Fifty pre-medical students from Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) recently visited Aspetar to learn about the application of biomechanics in sports medicine.
The trip provided a unique opportunity for students to see firsthand how physics principles are used in the treatment and prevention of sports-related injuries.
Tour of different departments
During the one-day visit, the students toured different departments within the hospital, including the movement and assessment analysis laboratory and hydropathy pools, the altitude dormitory and climate chamber, the podiatry and virtual reality departments, the motion capture lab, and the medical imaging department. From each department, the students learned about the specific tools and technologies used to diagnose and treat athletes.
Before the tour of the facility, Dr Khalid Alkhelaifi, an orthopaedic surgeon at Aspetar and a WCM-Q alumnus, inspired the students by sharing the challenges and rewards of his career in sports medicine. He pursued his pre-medical education and medical degree at WCM-Q and pursued further studies in Canada and the US.
According to student Alyaa Altamimi, it was amazing to see how the physics concepts they have been learning in class can be applied directly to medicine, with the technology and equipment used in sports medicine bringing the concepts to life.
Moreover, the tour made me realise that sports medicine is diverse, and one can venture into one of its specialities. The experience gave me an insight into how specialists and different teams work together to treat a patient.
Dr Mohammad Yousef, a physics professor at WCM-Q said that with the enormous technological discoveries that are reshaping medicine, it is crucial for future doctors to have a deep understanding of the physics principles involved in treatment and diagnosis. He said that the trip to Aspetar was a great opportunity for students to see the practical applications of physics in sports medicine.
The students were engaged and enthusiastic, and I am confident that this experience will have a positive impact on their academic and professional journeys.
Dr Yousef conveyed his gratitude to Aspetar for providing the WCM-Q students with a platform to see what they learn in school being applied in the real world.
Aspetar is one of the affiliates of WCM-Q. Visits to their facilities help medical students to broaden their knowledge of sports medicine and science while discovering their speciality of interest.
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