Doha: 10 June 2023: The Itqan Clinical Simulation and Innovation Center (Itqan) was recently recognized at the Qatar Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Summit Awards ceremony, sponsored by Qatar University, for having the ‘Best CSR Initiative’ in the Education Sector category. Itqan is a world-class training and education facility in Qatar, established by Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC). It is one of the largest and most technologically advanced simulation centers globally, providing healthcare professionals and students with an opportunity to develop and refine their clinical skills, knowledge, judgment, communication, and teamwork in a safe environment.
As part of its social responsibility, Itqan has established a CSR program, as part of the Health Professions Awareness Program (HPAP) under the Department of Medical Education, to inspire high school students, especially Qatari students, to consider pursuing medicine and other health professions as future career options and to join the relevant undergraduate programs at local universities. The Itqan CSR program has proven to be an outstanding success to date, with over 3500 high-school students getting an immersive healthcare service experience in one of the 52 CSR educational tours organized in 2022. The program has the potential to help address the shortage of medical professionals in Qatar and is designed to contribute to the development of the healthcare workforce in the region.
Dr. Abdullatif Al-Khal, Deputy Chief Medica Officer at HMC and Director of the Medical Education Department, said that the Corporation is committed to providing a high quality immersive learning and continuing professional development opportunities for HMC staff and for the clinicians in Qatar: “Itqan is already internationally (provisionally) recognized for its state-of-the art facility and educational programs by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare Accreditation Program, which gives more credibility to our Center as a strategic building block in the development of medical, nursing and allied healthcare professionals and health students seeking to advance their clinical competences.”
“I am very delighted that Itqan has also been recognized in Qatar for its valuable CSR efforts that have only been initiated in the past few years but which will have a significant impact on developing the next generation of healthcare professionals from within our bright young school students. This program has a positive impact on the local community, providing high-school students in Qatar with an opportunity to learn about the healthcare industry through immersive experiences designed to help them consider pursuing a career in medicine. This program falls within our wider HPAP which is under the Department of Medical Education”, added Dr. Al-Khal.
The Qatar CSR Awards, which recognize organizations that have made special contributions to the community and to sustainable development goals, were presented at the recently held Qatar CSR Summit in Doha. The Qatar CSR Summit is hosted by Qatar University as part of the Qatar CSR National Program, which is endorsed by H.E Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar, to serve as a platform for local and international CSR experts and professionals to discuss how organizations can use CSR to integrate economic, social, and environmental objectives with their operations.
The summit forms part of the Qatar CSR National Program, which is based upon a partnership of ministries, governmental and non-governmental bodies, multinationals and the business sector.
