Doha – September 24, 2023: Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) recently hosted a two-day webinar titled ‘The Future of Radiation Physics in Medicine.’ The event attracted a record number of 378 attendees from various disciplines in healthcare.

Coordinated by the Division of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) at WCM-Q and directed by Dr. Mohammad Yousef, professor of physics at WCM-Q, the webinar was designed to enable health professionals to analyze the latest developments and trends in medical physics. 
It also highlighted the most promising avenues of research and innovation, shedding light on their prospective influence on healthcare and patient outcomes. Participants were encouraged to engage with field experts for a fruitful exchange of ideas and to harness their creative and strategic insights concerning the discipline’s evolving trajectories.

The webinar featured keynote talks, panel discussions, and interactive sessions with leading experts from around the world. The audience was diverse, encompassing various healthcare professionals. It targeted physicians, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, allied health practitioners, researchers, and students.

World-renowned speakers included Dr. Issam El Naqa, chair of the Department of Machine Learning and senior member of radiation oncology, Moffitt Cancer Center; Dr. Eslam Kamal Mamoun, medical health physicist, Radiation Safety Office, Pittsburgh University; Dr. Nader Metwalli, staff scientist, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; Dr. Sadek Nehmeh, section chief of PET and nuclear physics, and associate professor of medical physics in radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York; Ryan Pennell, chief physicist, NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York; Dr. Ziad Saleh, assistant professor of radiation oncology, Washington University School of Medicine; and Dr. Justin Wilson, associate professor, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Cornell University, associate professor of chemistry in radiology at Weill Cornell Medicine, and faculty fellow at Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability.

Dr. Yousef said: “Over the course of two days, participants had the unique opportunity to hear from leading international experts and discuss the current challenges and opportunities facing medical physicists and practitioners. Topics included innovative medical technologies, the rise of AI and machine learning, and ensuring patient safety in a rapidly changing healthcare environment. The discussions were truly enlightening with a futuristic scope, and the audience was fully engaged.” 

Dr. Thurayya Arayssi, vice dean for academic and curricular affairs at WCM-Q, said: “We continually strive to offer high quality professional development opportunities for physicians and other healthcare professionals based on identified needs and the latest scientific and medical developments. Our ultimate aim is to increase competence and enhance performance, thereby improving the overall healthcare of patients.”  

In Qatar, WCM-Q is accredited as a provider of continuing medical education by the Department of Healthcare Professions (DHP) of the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) and is accredited internationally by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME).