Dean’s Message

Welcome to the School of Persian and Complementary Medicine

Welcome to the School of Persian and Complementary Medicine at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences—a pioneer center where centuries of traditional healing wisdom seamlessly integrate with modern, evidence-based healthcare.

Established in 2010 as one of the forefront institutions in Iran, and home to the nation’s first academic Department of Acupuncture founded in 2023, our school takes immense pride in its innovative academic leadership. Our driving force lies in the unwavering commitment of our faculty, researchers, and students, who thrive within MUMS’s vibrant, interprofessional, and multicultural ecosystem. We are dedicated to the tripartite mission of excellence in research, innovative education, and compassionate patient care. Whether training future clinical leaders, formulating natural therapeutics, or conducting cutting-edge clinical trials in integrative medicine, our school is shaping the future of holistic healthcare. We warmly invite you to join us on this transformative journey toward integrative, patient-centered health and well-being.

A Legacy of Excellence

Persian Medicine represents one of the world’s most comprehensive and ancient medical paradigms, deeply rooted in the foundational teachings of historical luminaries such as Avicenna (Ibn Sina) and Rhazes (Al-Razi). At the heart of this discipline lies the holistic understanding of individual temperament (Mizaj) and the six essential lifestyle principles (Sittah Daruriyyah): air and environment, nutrition, physical activity, sleep and wakefulness, emotional well-being, and retention/evacuation. Building upon this profound historical heritage and integrating evidence-supported modalities such as acupuncture—validated globally by the World Health Organization (WHO)—our faculty bridges classical health philosophies with contemporary biomedical science.

Evolution and Growth

The formalization of academic Persian Medicine in Iran began in 2007, advancing to specialized PhD degree offerings by 2008. In 2010, the Ministry of Health and Medical Education officially approved the establishment of the School of Traditional and Complementary Medicine at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. The school achieved another nationwide milestone in 2023 by launching Iran’s first dedicated academic Acupuncture program. Today, operating from modern facilities within the Kharazmi Educational Complex, the faculty enrolls outstanding medical doctors and healthcare professionals annually into specialized PhD programs, establishing itself as a premier national hub for integrative medicine.

Institutional Snapshot

• Pioneering Distinction: First academic department of Acupuncture in Iran (est. 2023) and among the earliest dedicated Persian Medicine schools (est. 2010).
• Academic Community: A dedicated body of faculty members, specialized clinical researchers, and post-MD doctoral candidates.
• Academic Departments (3 Departments):
  1. Department of Persian Medicine
  2. Department of Acupuncture
  3. Department of Traditional Pharmacology
• Degree Programs: Specialized PhD programs admitting qualified physicians and postgraduate scholars in Persian Medicine, Acupuncture, and Traditional Pharmacology.

Infrastructure and Facilities

Housed within the Martyr Dr. Kharazmi Educational Complex on the university campus, the school provides an integrated environment for education, research, and clinical practice:

• Academic & Clinical Hubs: Smart classrooms, specialized seminar rooms, and dedicated outpatient clinics (including specialized joint disease and integrative pain clinics).
• Research & Development: Facilities dedicated to the formulation and quality assessment of natural and herbal therapeutics.
• Integrative Clinical Setting: Close physical and clinical collaboration with the School of Medicine and affiliated tertiary teaching hospitals to facilitate joint clinical trials and interprofessional learning.

Vision Statement

The School of Persian and Complementary Medicine aspires to be recognized as the leading regional authority and an internationally acclaimed center of excellence in integrative medicine. We envision a dynamic healthcare paradigm where classical Persian medical heritage and complementary therapies are rigorously tested, innovated, and unified with modern medicine to optimize public health and disease prevention.

Mission Statement

Our mission is to cultivate ethical, highly skilled specialists and generate transformative research in Persian Medicine and Complementary Therapies. We are committed to:

• Education: Delivering rigorous doctoral curricula that equip physicians with in-depth theoretical knowledge, hands-on acupuncture techniques, and safe integrative clinical competencies.
• Research & Innovation: Designing robust clinical trials, investigating biological interventions (diet therapy, phytotherapy), and advancing natural drug formulation.
• Clinical Excellence: Providing timely, evidence-informed, and compassionate patient care in outpatient and specialized clinical settings.
• Holistic Integration: Bridging conventional medical practice with traditional wisdom to foster collaborative healthcare models and enrich community lifestyle standards.

Strategic Goals & Policy

To fulfill our institutional mandate, the school focuses on four strategic priorities:

• Integrative Clinical Trials: Conducting rigorous, controlled clinical studies on herbal drugs, manual therapies, and acupuncture modalities in direct collaboration with conventional medical specialties.
• Pharmaceutical Development: Formulating, standardizing, and developing knowledge-based herbal and natural therapeutic products.
• Interprofessional Education: Equipping mainstream medical students and practitioners with evidence-based complementary medicine literacy to promote effective integrative healthcare delivery.
• Academic and Global Outreach: Expanding educational courses, clinical workshops, and collaborative international research in traditional and complementary systems of medicine.