DeBakey High School graduates Class of 12

The DeBakey High School for Health Professions (DHSHP) yesterday graduated its class of 2012 at a commencement ceremony held at the Diplomatic Club. The graduating class, which is the second batch since the school was established in Qatar in 2008, comprised some 27 students of 16 different nationalities including Qatar, who received their awards and a diploma certificate. DHSHP was established in Doha on September 21, 2008 as the first cohort of Outstanding Schools in Qatar and a branch campus of DHSHP in Houston, Texas, US, an award winning institution offering students from eighth grade a college preparatory curriculum in science, mathematics, technology and medical science. Named in honour of the renowned heart surgeon and medical researcher Dr Michael E Debakey, the school in Qatar is described as the first medical science focused high school in the Middle East. On offer at the school is a US curriculum including extensive Advanced Placement (AP) courses and the school serves students from grades 8 -12 and presently, there are 148 students in the school. The Outstanding Schools Initiative was started in 2007 when the Supreme Education Council vice-chair HH Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser issued decision No.(1) for the year 2007 for the establishment of the Outstanding Schools Oversight Committee.