More than 110 newly-graduated health professionals – decked out in West Virginia University’s gold-and-blue colors – received diplomas from Oman Medical College Sunday (Jan. 10) in an outdoor ceremony at the Intercontinental Muscat Hotel.

“Your job from this day forward will be to make better health simple and achievable for everyone you serve,” WVU’s Dr. Clay Marsh told the graduates. “Approach this duty boldly. The health issues you will face cannot be addressed with timid steps. Wherever you started the journey of life, as holders of a diploma from Oman Medical College, you are Mountaineers—and Mountaineers act decisively, take risks, and lead.”

Oman Medical College was founded in 2001 with assistance from WVU to educate physicians and pharmacists to serve the growing nation on the Arabian Peninsula. Marsh, WVU’s vice president and executive dean for health sciences, participated in graduation ceremonies for 65 doctors, 47 pharmacists, and four health sciences students.

“I will become one of the means of God’s mercy to human beings. That is the most important reason of choosing this as a career,” medical graduate Maria Mohammed Al Bandari told the Times of Oman. “As for becoming a doctor, you have to treat everyone with equality, give the same treatment to your friends and opponents, relieving the pain from the sorrows, and most importantly dedicating our lives to people.”

The graduation ceremony, conducted in English and Arabic, made a strong impression on Marsh. “We gathered outdoors under the stars in perfect weather,” he wrote in a blog post after the event. “Each of the graduates wore a robe of gold and blue, signifying their connection to WVU. The enthusiasm of the students and pride of the teachers and parents transcended the language barrier.”

Marsh travelled to Oman with Dr. Christopher Martin, director of the Global Engagement Office at the WVU Health Sciences Center. In addition to the ceremony and other events at OMC’s two campuses in Bowshar and Sohar, they are holding meetings with the country’s ministry of health, and leaders of Sultan Qaboos University and the Oman Medical Specialty Board.

-WVU-

bc/01/13/16

CONTACT: Bill Case, Health Sciences Communications
304.293.8045 or bill.case@hsc.wvu.edu

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