QU-CPH to start enrolling male students from fall 2020

Qatar University’s College of Pharmacy (QU-CPH) has announced the official opening for admission of male students to its current BSc pharmacy programme from fall semester 2020.
The online application process is now open and the college will accept 15 male students alongside the usual number of female students.
Furthermore, current QU male students will have the opportunity to apply to transfer to general pharmacy this May. This major milestone in the college history is in line with the country’s increasing demand for recruiting male pharmacists especially with the expansion projects in Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) that includes; three hospitals in the Medical City, followed by a 400-bed Emergency Department, Industrial Areas Hospital, Primary Health Care Corporation ( PHCC) centres and pharmaceutical industry.
The College of Pharmacy accepted its first class of female students in September 2007 and is the first international programme to be awarded full accreditation status by CCAPP (Canada).
The college aims to prepare pharmacy students to provide optimal pharmaceutical care and advance health care outcomes, to promote research and scholarly activity, and to serve as a pharmacy resource for Qatar, the Middle East and the world.
Dr Egon Toft, vice president for Medical, Health Sciences, and dean of the College of Medicine at Qatar University, said: “Introducing male admission in the only national College of Pharmacy in the country is definitely a vantage point we have been aiming for. This initiative will take the future of healthcare to another level and create equal opportunities of learning between all.”
Dr Mohamed Diab, dean of QU-CPH, said: “Since the opening of the College of Pharmacy in 2007, the College has been progressing and have been taking huge steps in climbing the ladder of success.
Male admission is a huge milestone and a turning point for the College of Pharmacy.
The college has been working hard on this initiative in alignment with Qatar National Health Strategy to provide efficient healthcare for everyone.”
Dr Mariam A Malik, managing director at PHCC, said: “We support the initiative to have more male pharmacist graduates in Qatar and in the local job market.
This programme will intensively meet the growing needs for pharmaceutical service expansion in Qatar to align with the national health strategy and PHCC mission to deliver comprehensive, integrated and co-ordinated person-centred healthcare services.”
Dr Moza al-Hai, executive director of Pharmacy at HMC, said: “Over the last few years we have seen a noticeable gap in the absence of Qatari and non-Qatari male pharmacists in hospital practice, anticipated, due to absence of pharmacy degree programme for males in Qatar. This initiative will be a great leap to attract male Qatari and non-Qatari students to join the pharmacy degree.”
“It is an achievement to commence the male admission in the College of Pharmacy. Like other professions in the country, the pharmacy should encompass both male and female candidates for normal services in the healthcare setting,” said Dr Aisha Ibrahim al-Ansari, director, Department of Pharmacy and Drug Control, Ministry of Public Health.