Pharmacy Education Development In Iran

For the first time in 1922, a pharmacy division was set up atthe school of medicine. In 1926, the first union of Iranianpharmacy students who had graduated in France and returnedto Iran. Duration of this course was 3 years. In 1939 this coursechanges to 4-years program and 140 Credits. After that TehranUniversity changed the Pharmacy degree from Masters todoctorate (Pharm.D.) and the duration of the study wasincreased to 5 years [1, 2].During all these years pharmacy department were belongto faculty of medicine. In 1956 the first faculty of pharmacywas established. Then, in 1973 each academic year waschanged into two semesters. After this modification, Pharmacystudents would get their Pharm.D degree after writing thesesand taking an oath [1]. Graduates need to present and defendtheir theses in different fields of pharmacy and this addsanother year to their studies and generally after 6 yearsstudents can graduate as Doctor in Pharmacy. The Pharm.Ddegree program requires at least 2-years of specific preprofessional(undergraduate) coursework followed by 4-academic years of professional study. Pharmacy colleges andschools accept students directly from high school for Pharm.Dprogram [3].When Iranian students finished eight years of primaryschool and four years of high school in natural sciences(Experimental Sciences Diploma), can attend a nationalentrance exam for universities. At now, we have 16 faculty ofpharmacy in university of medical sciences. After Fivesemesters which is equal to 90-100 credits of general and basicsciences study, students entrance National test named “thebasic sciences exam” which is held for pharmacy students[3].