Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) is the largest, most distinguished, and most highly-ranked medical university of Iran. In September 2008, Iran's Minister of Health, Treatment, and Medical Education, Dr. Lankarani, called TUMS a pioneer in research throughout the country with a noticeable lead over its peer universities. Located in Tehran adjacent to the main University of Tehran campus, it was founded as part of Dar ol-Fonoon in 1851, and later absorbed into the University of Tehran in 1934. It finally separated from University of Tehran by parliamentary legislation in 1986, coming under the new Ministry of Health, Treatment, and Medical Education. TUMS is ranked as one of Iran's top research universities, with an annual research budget of over 300 billion Rials from the government. The school trains over 13,000 students (40% of whom are women) in approximately 290 undergraduate, graduate and non-degree (short-course) programs. The university has 11 schools, operates 16 teaching hospitals, is equipped with over 44 libraries, and publishes 58 journals, some in collaboration with academic societies.
