Journey from Tehran to Chicago

Book excerpt: After a brief overview of the glorious history of Iran interrupted by the invasion of external forces and periods of darkness, Journey from Tehran to Chicago addresses the mutual, beneficial interaction between Islamic and Iranian civilizations and cultures. It dissects and analyses maladaptive and adaptive behavioral patterns of certain Iranian leaders throughout history. Dr. Dizadji, an American-Iranian, describes his childhood, schooling, medical school training, and his army experience in Iran. He elaborates on the social, political, and economic states of Iran during that period, which he thinks have contributed to the Iranian revolution and the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran. After the completion of his cardiology training in the United States, the author returns to Iran to achieve his intended goal, to practice medicine in Iran. However, disappointed, he returns to the United States as a postdoctoral fellow in cardiology sponsored by the National Heart Institute of the United States. He eventually engages in a successful medical practice, and takes additional educational courses in Chicago. Holding several prestigious positions in the medical community, he then focuses on the health care system of the United States, discussing its rapid changes with advantages and weaknesses.