Three of the new students - Mina, Clare and Evelyn
Some 45 students have joined the University of Calgary in Qatar (UCQ) to pursue a Bachelor of Nursing degree, bringing student enrolment at the institution to 225.
“We are on the move. We are growing. We are becoming well recognised in the Qatar community as people know we have a quality programme and most importantly, more people are realising the value of a career in nursing,” UCQ dean and chief executive officer Dr Carolyn Byrne said while welcoming the students at an orientation session.
“Students are often overwhelmed when they join any university. But we want our students to know that we are here to support them and help them succeed. We have highly skilled faculty and they are committed to providing quality nursing education,” she said.
Dr Byrne also expressed her gratitude to Hamad Medical Corporation and Sidra Medical Centre for sponsoring many of the students who are presently employed in the healthcare system.
Hanaa al-Subaei, a student, who has 30 years experience in healthcare and is now Al Wakra Hospital assistant executive director, said: “I am thrilled with the educational opportunity that has been made possible through the vision and dreams of the Emir HH Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani and HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser. They want all Qataris to become well educated to help lead the country’s growth and progress in the coming years,” Al-Subaei said urging other Qataris to consider a career in nursing.
“Qataris feel more comfortable with having another Qatari caring for them in hospital. They know the culture, the language and the traditions that are important in providing support to the patients and their families,” she said.
Evelyn Edwards, who recently moved to Qatar from Canada, is fulfilling a lifelong dream of becoming a nurse saying: “I’ve had a wonderful career in accounting but I always wanted to become a nurse. I was pleasantly surprised, when I moved here, to discover UCQ was offering a Bachelor of Nursing programme. So, one of the first things I did was to apply for enrolment.”
Clare Cooke, from the UK and a mother of four, who has been in Qatar for two years said: “I always wanted to be a nurse too and I have heard very good things about UCQ.”
Mina Mohamadpour, an Iranian, who was born in Qatar, said she has always dreamt about becoming a nurse: “Since I was a kid, I always wanted to take care of people. So, this is a dream come true.”
Related Story