- Interviewed by: Fadwa Al-Jahwri
- Translated by: Mohammed Al Shihi, Makarem Al Hinai
There is a misconception that all medical students dedicate their lives solely to study and work, away from any other activity. However, numerous examples contradict this belief, such as the student Malak Al-Ismaili and her team from the College of Medicine and Health Sciences at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU). They have established an audible podcast called "Haq Mansi", means Forgotten Right, which addresses human rights issues, demonstrating that medical students engage in diverse activities beyond their academic pursuits.
Tell us about you and your team:
I am Malak Al-Ismaili, a fifth-year medical student at SQU and the host (idea's owner) of the podcast "Haq Mansi." Our team is comprised of dedicated colleagues and friends from the medical student community. I would like to acknowledge the founding team members: Salha Al-Saadi, Malak Al-Yazidi, Rawan Al-Maskari, and Issa Al-Rahbi (in presenting) who handle the presentations. Maather Al-Shahibi, Al-Zahra Al-Maskari, and Hamdan Al-Balushi (in content writing) contribute to content creation, while Fatima Al-Mazidi manages audio editing(in audio editing). Additionally, Malak Al-Mamari, Ahmed Al-Riyami, and Rashid Al-Shibli oversee media and design (in media and design), with Ibrahim Al-Ruhaili managing accounts. I must also recognize my colleague and friend Rawan Al-Balushi, whose efforts are crucial in revitalizing the podcast. Together, Rawan and I lead the team in producing consistent and impactful content.
Where did the podcast idea come from?
The podcast was initiated by the Human Rights and Peace Committee (SCORP) of a union between the College of Medicine at Sultan Qaboos University and the College of Medicine at National University of Science and Technology (NU). This union constitutes the Medical Students’ Community of Oman (MedSCO), which is a part of the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA).
The podcast idea originated in 2020 during a productive year for the committee, which organized several impactful human rights events, including a notable debate on abortion. We had plans for more events on various issues. However, due to COVID-19 lockdowns, hosting in-person events became impossible. Given the rising popularity of podcasts at that period. Afterwards, we decided to launch one as a means to continue our awareness activities. It soon became our preferred platform for sharing content.
How was the idea of the podcast conceived and implemented?
We presented the podcast concept to the college administration, who warmly welcomed and supported our idea. Following that, I engaged with numerous friends who collaborated with me before in various events. I also contacted skilled individuals in design, audio editing, diction, and scriptwriting who enthusiastically embraced the concept and joined our efforts.
Subsequently, we researched extensively by listening to numerous popular audio channels to get a view of podcasting and its potential for success. Despite these preparations, we encountered several challenges along the way.
What led you to choose podcasting over creating visual content?
We've focused on the quality of audio content and discussion topics. I didn't choose visual content for two reasons: Firstly, I want people to concentrate on the subject matter, quality, and discussions. Secondly, it's about the audience, who are multitasking and find it convenient to listen to podcasts while doing other activities or driving. Additionally, podcasts have gained significant popularity, especially during the COVID-19 lockdowns, which hindered the production of visual content during that period.
What role does the audience play in improving podcast content and its mechanisms?
In our early days, most of our audience were students from Medical College at SQU and NU who supported us by sharing their ideas and suggestions, such as guest recommendations. They even collaborated with us to solve technical issues we encountered, actively contributing to the production of this podcast.
What challenges did you encounter?
Podcasting was a novel venture at our college, and due to our lack of experience in producing audio content, we encountered difficulties. Continuous learning became crucial, particularly as both myself and the team were medical students with demanding schedules, often filled with exams and assignments. This posed challenges in maintaining a consistent schedule for episode production and release.
Regarding content, we found that some topics we wished to explore were socially sensitive or not readily accepted for publication in our conservative community.
What are your expectations for the future of “Haq Mansi” podcast, and do you have plans to enhance it?
I anticipate and hope that we will continue to produce and present this podcast consistently. I hope we expand our scope to cover broader topics of human related issues.
Of course, we have plans to improve our content, which we are actively pursuing. A key part of these efforts is integrating visual content into the podcast, a step we successfully implemented in our recent episode titled "Shared Memory between Colonialism in Oman and Zionist Colonialism in Palestine," with the Professor Nasser Al Busaidi, who we greatly benefited from his professional media expertise.
Furthermore, we are seeking for collaborations with student associations across various countries that engage with these topics. During the recent annual meeting of the Union of Medical Student Associations, I represented the Human Rights Committee and presented our podcast concept. I discovered that several groups are producing podcasts covering similar topics, including groups in Germany and Pakistan. As such, we aspire to create joint episodes addressing shared issues relevant to these nations. We hope to implement these ideas in the near future.