Department Background

Medical physics department was officially formed in Mashhad school of medicine during the academic year of 1982-83. The department was established when Dr. Mohammad Hossein Bahreini Toosi and Dr. Hassan Zadeh returned from abroad. Before the Islamic revolution of Iran, the courses of physics for medical students were hold in school of sciences.

After the Islamic revolution of Iran and according to the academic schedule of supreme council of the cultural revolution, the course of medical physics was approved to be one of the courses of basic medical sciences. Therefore, formation of the independent department of medical physics in schools of medicine seemed to be necessary.

Since the foundation of department of medical physics in Mashhad, this department was responsible for teaching all physic courses related to the field of paramedical sciences, such as technology of radiology, laboratory sciences, nursing, midwifery, anesthetics and health, and teaching medical physics to students of medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy. Initiating MSc programs was placed on the agenda of vice-chancellor of education in ministry of health and medical education due to the increase of schools of medicine and shortage of specialists in the fields of basic sciences, specially medical physics.

The foundation license of MSc was issued for department of medical physics of Mashhad in 1991, and at the same year, the first MSc students in medical physics began their education. Since then, the department annually accepted four-eight students in this academic level. In October 2010, the 18^th round of MSc students were enlisted. With regard to the needs of universities of medical sciences for specialists in basic sciences, establishment of PhD program in basic sciences was taken into account by the vice chancellor of education in ministry of health and medical education.

For the first time in 1997, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences was granted the foundation license of PhD in medical physics after the assessments of secretariat of basic medical science, specialist health, examination board, and evaluation of medical physics. The first students of this program initiated their education in 1998. So far, among the universities affiliated to the ministry of health and medical education, Mashhad, Tehran, Iran, Isfahan, and Ahvaz universities of medical sciences obtained the permission to admit students in PhD program of this field.  

To date, 175 students have been admitted in MSc program of this department, among whom 65 students have been graduated and 10 students are required to defend their theses. In PhD level, 17 rounds of students (totally 65 students) have been admitted so far, among whom 40 have been graduated, five are in the process of presenting their thesis proposal, and others are still studying in this course.

The faculty members of this department has always actively participated in scientific committee, examination board, and evaluation of medical physics. Over the past 15 years, three members of this department has been members of this board. furthermore, the secretary of this board has been chosen from this department in the past 12 years. Some of the faculty members of this department are editors or members of editorial staff of several specialized scientific journals.

During the past few years, department of medical physics of Mashhad has been the host of many non-resident Iranian experts in national and international levels of scientific communications. Until now, professor Azam Niroumand Rad (the former head of international committee of medical physics), Dr. Manzar Ashtari (one of the significant experts of medical physics in U.S.A.), Dr. Nina Samsami (one of the specialists of medical physics and residents of U.S.A.), professor Firouz Daroudi (specialist in molecular bio radiology in Holland), professor Ali Parsaei and professor Ali Meigouni (medical physics specialists in U.S.A.), Professor Khaje Nasiri (deceased, from England and his specialty was in ultrasound), and many other specialists to hold educational workshops and present lectures for the students and specialist physicians have been invited by the department of medical physics of Mashhad.

In addition, the department of medical physics of Mashhad has had a fairly active cooperation with universities in holding five congresses of medical physics. During 11^th -13^th May, 2004, this department was honored to hold the 6^th congers of medical physics with the contribution and assistant of the respectable dean of the university of that time, other vice-chancellors, and the school of medicine.