Medical residents: students or staffers?
Social Desk
A top official with the Iran Medical Council has announced that a clear separation must be made between education and employment within the medical assistant course. The current distinction between the two is uncertain and ambiguous.
Mahmoud Fazel raised concerns about the residency period, questioning why individuals in residency are considered students when they are required to work full-time, ISNA reported.
He argued that the blurred line between residency as a job or a student course deprives medical assistants of job and educational benefits.
“Despite the legislator’s obligation to prioritize knowledge and skill acquisition, the current medical residency period is exceptionally challenging and incomparable to similar cases,” he said.
Fazel identified four main concerns troubling residents: livelihood, job security, work difficulties, and an uncertain future. He emphasized that the distorted occupational and educational boundary negatively impacts residents’ well-being.
“While the residency program aims to equip general practitioners with necessary skills, it fails to adequately address the violation of residents’ basic rights,” he said and called upon those involved in the health system and the parliament to pay attention to the demands of residents.
Fazel further stressed that during the residency education period, the responsibility should not solely rest on the residents but should be implemented through appropriate degrees and methods. The Medical Council should also play a role in this regard.
According to Fazel, although the Ministry of Health has drafted regulations, they have not been approved by the residents after trial and error, and they lack the necessary efficiency and effectiveness. Therefore, he urged the urgent formation of a cross-departmental working group to investigate the problems faced by residents.
Regarding the explicit position on the residency period, the health official stated that their stance is to clarify the distorted boundary between education and employment for residents. However, achieving this requires joint meetings among responsible entities.
“Striking a balance between job considerations and professional residency is crucial, as disregarding education entirely would be detrimental. Ultimately, the goal is to nurture knowledgeable, skilled, and committed doctors within the educational and treatment team.”
Fazel emphasized that residents should receive the highest possible level of livelihood benefits, and welfare, and have no mental worries about their future. He called upon the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare, and the Health Commission of the parliament to consider the limits of residents’ duties.
“The aim is to create an environment where residents can solely focus on education. He emphasized that these doctors are the future of healthcare, and if their concerns are not addressed and the quality of their education compromised, society as a whole will suffer.”