Students at Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar (WCMC-Q) are finding better ways to tackle intensive premedical courses, thanks to an extension of Cornell University's teaching assistant (TA) program to Doha.

Over the past four years, WCMC-Q has attracted TAs with excellent academic records, a spirit for adventure and a talent for teaching, explains David Robertshaw, professor of physiology and associate dean for premedical education in Doha.

The TAs are full-time employees who help teach the first and second year premedical courses. They also run laboratory sessions and grade exams. Unlike Cornell TAs, who are usually pursuing doctoral degrees, Doha's TAs devote all their time to working with students.

"The people we have here (in Qatar) are, for the most part, premedical students who take a year off after finishing their undergraduate degree before going to medical school. They are generally recent Cornell graduates who have previously taken the courses they are assisting in," Robertshaw says.

Qatari first-year medical student Muneera Al Muhannadi observes that her TAs gave valuable advice based on their recent experience as students and their firm grasp of the subjects. "They helped me a lot by explaining and answering my questions, and they taught me skills like how to take notes and skim a book. They also helped me understand the style of each course," she said. "I think that TAs are important to the learning process and without them, some courses would be difficult to pass."

To train the TAs, Michael Pungente, assistant professor of chemistry, facilitates short instructional skills workshops each fall in which the assistants participate in mock lessons, which are videotaped and played back to them. They also receive feedback from their colleagues, discuss learning objectives, question techniques, learning styles, methodologies, marking, student/teacher relationships and cultural differences.

The TA program, introduced when WCMC-Q opened to students in 2002, has worked well beyond expectations, says Robertshaw. "The program has been so successful that we have expanded it. As the number of students has gone up, the number of TAs has increased."

The appointments are generally for one year; however some decide to stay on for a second year. Take Erin King, a TA for chemistry in Doha who deferred entry to Weill Cornell in New York for two years to extend her appointment at WCMC-Q.

"I decided to stay on because I love it here," she says. "I've had great experiences with the faculty I work with ... and the students are just amazing. This has been a good break from being a student and also an opportunity to travel around the world."

Before coming to Qatar, King was uneasy about the cultural differences and how she would handle a new country. Her outlook changed quickly. "What I realized is that everyone is the same no matter where you are from, even if you come from different cultures or speak differently. It was kind of an eye-opening experience for me. As a doctor, it will definitely help me relate to my patients and whatever hospital or clinic I'll be working in."