Medical education in the first university of the world, the Jundishapur Academy

Abstract

The Academy of Jundishapur was the world's first university established during the Sassanid Empire in old Persia. Some of the important features of this scientific center of the ancient world include a policy of tolerance, conducting annual international congresses, compiling the first comprehensive medical textbook, doing the hospital rounds, physician licensure exam, special attention to the ethics, and using an educational curriculum. Moreover, its unique style of education made Jundishapur a brilliant school in the history of science. This outstanding academy maintained its impact on the scientific movement of that era for four centuries. It finally declined after transmission to Baghdad medical school. In this study, we have discussed the features of the Jundishapur school which made it a successful model for medical education.

Keywords: Academy; Jundishapur; Persian medicine; history of medicine; medical education.