Three to five years development program

Educational department of anatomy (including gross anatomy, histology, and embryology) is the largest basic medical sciences department which carries the heaviest educational load in the medical, rehabilitation, nursing and midwifery, paramedical and international faculties. Since anatomical sciences department is in close contact with tissue engineering, reproductive biology, stem cells, and cell therapy fields, it can vastly participate in research activities.

Major Policies and Goals

1. Promoting the ranking of Anatomy department in the country, region, and worldwide.

2. In education and research, Anatomy department of Iran University of Medical sciences should have top staffs in the country, region, and worldwide.

Major strategies according to policies and goals

1. Regular research-based, and educational relationship with clinical departments, and research centers including surgery, internal, pathology, radiology, stem cells, and neurosciences departments.

2. Applying the modern approaches of teaching in anatomy, and facilitating learning of anatomy through simulation and virtual learning

3. Encouraging the postgraduate students to choose recent advanced laboratory techniques for more specific theses

4. Holding scientific lectures through relationships with prominent professors all around the world in order to have a better understanding of the scientific advances

5. Developing the relationships with Anatomy departments of the country and worldwide to improve the infrastructures of anatomical sciences in the country

6. Promoting the post-graduate majors

7. Promoting the integration program in medical sciences education

Executive actions

A. Structure

1. Development of specific center such as basic histology and cell biology, Embryology and IVF, and function and clinical Anatomy through providing educational and research-based equipment such as histology slide presentation, plastination, or establishing knowledge-based centers.

2. Developing microscopic surgery through encouraging clinical departments to apply the facilities of the Anatomy department for education in doing surgery on lab animals

B. Research

1. To equip the laboratory facilities in cell culture, embryology, biology and histology

2. Increasing the number of published scientific papers in high-impact journals

3. Encouraging the professors in accepting postdoc students in anatomy department

4.  Encouraging the professors and students to participate in scientific congresses and introducing the Anatomy department and the Iran University of medical sciences

5. Developing the interdisciplinary research through cooperation with research centers and education departments of clinical and basic sciences

6. Hosting basic and advanced workshops on the topic of writing proposal, and scientific papers for professors and students

7. Providing research projects between Iran University of medical sciences and other international universities

8. Providing research projects between basic sciences departments and clinical departments

9. Accepting international students through cooperation with the international deputy of the Iran University of medical sciences

10. Facilitating the opportunities for the professors to study abroad

11. Encouraging medical students to cooperate with the anatomy department for their theses

C. Education

1. Planning for the promotion of ranking of the medical faculty in Anatomical sciences courses in comprehensive basic medical sciences tests

2. Planning for applying new approaches in practical histology courses in histology laboratory

3. Planning for applying new approaches (such as simulators) in anatomy teaching for upgrading the knowledge of users

4. Planning for applying KALBODNAMA, anatomy simulator, and plastinated models

5. Planning for applying medical imaging (Radiology, sonography, and CT-scan) in practical anatomy education

6. Applying teaching methods such as small group, case-based learning, and problem-based learning in face to face courses

7. Improving the quality of education in online courses

8. Developing more connections with clinical departments for educating clinical residents and post-graduate anatomy students

9. Accepting international students in PhD and MSc with cooperation of international deputy of the university

10. Recruiting motivated and interested staff in the near future because of the aging of the personnel  

D. Services

1. Cellular biology services: light, and fluorescent microscope, cell culture room, and etc.

2. Developing specialized laboratory for providing basic and specific histology services to other departments and universities

3. Preparing histology banks of various tissues of human

4. Developing plastinated models and establishing a bank of human anatomical structures