In recent days, reports have emerged of several medical students and physician assistants dying by suicide. News and university sources say these cases are only the tip of the iceberg; in recent years dozens of suicides or suicide attempts have been recorded among medical students and clinical trainees.
Dr. Mohammadreza Pazouki, from Zanjan—who ranked 84 in the 1395 national entrance exam (Konkoor) and graduated from Tehran University of Medical Sciences—attempted suicide on Sunday, 2 Shahrivar. He died in the early hours of Friday, 7 Shahrivar, after five days in a coma. Elham Jeldi, a medical student admitted in 1395 to the University of Tehran’s medical program, ended her life on 1 Shahrivar.
In recent years, bitter deaths by suicide among medical students, residents and healthcare staff in Iran have become a serious concern. The Deputy for Cultural and Student Affairs at the Ministry of Health has stated that in the year 1403 seven medical students died by suicide and 84 people attempted suicide without being successful; more than a thousand people also reported suicidal thoughts. These figures show only part of the catastrophe.
This crisis is rooted in the structure of Iran’s healthcare system—a system that places its heaviest burdens on the most vulnerable: interns, residents and medical students. Grueling duties, long and unreasonable on-call shifts, and the lack of protection against aggressive behavior from patients’ companions have made conditions increasingly unbearable.
Overall, this situation indicates that Iran’s healthcare system stands at the brink of moral and human bankruptcy. Students who were meant to become pillars of public health are being crushed under the weight of an unjust system that has failed to provide a healthy educational environment, adequate psychological support, or job and emotional security.
If you are thinking about suicide, please contact the Social Emergency hotline at 123 or reach out to counseling centers.
