Iran Trip 2008

I joined the group in Teheran on April, our first exchange was at Kashan University of Medical Sciences, in the second group of medical school. My subject of Interest was Hospice-End of the life care, and Palliative medicine.

In previous trips I used to lecture and participate in advanced surgical techniques, that later found to be less important, they have available all latest textbooks and articles, students and residents are all well informed and knowledgeable about latest medical articles and research. What I noticed they lacking were Quality of their care, medical supervision, utility of their resources, tissue control, palliative care and medical ethics.

My lectures were in the subject of Hospice and palliative care which might help to economize in their small budget and less burden on patient family, at start they never heart about these subjects and they didn’t think that are important.

The group that very much interested were Nurses, Midwives and administrators.

We have the same way in Zahedan, and Kermanshah Lecturing the same subjects for nurses, doctors, and medical students, arranged workshops in this regard, and gradually they being aware that "Doing less is more" in the end of life.

I apply to give the same lecture at college of Surgeon of Iran next year; of course there is resistance from for profit institutions

N.K. Ghassemi MD, FACS

Ontological Surgeon,

New York