Social Impact of the Iraq-Iran War as Experienced by Iranian Surgeons

Background: Surgeons played a vital role in the Iraq-Iran War by healing injured soldiers and reducing the rate of death. The purpose of this study was to describe their lived experiences and social impact during the war. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted from May2018-June2019 and surgeons who participated in the Iraq-Iran War were invited. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were used to collect the data from 28 participants. Results: Four main themes emerged from the data: 1- Military role was important in providing essential facilities and safe zones for personnel and soldiers at the warfront. 2- It was critical to reinforce the infrastructure for immediate medical assistance. 3- Disaster training for medical personnel was vital for triage, treatment, education and research planning. 4- Spiritual and religious beliefs. Conclusion: Disaster planning and training for physicians by drills is essential to meet the challenges of unexpected events and operative readiness requires drill training on a quarterly or semi-annual basis.