Iran’s Postgraduate Medical Education Achievements over Last 35 Years

Aims: This article provides important information on Iran clinical postgraduate education progresses over the last 35 years. This historical study focus is on post graduate education quantitative achievements and growth of admitted residents and graduated specialist and subspecialists and fellowships by gender since 1979 after the revolution in Iran.

Study Design: This is a comprehensive national historical study.

Place and Duration of Study: This national study was performed in Iranian Academy of medical science, between Apr. 2011 and may 2014.

Methodology: The first hand data gathered from Iran health ministry of and also from Medical Council of IR Iran.

Results: There are 28 specialty and 24 subspecialties disciplines in Iran’s postgraduate medical education programs. The numbers of resident’s admission in specialties increased from 385 in 1979 to 2500 in 2014, and respectively from zero to 269 in subspecialty fields. 55 percent of admitted residents in specialty programs and 30 percent of admitted specialists in subspecialty programs were female in last year. During the period of 1979-2013, number of Iranians medical specialists’ has more than 300 percentage increases, and the ratio of specialist per 100,000 Iranian Population has more than 110 percentage increases. Research is another important field in our medical education system. Iran has published more than 20,000 medical and health research articles last year and 0.44% of its studies are considered as the 1% best articles of the world. The country has also gained the first place in the Middle East regarding science production.

Conclusion: Along with expansion Iran’s P.G.M.E. over the last 35 years, the number of Iranian female physicians significantly increased. Iran’s medical education system with great achievement in specialty/subspecialty training and related research is comparable with those of the most progressed countries in the world.