Shortage of Qatari healthcare professionals

Qatar has a “severe shortage” of trained Qatari healthcare professionals, with only five nationals graduating as doctors each year, a senior Hamad Medical Corp. official has been quoted as saying.

150 graduates are needed each year to meet increasing demand.The official was speaking at the launch of a government scholarship fund for Qatari students.

Under the scheme, which takes effect this fall, those given a grant will benefit from generous allowances of QR10,000 a month in the first year of their program, rising to QR26,000 a month for the fourth and subsequent years of study.

In a bid to help address the shortfall in qualified personnel, Qatar University announced late last year that it would be launching a new College of Medicine, with its first intake of undergraduate students expected this September.

So far, at least 23 students – including 17 Qataris – have been conditionally accepted to start the six-year MD program in what will be Qatar’s first public medical school.