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Trip To Iran with NIKI during the beautiful month of Khordad I had opportunity visiting Iran along with the group of my dear colleagues from all over the United States and UK. Over the last 10 years I have been visiting Iran almost every year both for family visit and also as a lecturer, mostly either by myself or in a small group of physicians.

My experience this time with NIKI was very different, mainly because of the importance of the mission as well as the size and capacity of the group. Our mission was to use our experience here in US to help our colleagues In Iran for improving the quality of patient care in their medical centers in general and establishing infra structure for organ Transplant programs in different main cities.

During this trip I had opportunity to interact with my colleagues from U.S as well as in Iran in a very close and professional level and have a hands on interaction in different setting to not only help to accomplish our mission but also closely observe the situation, challenges and the progression of medicine in our country.

I had an opportunity to participate in three kidney transplants in Mashhad, Tabriz and Tehran, and also visit different hospitals both in public and private settings. I think the variety and the quantity of cases in Iran is amazing and this gives my colleagues in Iran a great opportunity for teaching and learning. Although, quality of medicine has improved significantly over the last 15 years, but Improvement of infra structures will definitely help to optimize the quality of the patient care and preventive medicine which is the ultimate goal for all of us. Over all the trip was a great experience for me and NIKI was very instrumental in this regard.

Hamid Shidban,MD, FACP, FACS
Associate Prof of Medicine, Urology and Transplant Surgery
University of Southern California