Sidra Medical and Research Centre recruited 150 candidates for scholarships in the medical field at the recent seventh annual UK-Qatar Career Fair in London.

The number is a testament to the growing interest among Qatari students in pursuing a career in medicine, Sidra has said in a statement.

The Sidra Scholarship Team was on hand to speak to Qatari students pursuing studies in UK universities. More than 300 students turned up for the event.

The students pointed out that Sidra is one of the best places in Qatar to sponsor students and they particularly enjoyed the presentation by Dr Bothina al-Mulla, (a current scholarship student at Sidra), the
statement adds.

Ambassadors, HE the Minister of Education and diplomats visited the Sidra Scholarship Team at the fair. So far, 11 students have commenced the application process and begun their interviews and many more are expected in the coming weeks.

Noora al-Fadala, manager of the Scholarship Office, said: “Meeting Qatari students around the world is an inspiring experience because you see the lengths they go to pursue their passion and bring back their knowledge to build Qatar’s expertise. Sidra is committed to transforming local talent into world-class expertise and with over 90% of scholarships going to Qataris, we are on track to
realise our vision.”

The Sidra Scholarship Programme helps prepare those interested in building a career with Sidra by equipping them with the necessary skills and experience. It is part of Sidra’s vision to grow domestic talent into world-renowned medical professionals, according to the statement.

The programme, currently sponsoring more than 250 students, supports study in medical fields and scholarships are offered in bachelor and post-bachelor degrees, PhDs, residencies, fellowships and research programmes.

Sidra also has the Jana Programme, a development opportunity offered to Qataris who hold a bachelor’s degree from a recognised university in health, HR, IT or business. If selected, Qataris take part in a training programme in one of Sidra’s project team departments (HR, Finance, IT, PMO, Clinical Planning, Support Services, Communications), where they are exposed to a healthcare environment and learn about a variety of career options.