a shared responsibility and for that we have medical education.”

Professor Mamtani said Qatar became involved in this program because of the growing reputation of WCMC-Q as a provider of quality medical education and an active research program. “Professional institutions and other leading medical education institutions are aware that Cornell has a branch campus in Qatar and that this campus provides high quality education comparable to the medical education program in New York and that our graduates are placed in very prestigious residency positions in the U.S.,” Professor Mamtani said.

“Also, a wide range of presentations at international forums by our faculty is bringing WCMC-Q into the limelight. Indeed, this is a tribute to the high quality work being done on our campus; the performance by our students   who are doing as well as the U.S. and Canadian students; a very strong research program; high caliber faculty and   clinical program; global health initiatives;  dedicated staff and also community outreach efforts. That is how we came to be invited to participate in this program.”

WCMC-Q Dean Dr. Javaid Sheikh welcomed the association with GEMx. “This is a facility that will be of significant benefit to our students and faculty. It is a tribute to the hard work and academic leadership shown and we are delighted to be associated with the Global Education Medicine (GEMx) initiative,” Dr. Sheikh said.

GEMx is an exciting new service that will facilitate and promote international exchange in medical education, providing medical schools and students with access to the two most essential components of effective exchange programs: information and community.

It will allow medical schools to promote their electives to students around the world, and to establish strong relationships with other schools to provide students with a wide range of high-quality international educational opportunities. Students will have access to accurate, comprehensive information on available electives, including languages of instruction, program dates, prerequisites, curriculum, and fees.

They will be able to evaluate and compare electives to find the opportunity that best fits their career objectives and interests, and apply directly to these electives using the GEMx application system.

Development of the web-based GEMx application system is underway. ECFMG expects to launch a pilot of the new service in late 2013.

The Philadelphia-based ECFMG is a world leader in promoting quality health care to physicians, members of the medical education and regulatory communities, health care consumers, and those researching issues in medical education and health workforce planning. ECFMG also evaluates whether international medical graduates are ready to enter U.S. graduate medical education programs and offers a variety of other programs for IMGs and the entities worldwide that educate, train, register/license, and employ them.

ECFMG’s organizational members are the American Board of Medical Specialties; American Medical Association; Association of American Medical Colleges; Association for Hospital Medical Education; Federation of State Medical Boards of the United States, Inc.; and the National Medical Association.