Academic ties between Iran and the United States were extensive before the 1979 revolution in Iran. After 20 years of negligible academic exchanges, there has been a growing trend of professional contacts between the two countries over the past few years. The genuine warmth of friendship and commitment to excellence in emergency medicine (EM) among Iranians has transcended the political barriers to allow international contribution of EM development in the country. Since 1999, there has been a successful academic collaboration between Iranian and U.S. universities to help develop EM in Iran. Today, remarkable progresses have been achieved through recognition of EM as a distinct profession, developing EM residency programs, improving emergency medical services, establishing qualified emergency departments, training faculty and staff, starting physician exchange programs, and building mutual contributions with professionals throughout the world. A supportive policy environment and a high-quality health care system have had incredible impacts on EM development in the country. ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2007; 14:457-462 ª 2007 by the Society for Academic Emergency MedicineKeywords: emergency medicine, Iran, international emergency medicine B efore the 1979 revolution in Iran, the academic ties between Iran and the United States were extensive. Thousands of Iranian students enrolled at American colleges, and American researchers maintained numerous long-term projects in Iran, studying its archaeology, history, faiths, and languages and sharing experiences in medicine. Returning Iranian physicians who were trained in the United States had a great influence on the health care system in the country. Many of these successful alumni are among senior scientists and leaders in the best universities and government ministries. However, after the revolution, for 20 years, ties between academics in the two countries became negligible.Over recent years, growing academic exchanges have started to resume. Professionals from different American universities returned to Iran to discuss exchange efforts and to meet with health professionals. Since 1999, there has been a successful academic relationship between Iranian and U.S. universities to promote emergency medicine (EM) development in the country. Since then, different groups of U.S. professionals have participated in the development of EM in the country. The Iranians' genuine warmth of friendship, enthusiasm for interaction, and commitment to excellence in EM have transcended the political barriers to allow international contribution of EM development in the country. The Iranian government has supported the current academic exchange between Iranian and U.S. universities as an appropriate common ground of interaction.Iran has enjoyed a quality health care system by developing countrywide standards.1-3 Basic health demands, preventative health care needs, and advanced medical services have been addressed, and attention has recently focused on the need for improving the coun...

Academic ties between Iran and the United States were extensive before the 1979 revolution in Iran. After 20 years of negligible academic exchanges, there has been a growing trend of professional contacts between the two countries over the past few years. The genuine warmth of friendship and commitment to excellence in emergency medicine (EM) among Iranians has transcended the political barriers to allow international contribution of EM development in the country. Since 1999, there has been a successful academic collaboration between Iranian and U.S. universities to help develop EM in Iran. Today, remarkable progresses have been achieved through recognition of EM as a distinct profession, developing EM residency programs, improving emergency medical services, establishing qualified emergency departments, training faculty and staff, starting physician exchange programs, and building mutual contributions with professionals throughout the world. A supportive policy environment and a high-quality health care system have had incredible impacts on EM development in the country. ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2007; 14:457-462 ª 2007 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Keywords: emergency medicine, Iran, international emergency medicine B efore the 1979 revolution in Iran, the academic ties between Iran and the United States were extensive. Thousands of Iranian students enrolled at American colleges, and American researchers maintained numerous long-term projects in Iran, studying its archaeology, history, faiths, and languages and sharing experiences in medicine. Returning Iranian physicians who were trained in the United States had a great influence on the health care system in the country. Many of these successful alumni are among senior scientists and leaders in the best universities and government ministries. However, after the revolution, for 20 years, ties between academics in the two countries became negligible. Over recent years, growing academic exchanges have started to resume. Professionals from different American universities returned to Iran to discuss exchange efforts and to meet with health professionals. Since 1999, there has been a successful academic relationship between Iranian and U.S. universities to promote emergency medicine (EM) development in the country. Since then, different groups of U.S. professionals have participated in the development of EM in the country. The Iranians' genuine warmth of friendship, enthusiasm for interaction , and commitment to excellence in EM have transcended the political barriers to allow international contribution of EM development in the country. The Ira-nian government has supported the current academic exchange between Iranian and U.S. universities as an appropriate common ground of interaction. Iran has enjoyed a quality health care system by developing countrywide standards. 1-3 Basic health demands, preventative health care needs, and advanced medical services have been addressed, and attention has recently focused on the need for improving the countr...

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