Need to encourage more Qatari students to study medicine, say doctors

Long period of study one of the factors that discourages students from pursuing this profession

Published: 9 July 2024

NT Bureau
Doha

With the recent announcement of the Secondary School results, there is a need to encourage more Qatari students to study medicine as more nationals are required in this profession, some doctors have said, according to Al Raya.

There are several reasons behind students’ reluctance to study medicine, and doctors presented a number of proposals that can be used to encourage students to engage in studying this important field.

“One of the most important reasons that pushes a high school student not to study medicine is the length of the study period. Therefore, the medical student compares himself/herself to their colleagues who study in other universities and graduate from them after only 4 years, while the study of medicine extends to six years,” the report said.

Doctors called for intensifying plans to attract Qatari students to study medicine, explaining that many still feel that job opportunities are better in many other fields than medicine, especially in terms of financial returns and also in terms of quality of life, the report says.

They pointed out that the percentage of Qatari doctors does not exceed 10-15% in all specializations, explaining that the Qatari doctor has proven his superiority in many fields, and therefore parents must encourage their children to engage in this important profession that our country Qatar needs to increase the percentage of national cadres working in this profession.

Dr. Mohammed Jaham Al Kuwari, Senior Consultant in Obesity Surgery, confirmed that the Qatari doctor still feels that job opportunities are better in many fields than in medicine, especially in terms of financial return and also in terms of quality of life, especially due to studying first and then going for training after graduation and the necessity of working and studying throughout life to keep pace with the changes in this field that is witnessing continuous development.

“Therefore, the doctor is always in a state of continuous study and research, which is not easy for everyone, and requires special types of individuals who must first have the desire to work in this field,” Dr. Mohammed Jaham Al Kuwari said.

Dr. Abdullah Al Hamaq, Executive Director of the Qatar Diabetes Association, said: “Studying medicine is one of the most difficult courses and it is a lifelong study. Hence, the issue of some young people’s reluctance to join the College of Medicine is a result of the hardship and effort that the student encounters during his studies, and later during the practice of the profession.”

He explained that some may want to practice easy work that brings him a large return without difficulty, and this is something that the medical profession does not provide. Perhaps this explains the reluctance of many students to study medicine after high school, and hence the importance of the desire and self-motivation of the student to join this field.