About Mehrdad Anvar

I was born in a small town in southwest Iran, just as the eight-year conflict between Iran and Iraq was drawing to a close. My mother, who was the head of the school of nursing at the time, was in her final year at Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Growing up in such an academic environment, I naturally became fascinated by the human body and health. This passion eventually led me to pursue biology in high school and then, medical school.

After eight years of intensive medical training at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences and participating in various research projects, my perspective on healthcare really expanded. While treating patients was a big part of my daily life, I found myself increasingly drawn to making a broader impact on public health. However, the curriculum primarily focused on preparing clinicians for busy clinics, with less emphasis on research. To address this, I developed a long-term self-education plan with two main goals that have truly shaped my career.

My first goal was to build a strong foundation in research methodology. I attended university workshops where I learned statistics and quantitative reasoning, which actually sparked my interest in computer science and programming—areas I've since become very passionate about. The second goal involved deepening my theoretical knowledge through practical experience. I volunteered to help draft and edit research projects and dissertations, collaborated with peers and seniors, and later even helped others turn their initial ideas into well-structured research proposals. These experiences also sharpened my skills in analyzing datasets, tailoring my approach to each project's unique needs.

By the time I finished my medical education, I had gained experience with a wide range of study designs, from narrative reviews to clinical trials. Today, I combine my clinical expertise with a population-level understanding of healthcare, and I'm proud to be a curious, data-driven medical professional.