The two-week internship is designed to enhance the knowledge of healthcare providers with the latest genome issues related to the medical sector. The initiative aims to develop the skills of interns in genomics to help them understand the future of precision medicine, with Qatar being one of the pioneering nations in this area. The course includes an in-depth discussion on a number of issues from genome data, genomic reports, and some clinical issues related to precision medicine.
Prof Asma al-Thani, chair of the Qatar Genome National Committee, said, “This internship aims to support workers in various health sectors to open up to the future of precision medicine, and to demonstrate its importance in all different stages of research, analysis, and treatment options, and genetic counselling; as both genomic research and medicine will play a key role in the future of healthcare worldwide.”
Dr Said Ismail, manager, QGP, said: “In Qatar, we aim to create a medical community that is ready to integrate with genomic advancements, to provide optimal and specialised healthcare, based on our belief that the efforts of all medical institutions should be combined to practically apply precision medicine.”
A total of 15 interns were selected through a competitive screening process, due to high demand, including resident physicians, nurses, and graduates from pharmacy and biomedical sciences faculties across Qatari universities.
“It was a unique experience. The subjects and the selection of lecturers were distinctive, and the best part was our sense of mutual benefit, since each of us came from a different medical background,” said Dr. Sumaya Abdul Aziz, whose colleague Iman El-Ezzouani, a researcher at Weill Cornell Medicine - Qatar, added: “The programme helped me understand the future prospects of medicine.”
Another intern, Dr Ahmed al-Ghabawi, a resident at HMC, described his experience, saying: “I hope that all healthcare providers become aware of the applications of precision medicine, to provide better care for patients.”
A workshop in progress at the QGP event.
Qatar Genome Programme (QGP) has concluded its third annual summer internship, titled ‘Genome Interpretation: from Sequencing to Counselling’. It was attended by a group of resident physicians and nurses at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), as well as biomedical graduates and pharmacists from Qatari universities.
