Interview with International Graduate Students

Michel Tanous

1. Please introduce yourself?

I’m Michel Tanous, I’m from Syria. I’m studying here at Tehran university of medical sciences. My major is dentistry specialty of prosthesis. I have finished my studying and I will defense within one month.

2. What made you to come to Iran in order to continue your career?

Iran is well known and famous for medical fields. We have heard about doctors who have graduated in Iran specially in medical fields and they are well known in this part. This was one of the reasons I chose Iran.

3. TUMS is hard for Iranian students to get in to it, how was it for you?

For international students TUMS gives us evaluation program. It is about 6-month training and within this 6 month they evaluate our clinical works. After that they decide either to accept us or reject. After 6 months’ evaluation exam and clinical works, I got the acceptance.

4. Why did you choose this field?

Because in undergraduate dentistry you study different subjects such as orthodontics, endodontics, and prosthetics treatments. For me because when you do examine on patient and make him/her to smile to it is a big favor for me. This is one of the reason that I chose this specialty. Another reason is that this major has more clinical and dental work than the other majors. Because of these reasons I applied for this major.

5. What kind of experience you acquired in this university, which will help you in the future?

In this university we have gotten too much experience that help us in the future. We learned how to be professional in our major, how to be ethical by treating your patient, how to get new research, how to answer question, and how to manage the problems. They taught us how to be real doctors to manipulate every hard situation that may we face in future.

6. Do you have any plan to pursue your education in Iran?

If there is fellowship, I exactly like to continue that in this university

7. What you will do when you finish your study at TUMS?

At first I like to continue fellowship, then I will go for clinical works. I like to come back to my country and find opportunity to work.

8. Do you have anything else to say about TUMS?

We have very great professors in our faculty especially in prosthetics department that they supported us too much and the relations is so friendly. They treated us like a friend.

 

Fatima Ismail Hassan

1. Please introduce yourself?

My name is Fatima Ismail Hassan. I am from Nigeria and I am PhD candidate in toxicology & pharmacology in school of pharmacy TUMS.

2. What made you to come to Iran in order to continue your career?

Actually, my MSc degree was pharmacology and I was eager to continue my PhD in this field in Iran as an advanced country in medicine and pharmacy. Also, I had a colleague who had finished his study in Iran and he said to me it is a great chance if you continue your study in TUMS.   

3. TUMS is hard for Iranian students to get in to it, how was it for you?

Yes, it is hard to international student. For me it took 6 months to getting admission.

4. Why did you choose this field?

As I said my BSc and MSc were in pharmacology field and I liked to continue my PhD in this major.

5. What kind of experience you acquired in this university, which will help you in the future?

There are many. I got familiar with a lot of students from different countries. That was a chance I collaborate with them in some research affairs. Also, I learned some new things in laboratory which are so important for my future job.

6. Tell us about your experience in using university’s facilities like laboratory and library. Were these good or you had a problem?

Some workshops were great for me. Also we were allowed to use from some equipment’s which I couldn’t use in my country.

7. Do you have any plan to pursue your education in Iran?

. If I’m given opportunity why not. 

8. What you will do when you finish your study at TUMS?

The first thing is that I want to come back to my country to apply my knowledge that I acquire here. Because I am my country ambassador and I have to learn good things and impact my country.

9. Do you have anything else to say about TUMS?

I like to thank TUMS for giving me the opportunity to study here.

 

Waliu Jawula Salisu

1. Please introduce yourself?

My name is Waliu Jawula Salisu. I am from Ghana. I study at school of nursing at PhD level. I have been here for 3 years.

2. What made you to come to Iran in order to continue your career?

Well, I had never thought about Iran. During my master degree in Ghana one of my friends who had graduated from Iran communicated with me and suggested me to come to TUMS. At first I didn’t know iran well and it was introduced to me like other Middle East countries. But when my friend explained TUMS to me I was really amazing and surprised, so I encouraged to come to Iran.

3. TUMS is hard for Iranian students to get in to it, how was it for you?

For me I wouldn’t say it is so hard, but it took a long time for the process. After my MSc I submitted my documents and I had to wait. Fortunately, I had a friend here and once in a while he went to international office to check the progress of my admission. Finally, on proper time I was given the admission.

4. Why did you choose this field?

I started nursing in 2005 and gradually I fell in law with this major. I had graduated My BSc, MSc in nursing and now I continue this major in PhD level at TUMS. I like to do research in this field and help to other people.

5. What kind of experience you acquired in this university, which will help you in the future?

One thing that comes to mind is diversity of educational set up and systems in TUMS. Communication of students and structure of the university is different from my country and I am sure this experience that I have gained will help me in my country. For instance, when students have and educational, research and financial questions or problems, you know that exactly where you have to go.

6. Tell us about your experience in using university’s facilities like laboratory and library. Were these good or you had a problem?

The facilities are mostly up to date. For example, the library has the books we need. There are some new books and very important materials in the school and hospital. The problem is that in some parts of the university some of the staff cannot speak English. For instance, in some school’s library, they cannot communicate well.

7. Do you have any plan to pursue your education in Iran?

For now, I don’t have any plan to stay here. Indeed, I wish I could, but in current situation I am not able to stay in iran. After my graduation I intend to come back to my country for finding a job.

8. What you will do when you finish your study at TUMS?

I am not alone in iran. There are so many students in iran base on my recommendation, because when I came to iran after a few months I found iran and my university as a great place for studying. I am ready to invite people from my country to iran even after my graduation.

9. What university could do for you and other students to make you happier?

I think the school could facilitate our research and defense program. For example, one of my friend is ready for defiance of his thesis, but he is waiting for his essay publication. If the university give them permission to defend they can leave to their countries for finding job.

 

Tadesse Bekele Tafesse

1. Please introduce yourself?

I am Tadesse Bekele Tafesse, an Ethiopian Scholar, who is working at Haramaya University (the second oldest University in Ethiopia) within the rank of Lecturer at the School of Pharmacy.

2. What made you come to Iran in order to continue your career?

I feel as though I’m prepared for another stage in my career and face a new challenge too. Primarily, I actually have noticed that Medical Universities that are found in Iran are found at a better rank globally with a variety of prestigious publications in team-based work. Secondly, the living expense in Iran in relative terms is cheap as compared to other countries. Thirdly, the culture of Iranians is nearly like my country as I actually have detected from my friend who met an Iranian scholar somewhere.

3. TUMS is hard for Iranian students to get into it, how was it for you?

I’ve always wanted to work in a hardship environment though things are similar to Iranian. At this level, it’s time for me to maneuver on to an even bigger responsibility in my life. Such a foothold may be obtained by experiencing a huge challenge.

4. Why did you choose this field?

My granddad was a traditional healer using medicinal plants and he encouraged me to learn about science while I was young. When I saw peoples were cured from their diseases within the hand of my grandfather, I was decided to learn science and become eager to heal people as he does.

5. What kind of experience you acquired in this university, which will help you in the future?

I think Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) offers me an environment where I can put my skills to the most effective possible use. I have spent a significant amount of time in developing and nurturing my skills by synthesizing small compounds and evaluating their biological activity towards different disease situations, which might be considered as a probable drug candidate.

6. Tell us about your experience in using university’s facilities like laboratory and library. Were these good or you had a problem?

The deep opportunities I actually have experienced while I was in TUMS was huge in using various instrumentation techniques like Gas Chromatography-Mass spectroscopy (GC-MS), High-performance Liquid chromatography (HPLC), and Infrared (IR) besides acquiring different synthetic methods. Such opportunities are promising plus points that can help me pave my path towards a long-term career development plan, which is by far the most necessary thing in my life as a University member. The technical skill sets that I have got from TUMS can later become a significant part of my career.

7. Do you have any plans to pursue your education in Iran?

Unfortunately, I have studied for my Ph.D. at TUMS. However, I do have a plan to come back to Iran to participate in certain conferences, workshops, training, etc.

8. What you will do when you finish your studies at TUMS?

As I have explained earlier, I’m a University member at Haramaya University, College of Health and Medical Sciences, School of Pharmacy. I’ll join my University and continue my teaching-learning process along with research activities.

9. Do you have anything else to say about TUMS?

I’m proud of being the student of TUMS, with a well-known medical center nationally and internationally and having eminent professors in different fields of study with a pioneer in research activities besides that of the learning-teaching process.

 

Fazlullah Khan

1. Please introduce yourself?

 I am Fazlullah Khan from Pakistan. I completed my PhD in Toxicology and Pharmacology from the School of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences in December 2019.

2. What made you to come to Iran in order to continue your career?

There are various reasons for international students to consider Iran to perusing higher education. The Universities in Iran are well-known for their programs for medical sciences in the region. Moreover, the subject ranking of Pharmacy and Pharmacology in the School of Pharmacy, TUMS was highly appealing to me. Similarly, Iran has a long and interesting history in higher education. These are the reason I choose to peruse my PhD studies in Iran.

3. TUMS is hard for Iranian students to get in to it, how was it for you?

I believe TUMS is one of the leading Institutions in Iran and it’s really competitive for Iranian students to get into it, but based on my previous academic record and skills, I was able to secure admission in TUMS. 

4. Why did you choose this field?

As I have pointed to this earlier, I have a keen interest in the area of Toxicology and Pharmacology and the world ranking of School of Pharmacy, TUMS encouraged me to choose this field for my studies and future academic career.

5. What kind of experience you acquired in this university, which will help you in the future?

 I have gained ample experience while studying in TUMS in terms of excellent research skills and profile. My life and travels allowed me to understand my Iranian friends and their country much more than I could have ever expected. Delving into the details of a language, culture, theory, city, and tradition was one of the most satisfying and enriching experiences I have ever had.

6. Tell us about your experience in using university’s facilities like laboratory and library. Were these good or you had a problem?

To be very honest, the overall facilities like the laboratory and library are quite good. The availability of the latest types of equipment and machinery in the laboratory provided me the chance to furnish my research skills.

7. Do you have any plan to pursue your education in Iran?

 I will continue collaboration with my Iranian colleagues in the future as well.

8. What you will do when you finish your study at TUMS?

I will return back to my country to start my academic career. My first priory is to get a position in a university.

9. Do you have anything else to say about TUMS?

 The overall experience was really awesome, but still there are certain aspects regarding international education in TUMS, that need improvement. Such as facilitating and encouraging the current international students in terms of scholarship grants, provision of funds for attending international conferences. In this way, more International students will be attracted to TUMS for their educational career.