The first Multi-Disciplinary Child Healthcare Professionals Education Forum in Qatar was held over the course of two consecutive days – 4 and 5 December 2012. The ultimate purpose of the forum was three-fold: to define educational priorities for child healthcare professionals, to evaluate educational support required for the Academic Health System (AHS) in Qatar, and to integrate the key themes identified within the educational pillar of the AHS initiative.
The event was co-sponsored by Hamad Medical Corporation and Sidra Medical and Research Center – two key players in pediatric healthcare education in Qatar. The forum was chaired by Dr. Ibrahim Janahi, Associate Professor of Pediatrics-Weill Cornell Medical College and Program Director of Arab Board Pediatric Resident Program at Hamad Medical Corporation. Other participants included education leaders from various organizations involved in the AHS initiative including College of the North Atlantic – Qatar (CNA-Q), Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), University of Calgary – Qatar (UCQ), Qatar University (QU), and Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar (WCMC-Q). In addition, visiting subject matter experts from The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) helped to facilitate the event.
The forum commenced with a welcome dinner on the evening of Tuesday 4 December, 2012 at the Grand Hyatt-Doha. Welcome remarks and introduction to the forum were presented by Dr. Ibrahim Janahi. A keynote address followed which was put forward by Dr. William Owen, Chief Executive Officer-Sidra Medical and Research Center. Finally, Dr. Daune MacGregor, Associate Medical Director- SickKids International, offered a brief overview of the activities planned for the following day.
On Wednesday, 5 December 2012, the participants met at the Four Seasons Hotel to carry out the activities of the second day of the forum. The day instigated with the presentation of welcome remarks by Dr. Edward Ogata, Chief Medical Officer-Sidra Medical and Research Center; followed by an overview of the AHS initiative, which was provided by Dr. Abdul Latif Al-Khal, Director of the Department of Medical Education, Hamad Medical Corporation. In addition, the other AHS organizations gave a brief presentation outlining the current and future status of education at their institutions.
Discipline-specific breakout groups were set up to discuss educational resources, partnership opportunities and additional needs to advance the learning environment within the context of the morning presentations. The four breakout groups provided a summary of their deliberations to all participants.
After a short lunch break, the participants convened into four inter-professional, cross-organizational groups, in order to identify opportunities and priorities for each of the themes derived from the morning session which include: evolution from collaboration to integration; introduction of inter-professional learning; and development of capacity and sustainability. Each of the groups presented back a synopsis about their findings to all participants.
Following the conclusion of the formal part of the agenda by Dr. Ibrahim Janahi, the presenters, facilitators and organizers assembled eagerly to discuss the next steps. It was agreed that a Pediatric Education Task Force will be established, so as to ensure effective implementation of the recommendations that stemmed from the forum.
Principally, the event was a great opportunity for the many organizations involved in the AHS initiative to enhance their collaboration and take part in the identification of pediatric healthcare education priorities for 2013. The plan is to have the 2nd forum at the end of 2013 to update on progress.
