Dr. Maha Al-Asmakh becomes the first female Qatari on the list of top 40 lab scientists globally
Dr. Maha Al-Asmakh has been named in the list of top 40 laboratory scientists in the world, making her the first female Qatari to win this accolade. The American Society of Clinical Pathology (ASCP) named Qatari doctor, Dr. Maha, as “ASCP 2023 40 under Forty” list for medical laboratory scientists in the world.
The ASCP 40 under Forty program puts the limelight on distinguished pathologists and laboratory science professionals under the age of 40 and lauds them for their significant contributions in the field.
In an interview with Qatar Living, Dr. Maha expresses her pride at this news and shares her motivations, aspirations, and future goals. She credits her family and workplace, Qatar University, for the constant support and encouragement. She is particularly grateful to Dr. Asma Al-Thani, Vice President of the University of Health and Medical Sciences who motivated her since she began as a teaching assistant at the university.
During the interview, Dr. Maha also explained how this achievement of her helps her boost the level of education and clinical training for students, heralding a new era of Qatari medical students for generations to come. She emphasized on the need for the health sector to have qualified medical graduates who specialize in medical laboratory sciences.
Speaking about her future goals, Dr. Maha remarked that she will continue to extend support to the generation of men and women who study and specialize in laboratory sciences. The Biomedical Sciences program is academically accredited by the American Academic Accreditation Corporation (NAACLS). The program is currently open to only females, however, Dr. Maha encourages male applicants to apply for the next year intake. She also works actively to encourage the enrolment of male medical students in the biosciences program starting next fall 2024.
Remarking on her commitment to maintain a healthy work-life balance, Dr. Maha Al Asmakh stresses on her willingness to prioritize her family while also choosing to aspire progress in her career. Her commitment to her ambitious career trajectory also meant having to study her doctorate while raising her children as a hands-on mother. The support from her family also really helped boost her ability to maintain a balance between family, work, and education.
Dr Maha Al-Asmakh is currently the Head of Department of Biomedical Sciences at the College of Health Sciences at Qatar University. She has a bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences (with honors) from Qatar University and a master’s degree in human reproductive biology from Imperial College London. She received her doctorate from Karolinska University Medical Center in Stockholm, Sweden and is even certified by the American Board of Cytopathology from the American Society of Clinical Pathology.
She is currently an educator specializing in teaching courses on embryology and developmental biology at the College of Health Sciences. Her expertise in the field of research have also resulted in many scientific publications. She’s even a founding member of the Qatar Biomedical Sciences Association.
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