Doha - December 8, 2025: The Division of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) recently hosted its third highly anticipated alumni-run conference on primary care. The conference is titled 'Updates in Primary Care: Specialist-Led Case-Based Discussions Highlighting the Latest Evidence and Best Clinical Practice - 2025 (UPCC).' Over the course of two days, WCM-Q-trained physicians delivered in-depth lectures, specialist-led case discussions, and interactive roundtables on the latest clinical best practices in primary care to family physicians and general practitioners. This year, the conference also invited abstract submissions and received a strong response, including a variety of case reports, quality improvement initiatives, and research projects. In his keynote address, Dr. Wanis Ibrahim, senior consultant, internist, and pulmonologist at Hamad General Hospital, professor of clinical medicine at Qatar University, and associate professor of clinical medicine at WCM-Q, highlighted the importance of clinical skills, good history-taking, and comprehensive physical examination in the era of artificial intelligence. The first day of UPCC 2025 included in-depth sessions on abnormal white cell counts, with a focus on diagnosis and referral guidelines; recognizing red flags and referral criteria for eye complaints; body dysmorphia and men's performance-enhancing drugs; and mental health across the lifespan, addressing childhood trauma, geriatric depression, and loneliness. Day two saw expert discussions on adult immunization, covering key vaccines for high-risk groups, barriers to vaccine uptake, and clinical decision-making in real-world cases; infectious diseases, with an emphasis on infection management and antimicrobial stewardship; the role of primary care physicians in breast imaging referrals, risk assessment, and screening guidelines; medical and surgical first-line obesity treatments; laboratory stewardship; and improving communication between primary and secondary care. The conference was co-directed by Dr. Mahrukh Rizvi (Class of 2011), assistant professor of medicine at WCM-Q and consultant in critical care medicine at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC); Dr. Reshma Bholah (Class of 2011), assistant professor of pediatrics at WCM-Q and consultant pediatric nephrologist at Sidra Medicine and Research Center; and Dr. Tariq Chukir (Class of 2015), assistant professor of medicine at WCM-Q and consultant in endocrinology at Qatar Metabolic Institute and Sidra Medicine. Dr. Rizvi said: 'Family physicians cover a broad and constantly evolving specialty, making it quite challenging to keep abreast of developments. The goal of UPCC is to summarize key updates on high-yield topics to help primary care practitioners stay informed. As a WCM-Q graduate, I am honored to contribute to advancing primary care knowledge and practice and to ensuring the best care for patients in our community.' Qatar-based WCM-Q alumni speakers included Dr. Aseel Alzibdeh, specialist in infectious diseases and transplant medicine at HMC; Dr. Muneera Al-Muhannadi, consultant in family medicine at the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), second associate program director of the Family Medicine Residency Training Program at HMC, and assistant professor of family medicine in clinical medicine at WCM-Q; Dr. Noor Al-Khori, senior attending physician at Sidra Medicine; Dr. Rana Mohamed Emam, associate consultant in older adult psychiatry at HMC and assistant professor of clinical psychiatry at WCM-Q; Dr. Tania Jaber, consultant in endocrinology at HMC and assistant professor of clinical medicine at WCM-Q; Dr. Noor Nabeel M. Suleiman, consultant in endocrine and diabetes at HMC and assistant professor of clinical medicine at WCM-Q; and Dr. Yassmin S. Ibrahim, specialist in obesity and bariatric medicine at HMC. Participating U.S.-based alumni included Dr. Abdallah Mahrous, assistant professor of ophthalmology at Weill Cornell Medicine (WCM) and attending physician at NewYork-Presbyterian (NYP) Hospital, Dr. Ghaith Abu-Zeinah, assistant professor of medicine at WCM and assistant attending physician at NYP Hospital, and Dr. Shehryar Khan, chief medical officer at Henry Ford Behavioral Health Hospital. Guest alumna speaker Dr. Hawra Al Lawati, consultant in infectious diseases at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital in Oman, also participated. Dr. Stella Major, professor of family medicine teaching in medicine at WCM-Q and consultant in family medicine at Sidra Medicine and PHCC, moderated several sessions and appeared as a speaker. Dr. Thurayya Arayssi, vice dean for academic and curricular affairs at WCM-Q, said: 'Our alumni are deeply committed to supporting healthcare practitioners and serving the community, helping ensure the highest standards of patient care. Now in its third year, the conference reflects both the strong demand and the extensive knowledge and experience our alumni bring.' UPCC 2025 is part of WCM-Q's commitment to supporting Qatar's National Health Strategy and promoting excellence in primary care by leveraging alumni expertise. It follows the success of the 2023 and 2024 editions of the conference. The conference is accredited locally by the Ministry of Public Health's Department of Healthcare Professions - Accreditation Section and internationally by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME).
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