Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), on behalf of the Academic Health System (AHS) partners, organised a one-day conference to showcase partnership developments and highlight career opportunities in the academic health network in Qatar.
Leaders from eight AHS member organisations discussed the power of the AHS partnership in delivering better quality care through collaboration and collective knowledge sharing, and highlighted the importance of translational research in its contribution to the future of healthcare in the country.
Speakers at the symposium included HMC chief of scientific, faculty, and academic affairs, Prof Edward Hillhouse; Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar dean, Dr Javaid Sheikh; Qatar Biomedical Research Institute executive director Dr Hilal Lashuel; HMC’s chief medical officer, Prof Mike Richmond; dean and CEO of University of Calgary in Qatar, Dr Kim Critchley; Sidra Medical and Research Centre chief research officer, Dr Francesco Marincola; and HMC’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer and Director of Medical Education, Dr Abdullatif al-Khal.
HMC managing director Dr Hanan al-Kuwari commended progress made by the AHS partners since the partnership’s inception in 2011.
“The AHS began by establishing a strong foundation, developing the building blocks to enable the highest quality clinical care, innovative research, and excellence in education. We have now moved to the next stage of our development, and are implementing this new approach, changing the way we work, learn, teach and innovate,” al-Kuwari said.
Prof Hillhouse commented that clinical and translational research is a vital component of academic health in Qatar, and much progress had been made in its application at HMC.
“We have established a healthcare model within the AHS framework that sees us now capable of delivering that bench to bedside ideal, where research discoveries made in the laboratory can be accelerated into practice, and used effectively to help with patients’ recovery from illness,” Prof Hillhouse said.
A session on careers in academic health highlighted opportunities for clinical professionals across various domains, including medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and the allied health professions, as well as in scientific research. The session also highlighted existing and new research facilities under development, and mechanisms to access research grants and other funding opportunities.
Representatives of AHS member organisations at the conference.
