Growth trends in medical specialists education in Iran; 1979 - 2013.

Over the past 35 years Iran had significant quantitative progress in postgraduate medical education; and growth in specialist's physician workforce supply. Health and medical education policy makers have struggled with many issues related to physician supply, such as determining the sufficient number of physicians workforce and the appropriate number to train; establishing new medical schools; the diversity of specialty programs; efforts to increase the supply of physicians in specialty level in remote and rural areas; and the growing number of female physicians and its impact on health services. After establishment of Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MoHME) in Iran, expansion of medical specialty education was a priority.