Hospitals Will Be Devoid of 'Emergency Medicine' in Coming Years

The head of the Iranian Emergency Medicine Association has reported that seats in the specialty of 'Emergency Medicine' are going unfilled, with one-fourth of the 2,500 emergency medicine specialists not working in emergency departments due to unfavorable job conditions. The news agency 'Tasnim' has also noted that the declining interest among doctors to study in certain specialties has raised significant concerns, with some experts warning that hospitals may be devoid of specialties such as emergency medicine, pediatrics, and anesthesiology in the coming years. Nader Tavakoli, the head of the Iranian Emergency Medicine Association, confirmed this issue, stating that emergency medicine physicians face high levels of burnout, work-related stress, and low job security. Beyond economic and professional challenges, emergency doctors and nurses also face the risk of 'assault' by patients' companions. In recent months, attacks with cold weapons on emergency nurses and doctors in various cities have made headlines. The increase in emigration and job changes among healthcare staff has added more pressure on the healthcare workforce, leading to burnout and depression. Nevertheless, government officials do not consider the wave of emigration to be alarming. Dr. Sahar Matlabi's explanations about the problems faced by doctors and the emigration of healthcare staff from Iran have raised alarms regarding the healthcare workforce's migration from Iran. The head of the Medical Council of Iran has warned that increasing medical capacity without infrastructure is 'treason.' The head of the Nursing Organization stated that 10,000 of the 'finest nurses' have emigrated. There has been a tenfold increase in the emigration of healthcare staff from Iran in five years, described as a 'foreshock' of a devastating earthquake.