Internal Medicine resident’s passion for advancing the field brings her to WVU from Kuwait

As the West Virginia University School of Medicine’s newest class of the Graduate Medical Education program begins training, among them is the first resident sponsored by the government of Kuwait.

Budoor Alqinai, MBChB, is one of 236 resident and fellow physicians, dentists and clinical psychologists on the Morgantown, Parkersburg and Harpers Ferry campuses who started their clinical work the first week of July. This year’s incoming graduate trainees came from 30 states and 26 countries, representing 102 medical schools.

“We strive to recruit residents from around the globe who enhance our program by contributing their unique experiences, medical education and cultural backgrounds to their colleagues and patients,” Dr. Josephine Reece said. “We're thrilled to have Dr. Alqinai join our WVU internal medicine family.”

Alqinai was drawn to the WVU School of Medicine for its emphasis on medical research, specialized career tracks and commitment to clinical excellence and resident well-being.

Alqinai credits Program Directors Dr. Reece and Dr. Sarah Sofka, along with the entire internal medicine team, for “consistently emphasizing and demonstrating the support available for residents from the outset.”

“It is evident that the faculty is committed to developing well-rounded individuals who excel in society not only as highly skilled physicians but also as happy, healthy individuals,” she said. “This support enables residents to maintain a positive work-life balance, pursue their interests in medicine and engage in research with an open mind, fostering innovation in the next generation of physicians.”

During her time at WVU, Alqinai is looking forward to furthering her research on early detection of upper gastrointestinal malignancies utilizing endoscopic techniques. Her current work includes a study on the efficacy of administering specific medication prior to a procedure designed to detect upper gastrointestinal malignancies and her work on the impact of the gut microbiome in the development and treatment of pancreatic cancer was recently published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology. In addition to these studies, she has researched the efficacy of empiric food elimination diets in eosinophilic esophagitis, which earned an award of distinction during her master’s degree studies.

Alqinai says her research experiences and clinical and extracurricular activities solidified her commitment to pursuing an internal medicine residency.

The intricacies of internal medicine fascinated Alqinai at a young age. When she was 17, she left home in Kuwait and moved to the United Kingdom to pursue a medical degree at the University of Leeds, followed by a master's degree in gastroenterology at Queen Mary University of London.

Alqinai’s journey into internal medicine began when she was diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and gastritis at the age of 16.

“This personal experience sparked my curiosity about the interconnectedness of various body systems and the impact one medical condition can have on others,” she said.

As Alqinai’s interest in the field grew during medical school, she sought opportunities to learn more through rotations. She also recognized the value in networking to advance the profession and patient care, leading her to establish a gastroenterology society – ‘Gut Soc’ – during her second year of medical school.

“Building this society from scratch was challenging, as it required encouraging students to consider internal medicine and gastroenterology early in their careers. Through perseverance and teamwork, Gut Soc thrived and succeeded in attracting numerous medical students to explore these fields.”

In addition to opportunities provided to her in medical school and through Gut Soc, Alqinai participated in an internship in Kuwait that expanded her knowledge through rotations and experiences within various internal medicine specialties and collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, including consultants, pathologists and research fellows.

“The fact that Kuwait sends us their best and brightest young people is proof of the world-class training we offer,” Chris Martin, M.D., director of the WVU Health Sciences Global Engagement Office, said. “WVU is having an enormous impact in educating future leaders for this small country and the larger region as individuals return to Kuwait upon completion of their residency programs.”

While Alqinai is the first resident from Kuwait who matched into WVU’s Internal Medicine Residency program, the University has worked with the Kuwait government for many years. The sponsorship program began more than 20 years ago when WVU became one of the first institutions in the United States to begin hosting sponsored students who completed undergraduate and Doctor of Dental Surgery degrees. The program was later expanded to include the Medical Degree program in 2013.

As part of the agreements, all financial assistance for trainees is supported by the government of Kuwait.

The Global Engagement Office cultivates strategic international partnerships that promote interprofessional health education and participation in global health initiatives. The unique experiences strengthen the global competency skills of students, priming them to become future leaders of global health as the world becomes increasingly interconnected.

-WVU-