Shiraz University School of Medicine: Its Foundation and Development

The history of Shiraz University School of Medicine (the former Pahlavi University School of Medicine) is important if we are to understand the development of medical education in Iran during the 20th century. This medical school took a unique path to its development including full-time faculty members, use of English as its institutional language, and emphasis on self learning. However, the most important of all is that it applied scientific method and modern knowledge to the problems of Iran and that it emphasized the importance of relevance of medical education to the problems of the region. This article summarizes the foundation and process of development of this school, emphasizing its unique features. This is not the history of individuals who were critical to its development. Nor a history of structures and buildings. Rather, it is the story of its intellectual development, and its process of change as the University became relevant.