Ministry of Health's Directive for Residents: Continuing Education Conditional on Collateral

The Ministry of Health has issued a directive to prevent the migration of residents, making the continuation of education conditional on providing collateral. Some individuals have been barred from studying due to the inability to provide collateral. The website 'Khabar Online' reported, citing a member of the Education Commission of the 'Transparency and Justice Watchdog', that this directive was issued in September of this year by the Ministry of Health to the heads of medical universities across the country. Accordingly, those accepted in the national exam of 2023 are required to submit collateral of specified real estate value. Ali Amraei stated that the Ministry of Health has considered two types of collateral in this directive: 'First, a notarized commitment accompanied by two official non-retired employee guarantors with less than 20 years of service, and second, a notarized commitment along with the submission of real estate collateral.' The website 'Khabar Online' noted that this ministry has taken such action to prevent a wave of migration among healthcare personnel, especially doctors, by imposing heavy collateral on residency students to deter them from migrating after graduation or even dropping out during their studies. Amraei mentioned that a report was submitted to the [watchdog organization], clearly stating that several doctors accepted in the medical specialty exam were unable to register due to their inability to provide a guarantor or collateral to the university, and despite passing the exam and being referred to the university, they were unable to continue their education. Amraei also reported on a complaint from a medical student and a ruling from the Administrative Justice Court to annul this decree. Ali Jafariyan, the former head of Tehran University of Medical Sciences, mentioned in an interview yesterday the ongoing wave of migration of medical and healthcare personnel from Iran to other countries, noting that one of the consequences of this trend has been the vacancy of '800 seats' in this year's residency exam. According to Jafariyan, 'Today, medical students migrate immediately after graduation.' This is the same justification that the Ministry of Health has used to impose collateral on students. In this context, the spokesperson for the Iranian Medical System also stated on December 15 that 'the demand for migration among healthcare personnel has increased up to 10 times in the past five years.' According to Reza Laripour on social media platform X, the increase in migration requests from specialists, those with subspecialties and fellowships over the past five years has been more than eight times, with dentists five times and pharmacists three times. Low income, high costs and inflation, existing discrimination in society, the need for career advancement, lack or shortage of welfare facilities, absence of job and personal security, the type of governance, and numerous social and political restrictions are among the motivating factors for doctors to migrate. Nevertheless, Ministry of Health officials are considering hostage-taking and extortion from those wishing to study in medical fields to prevent migration. Dr. Sahar Matlabi, a health researcher, stated that the migration of healthcare personnel endangers community health and creates crises. The former head of Tehran University of Medical Sciences noted that '800 seats' in the residency exam have remained vacant. Migration or escape from a prison the size of a country; I am escaping, not migrating. A special working group meeting; the suicide rate among the resident population is up to five times higher than other groups. Hospitals will be empty of 'emergency medicine' in the coming years. The head of the Iranian Medical System warns that increasing medical capacity without infrastructure is 'treason'. The head of the Nursing System stated that 10,000 of the 'finest nurses' have migrated. A tenfold increase in the migration of Iran's healthcare personnel in five years; 'the pre-shock' of a devastating earthquake.