Student Summer Research Exchange Program

Dr. Grant N. Pierce the Executive Director of Research at St. Boniface General Hospital as well as Assistant Dean of Research in the Faculty of Medicine and Professor of Physiology and Pharmacy, at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, visited Alfaisal University on Sunday 21 June 2009. The main purpose of the visit was to discuss the possible establishment of a formal interaction with Alfaisal University with regards to the training of Alfaisal medical students as part of the University of Manitoba’s BSc (Medicine) program. Dr. Grant met with senior administration, medical faculty as well as medical students. He also gave a seminar which was well attended in particular by students. There were numerous questions about the program in Canada which allows a select number of students to obtain a BSc (Medicine) degree, along with their home university medical degree, through two summers of research as part of ongoing projects. This research program provides medical students with an introduction to medical research to allow them to gain an appreciation of it as it pertains to their careers.