Academic discrimination against Iran
From this week's (21 June issue) Nature Correspondence (Nature 447, 908; 2007):
The US Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) processes the applications of foreign students for the US Medical Licensing Examination, which evaluates candidates' basic and clinical knowledge in medicine. The examination has two steps, both of which must be passed for the ECFMG to recognize the individual as a medical doctor in the United States.
As a medical student, I applied for step 1 in January 2007, entering my country (Iran) in the contact address section. A message in red letters appeared on the registration page: "It has come to our attention that ECFMG may be subject to specific United States federal regulations that prohibit entities from doing business with or providing a service to any individuals who have an address of residence in specific restricted countries. The country of Iran is included on this list of restricted countries. In light of this, ECFMG is not able to allow you to request this service."
The political status of Iran or any other nation is not relevant to education. The result of the restriction is that all medical students and graduates who live in Iran are prevented from taking the US licensing examination. This surely is academic discrimination against a whole country.
Sina Zarrintan
Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Iran
