Community and Preventive Medicine Residency Program 

Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences

The Community and Preventive Medicine residency program at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences was established in 1985. This is a clinical specialty that general practitioners (GPs) can pursue after successfully passing the national residency entrance examination.

The residency program lasts three years. The first year is primarily focused on theoretical coursework comparable to an MPH (Master of Public Health) curriculum. During the second and third years, residents actively train in the Preventive Medicine Clinic and in various field settings under the university's Deputy of Health.

Training in Preventive Medicine 

Preventive medicine training employs an outpatient-based strategy at the prevention clinic, alongside bedside teaching in selected clinical departments. In this phase, residents become familiar with common diseases and learn to manage them in a cost-effective manner. According to the logbook requirements, residents must directly manage a mix of diseases across different age and gender groups.

Training in Community Medicine 

Community medicine education is delivered through project-based learning and "learning by doing" strategies. Residents participate in various service delivery settings under the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, including the university's Deputy of Health and local health networks—first as observers, and then by designing community-based intervention projects with a focus on the social determinants of health.

Teaching and Academic Responsibilities 

Residents also actively participate in teaching medical students during their rotations in the health deputy's field sites and the prevention clinic.

Thesis and Progression Requirements 

Residents must complete a thesis, with topics ideally selected based on the needs of the health system at the national or provincial level, under the supervision of faculty members. To advance to the second and third years, residents must pass promotion examinations. Final graduation is conditional upon passing the specialty board examination (pre-board or board certification).

Career Opportunities 

Graduates can work in the public sector at the Ministry of Health and its subsidiaries, especially the Deputy of Health, as well as in insurance organizations, the Ministry of Welfare, the State Welfare Organization, the Red Crescent, and similar institutions. In the private sector, they can establish prevention and health promotion clinics offering screening services and health monitoring for employees and community members.

Graduates who hold a board certification are also eligible to apply for faculty positions at universities.