History and Overview of Shiraz University of Medical Science...

History and Overview of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (SUMS)

Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (SUMS) traces its roots back to 1946, when it was founded as the Behdari Higher Health Education Center (Amouzeshgah-e Alee Behdariye Shiraz) to train medical professionals through a four‑year program. In 1949, it grew into a medical school and, by 1954, came under the governance of Shiraz University—then known as Pahlavi University. Over a short period, seven additional schools were established in Shiraz: Nursing and Midwifery, Dentistry, Nutrition and Food Sciences, Health, Paramedical Sciences, Pharmacy, and Rehabilitation Sciences, offering education in a range of medicine‑related fields.

 

Following Iran’s education policy reforms and the creation of the Ministry of Health, Treatment, and Medical Education, all medical schools transitioned from the Ministry of Sciences to this new ministry, forming independent medical universities in each province. In 1994, the School of Medicine and its related schools in Shiraz became Fars University of Medical Sciences—the sole medical school in the province at that time—responsible for medical education, public healthcare services, and oversight of private healthcare providers. As new medical universities emerged in the province (Jahrom, Fasa, Larestan, and Gerash), the institution adopted its current name, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences.

Today, SUMS comprises 17 schools, 55 research centers, 6 incubators, 45 public hospitals (14 of which are teaching hospitals), 2 community health centers in Shiraz** , and 28 health networks*** spread throughout Fars province. Additionally, 17 private hospitals in Shiraz (including 3 charitable facilities) operate under its supervision.

Renowned for its transformative academic environment, SUMS offers a broad array of programs: 51 master’s, 39 Ph.D. by coursework and dissertation, 16 Ph.D. by research, 32 specialty, 21 subspecialty, 32 fellowship programs, and various short‑term academic training options. Its community includes around 900 permanent faculty, 35,000 staff, and 10,000 students, residents, and fellows.

The university is a regional and national leader in several key disciplines:

• Middle East hub: Liver Transplantation
• National hubs: Clinical Immunology, Clinical Microbiology, and Advanced Electronic Education
  
  It is also a leading national center for cochlear implantation and provides advanced medical services across the Middle East, including:
   
• Organ transplantation (liver, heart, kidney, etc.)
• Cochlear implant surgery
• Interventional radiology
• Minimally invasive surgeries (laparoscopy)
• Bone marrow transplantation
• Surgical and interventional cardiology
• Ophthalmic surgeries
• Interventional urology and oncology
• Orthopedic and thoracic procedures
• Infertility treatments (including IVF)
• Fetal surgery
• Neurosurgery and spine surgery
• Otolaryngology–head and neck surgery
• Cancer radiotherapy and chemotherapy
• Advanced e‑learning, and many other specialized treatments.

Notes

* Other universities later established in Fars province: Jahrom, Fasa, Larestan, and Gerash Universities of Medical Sciences.

** The two health centers oversee rural and urban comprehensive health service centers, health posts, and health houses in Shiraz.

*** The 28 health networks, located in 28 cities across Fars, each manage hospitals and health centers—both urban and rural—within their county.

 

SUMS Website: https://gsia.sums.ac.ir/en