Qatar University’s, College of Pharmacy (QU-CPH) held a number of online orientation sessions for its incoming undergraduate and graduate students during the first month of the classes.
QU-CPH welcomed 53 new admissions into the general pharmacy and foundation programme and more than 50% of them are Qatari nationals. A total of 25 male students were admitted this academic year at the College of Pharmacy in addition to 35 students who were accepted into the pharmacy major.
Dr Mohamed Diab, assistant professor and dean, CPH said,“We are pleased to greet general pharmacy students to the College of Pharmacy and to welcome male students for the first time in the history of QU-CPH General Pharmacy into our premises. We are keen that our students receive the best learning opportunity they can get and to prepare them to provide optimal pharmaceutical care and advance healthcare outcomes, to promote research and scholarly activity, and to serve as a pharmacy resource for Qatar, the Middle East and the world.”
Orientation session started with welcoming remarks by dean Dr Diab, associate dean for academic affairs Dr Maguy El-Hajj and assistant Dean for student affairs Dr Alla El-Awaisi. In addition Dr Anas Hamad, director, Pharmacy Department, National Centre for Cancer Care & Research & head of medication safety & quality centre, HMC Pharmacy Executive Office spoke to the students about the pharmacy profession and opportunities available to pharmacists upon graduation.
QU CPH faculty members also greeted the new students before inviting them to introduce themselves.
During the programme, students got the chance to learn more about Qatar Pharmacy Undergraduate Society, their learning style, how to use College’s innovative technological teaching aids: Blackboard and the video-capture programme Echo360, tips and tricks on how to succeed in their pharmacy journey and finally a short presentation on the support services offered by the college success oasis.
Following the undergraduate student orientation, QU CPH delivered an orientation session to welcome eight Master of Science in Pharmacy – MSc (Pharm) and one Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) student who were admitted this academic year. Head of Research and Graduate Studies for Pharmacy, Dr Mohamed Izham led the orientation programme and gave the students an overview of their study plan and expectations from the programme.
Additionally, 14 students entered their full-time Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD). Director of the PharmD programme, Dr Bridget Javed, led the orientation activities and provided an overview about the PharmD programme, an introduction to placements in all the HMC hospitals in Qatar, updated students on the Covid-19 policy and provided an orientation to Value (a new online experiential education platform).
