If we want to be real specific, medical science began almost 200 B.C in Iran. Since then a lot has changed and Iran has significantly improved in this matter. Iran’s medical science has progressed to the extent that it is not dependent on any country and is completely independent and equipped, to the point that other countries seek advice and help from Iranian doctors for their medical development.
Medicine in Iran from past to present
Medical knowledge in Iran has made significant progress, especially in areas such as stem cells, spinal cord injury repair, strategic drug production, animal cloning, etc.
According to historical sources, learning the art of medicine is not only an ancient subject in Persia, but has also been very fruitful in results. In the past few years, a number of experimental researches have assessed the remedies that were common in medieval Persia, by using up-to-date scientific procedures.
Medical knowledge in Iran has a long history and throughout time; it has trained many talented scientists and doctors who have had a tremendous impact on the progress of human knowledge. In the present era, great people such as Professor Samii (the world’s best brain surgeon) and Professor Musivand (the world’s best heart surgeon) have been raised in this land.
Currently, more than 42,000 general doctors, 39,000 specialists, 14,000 residents are studying for specialization, and 20,000 dentists are working in the country. There are also sub-specialists or those who are studying for specialization, which have increased 12 times, which is compared to the 2.2 times increase of the country’s population.
It is good to know that Iran is a member of the club of the top 10 countries in the world in the field of heart transplantation, and 15,000 heart surgeries are performed in Iran every year, and 80 organ transplant centers are also active in the country.
Iran’s rank in medical matters
From top medical universities such as Iran University, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran University etc. that are ranked among the top medical universities around the world, to modern and fully equipped hospitals, Iran is now the 20th country in medical advances among 200 others. It is also good to know that Iran is one of the top 10 countries that manufacture drugs for specific diseases.
In the SIR rating system, the scientific output of each selected university or research center is based on 7 different indicators including the number of articles, percentage of articles with international collaborations, research impact index, articles with high quality, research specificity, research excellence rate and having a leadership role in scientific productions are reviewed.
According to the latest SIR ranking in 2022: 6 of Iran’s universities and medical centers including Tehran University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Shahid Beheshti,
Shiraz, Tabriz, Isfahan and Mashhad along with the Pasteur Institute of Iran and the hospital
Shariati Tehran is among the top 2392 medical universities and research institutes in the world.
Currently, according to the report of prestigious international institutions, Iran’s medical knowledge rank is 17th in the world and 1st in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Also, from the point of view of the medical science production index, Iran ranks 16th in the world. This is while the situation is much better in many branches of treatment; like treatment of infertility.
As of today, Iran is one of the leading and capable countries in the field of assisted reproductive technologies, so the rank of Iran’s scientific production in this field is the fourth in the world and the first in the Middle East. Among the other fields of treatment in Iran that have the world’s standards, we can mention ophthalmology, cosmetic surgery, physiotherapy and reconstructive medicine.
Iran; 1st place for health tourism
Back in 2018, Iranian doctors hosted over a hundred thousand health tourists and the number is getting higher and higher each year. This is the result of the very high talent and skill of Iranian doctors, which has made people even from the most advanced countries in the world in the field of medicine, such as America and a number of European countries, come to Iran for treatment.
People from many countries travel Iran for health tourism to receive treatment under the supervision of Iranian doctors. According to the report of Healthy Travel Media (a publisher of medical magazines with overseas information), a list of the top 10 countries in the world that are destinations for health tourists has been presented. In the Middle East, Iran is known as a reliable destination for health tourists. Since Iran has an unprecedented experience in controlling hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses, pharmaceutical companies supply the drugs needed to control HCV and HBV infection at very low prices and high efficiency, and considering the high standards and low costs of medical services.
Why hire Iranian doctors?
Iranians are among the most talented nationalities in the world in medical sciences and have proven that the best results can be obtained by relying on Iranian intelligence and hard work. Out of the top 90 scientists in the world in the field of medical sciences, 8 scientists are based in Tehran University of Medical Sciences.
Although Iran is a Middle Eastern country and neighbors with countries like Turkey and Qatar, Iran does indeed have a significantly larger share of doctors and scientists compared to many other states in the region. During & after the revolution, Iran lost large swaths of its educated elites who emigrated overseas. As a result, the government invested a great deal in medical education and healthcare.
Special attention was also given to producing more medical & sciences students. The government invested a great deal of money in expanding opportunities and encouraging students to pursue such fields. This is why most of the students in Iran universities seek medical courses and are quite good at it. Today, Iran has more than enough doctors and one of the best-performing healthcare systems in the Middle East.
An introduction to some of the best Iranian doctors
For a better understanding of Iranian medical talents, below are the lists of the best Iranian doctors around the world and their works.
- Dr. Tawfiq Mosivand is a professor of surgery at the Ottawa School of Medicine in Canada and the world inventor of the first artificial heart inside the human body. He is the owner of inventions such as the artificial heart, the possibility of remote medical diagnosis and the regulation and treatment of the heart, determination of human DNA by fingerprints and 14 other medical inventions.
- Ali Asghar Khodadoost is the father of Iranian ophthalmology and professor of ophthalmology at American universities and one of the prominent ophthalmologists in the international arena. Dr. Ali Asghar Khoda Dost is introduced as the best corneal transplant surgeon in the world by well-known figures of the American ophthalmology community. In addition to numerous scientific articles and extensive research in various fields and the quality of treatment and experience in surgical treatment, his fame is due to basic research in the field of corneal surface disorders, as far as the Khodadoust line is named in his honor in corneal transplants on the graft rejection mechanism.
- Dr. Farhad Shekohi, one of the world’s medical geniuses, was born in Faridan city. He is a lecturer of trauma (brain injuries and spinal cord injuries) and a lecturer of advanced cardiac resuscitation in American universities. He is an assistant to Randes Bautista, the most famous heart surgeon in the world. Among his honors are the top researcher of Peking University in 2011, the top researcher of the Ministry of Health of China in 2011, the exemplary lecturer of the European Heart Association in 2013, and dozens of other commendations and awards from universities in Greece, China, America, Hong Kong, etc. cited.
- Mohammad Hossein Mandage Hamad Hossein Mandage and his colleagues successfully performed the first heart transplant operation in the history of Iran on April 31, 1372. Since then, more than 110 heart transplants have been performed in Iran by his heart transplant surgery team.
Dr. Seyed Ali Malek Hosseini performed the first live-to-live liver transplant in Iran and was introduced in the medical encyclopedia as the father of liver transplant in Iran. This specialist is the head of the Middle East Organ Transplantation Association. Dr. Seyed Ali Malek Hosseini won the 2020 recognition awards of the World Organ Transplantation Association in this prestigious event. The International Congress of the Transplantation Society (TTS) presented its 2020 recognition awards to Dr. Seyed Ali Malek Hosseini, the father of Iranian liver transplantation, in order to honor the day-to-day activities and outstanding achievements of this Iranian doctor.
