1 1 | Page 8

Forty-six teams of ambitious high school students from Qatar, the US, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Jordan and Bahrain took part in the latest instalment of Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar’s (WCM-Q) annual High School Research Competition.

The event brought a total of 165 students from 26 high schools in Qatar to the college to present research posters to an audience of their peers and a panel of expert WCM-Q judges. A further 12 teams from the international schools presented their research posters to the judging panel via internet link.

The contest, organised by WCM-Q’s Office of Student Outreach and Educational Development, is designed to give high school students opportunities to employ scientific research methods and enhance their presentation skills, while simultaneously inspiring them to explore careers in medicine and research. The suggested themes of the research posters were based on the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals 2030 and their application in Qatar, with topics including health and wellbeing, water and sanitation, sustainable cities and communities, and responsible consumption and production.

Each team comprised up to five students from grades 10 to 12, with each school represented by a maximum of four teams. Led by a science of math teacher from their school, the teams chose topics, conducted research, and created posters to present to the panel. The competition is part of WCM-Q’s Doctors of the Future Conference, a gathering of educational leaders and future medical professionals that took place on April 10 and 11, 2026. The top teams had the opportunity to present their projects during the conference, and one of the top three finalist teams was granted the prestigious Doctors of the Future Conference award.

8