Students play doctor at Dubai Medical Centre

The Destination Medicine event was staged by the Al Jalila Foundation to encourage more nationals to train as doctors rather than pursue other professions.

Children from Abu Dhabi International School at Mohammed bin Rashid Academic Medical ­Centre in Dubai. Jeffrey E Biteng / The National

DUBAI // Children from across the Emirates have been given an insight into how hospitals work as they attended a conference designed to inspire more young Emiratis to consider a career in medicine.

At Destination Medicine, hosted by Al Jalila Foundation, doctors, surgeons and dentists showed off the latest high-tech teaching methods, using the facilities at Mohammed bin Rashid Academic Medical ­Centre, in Dubai Healthcare City. Workshops gave an idea of the diversity of the field, including careers in sports and in the army.

More than 300 pupils, between 11 and 13, from 21 schools attended the conference, which had the backing of the Ministry of Education and the Knowledge and Human Development Authority.

Mahmoud Abubakr, a teacher at Al Hikmah School in Ajman, said the day gave ­children a good insight into the opportunities that come with a medical degree.

“Our school has 22 students. There has not been much interest before in medicine, but that may change now,” he said.

“It has been good for them to speak with doctors and hopefully one or two of them will now consider a medical career.

“They were particularly interested in the demonstrations using models and technology.”

Children participated in a number of workshops and activities including first aid, sports medicine, nursing and medical robotics, provided by the National Emergency Response Volunteer Programme in Abu Dhabi.

Fun exercises included listening to each other’s heartbeat through a stethoscope and testing their reflexes with the tap of a hammer on the knee.

“I was interested in learning about the different body parts and to find out how the heart works,” said Ammar Al Hosny, a 12-year-old pupil at Al Hikmah School. “The model made it easy to understand. It takes a long time to become a doctor, and some of the things they have to do is disgusting. I don’t like blood so I’m not sure if I would make a good doctor.”

The centre is a replica of a working hospital, complete with emergency room, with dummy patients that respond to treatment from students. It houses a dentistry training centre and a simulated operating theatre.

It attracts students from across the Gulf and will become a university from next year.

Youngsters met medical students from UAE University to learn more about the challenges and rewards of studying medicine.

Mahra Al Fattan, a student from Dubai in her third year at UAE University’s college of medicine, demonstrated a life-size model of the human body and its internal organs.

“A lot of young people see doctors as the highest of occupations. So they may be put off by the training (involved) and not become one themselves,” she said.

“We have been showing them the basics to give them a better understanding so they may one day consider going to medical college.

“We do not have many male students in our college as many men want to finish their studies as early as possible. It is a six-year programme, so it takes time.

“But, all of that is worth it when someone says to you, ‘thank you doctor’.”

At the event, Al Jalila Foundation honoured two Emirati students who enrolled for medical studies after attending the inaugural workshop last year.

Nouf Al Marzouqi is pursuing a bachelor of medicine, bachelor of surgery (MBBS) at the University of Sharjah, and Amna Nasser is studying biomedical engineering at Khalifa University of Science, Technology and Research.

The foundation has started receiving applications for its postgraduate medical scholarships programme for the next academic year.

“The well-being of UAE residents depends on the quality of the healthcare sector, in particular the calibre of people that work in it,” said Dr Abdulkareem Al Olama, the foundation’s chief executive.

“Al Jalila Foundation aims to develop a generation of home-grown medical professionals and Destination Medicine is the perfect platform to bring together aspiring young minds to connect with leaders in health care.”