Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s Junior Caregiver Program Helps Drive Interest In Healthcare Careers

More than 360 Students Have Participated in the Program Since its Launch in 2016

​Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi has completed its largest-ever summer ‘Junior Caregiver’ program, enabling nearly 100 Abu Dhabi high school students to participate in one of the capital’s most popular extracurricular initiatives.  

The hospital welcomed the summer’s first cohort of 35 students on July 7, and two further cohorts on July 21 and August 4. Top performing public and private high school students embarked on the two-week program, which is designed to give potential healthcare professionals a first-hand insight into the range of career paths available to them by rotating through thirteen different departments.

Places on the program have become highly sought-after, with hundreds of students applying to participate this year. Graduates from all three cohorts took part in a graduation ceremony on Thursday, August 22. 

Nizar Luqman, Chief Human Capital Officer at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, said: “Over the past three years, more than 360 students have participated in the program. It is highly popular among students and an excellent use of their school holidays, providing valuable insight into the world of healthcare and an impressive achievement for their college applications.” 

During the two-week program students are exposed to a wide range of opportunities, which include shadowing medical professionals, participating in patients’ rounds, observing procedures, witnessing the latest technologies such as robotics, and discovering more about the operational side of a major hospital. 

One of the Junior Caregivers graduating this summer, Sarah Al Hosani remarked: “My view towards the Healthcare industry has profoundly evolved during the Junior Caregiver Program. This program has been the best experience I’ve had in my educational development. On behalf of all the Juniors, I am very thankful for this opportunity. Hopefully the next time you see us we will be healthcare professionals.” 

The range of careers available stimulates the interest of the participating students, with some attracted to patient-facing roles, others to research, and a significant proportion to computer data, laboratory and pharmacy work. 

Luqman said: “Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is committed to supporting the development of a sustainable workforce in the healthcare sector. Raising awareness about careers in healthcare among high school students has already started to show results, judging by the volume of applications we currently receive. The ‘Junior Caregiver’ program is a key first step in our wider development strategy, which supports healthcare professionals at every stage in their careers, including medical internships and residencies.”

Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is part of Mubadala’s network of healthcare providers, which work together to address the emirate’s most pressing healthcare needs. Designated as an advanced teaching facility by the Abu Dhabi Department of Health, the hospital has placed education at the core of its mission.