Fasa University Medical School: a novel experience in medical education

In early 1970`s a combination of a shortage andmisdistribution of health services and growingpublic dissatisfaction about the health care available,along with increasing expectations, has put greatstrain on the mind of the staff of the department ofmedicine shiraz university school of medicine, themedical school was known as a center of excellence forphysician training. the school also got its reputationfor its well-trained faculty, a fulltime system. englishwas the media of instruction and facilities were up todate. the government of iran, relatively prosperouswith the sudden increase of oil price embarked onmassive importation of foreign doctors, which didnot, eased the aforementioned problem (1, 2).the fasa medical school was conceived, to addresshealth needs of majority of population residingin rural and small communities, by training bothmedical doctor and other health personnel, based onthe philosophy of community orientation, problembasedlearning and student-based curriculum,combined with innovations in staff and studentselection and training (3).the purpose of this report is to give an account ofwhat was originally planned and what has happenedsince the start of fasa medical school in april 1978.