The Hands That Healed, the Mind That Inspired: A Tribute to Professor Abdolaziz Khezri, Emeritus Professor of Urology

Abstract

Figures

Full text

In his tenth decade, he is still sharp and bright. Abdolaziz was born in 1935 in Larestan, southern Iran, where he completed his primary and secondary education. He first served as a teacher to educate local children, but he ultimately decided to pursue his dream of being a surgeon and studied medicine. In 1965, Dr. Khezri graduated from Pahlavi School of Medicine (currently known as Shiraz University of Medical Sciences) with an excellent grade. Soon after, he entered the general surgery residency program at the same institution.

In 1969, he was appointed a faculty member in the Department of Surgery at Shiraz Medical School, where he worked for about 7 years. During those years, he performed almost 6000 surgeries and devoted himself to caring for some of the region’s poorest patients.

Later, supported by a scholarship, Dr. Khezri furthered his training in the UK, serving as a Senior Registrar. He held this position for three years, followed by an additional year specializing in oncology. During this period, he was trained in urology with immense dedication. He successfully passed the demanding annual assessments and final examinations and was immediately offered a faculty position at the University of Bristol, but, being a patriot, he declined the offer. In October 1978, as Iran was on the brink of the Revolution, Dr. Khezri returned home. From then until 2019, he worked in the Department of Urology at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences.

Through his tireless efforts, a modern and active urology department was established in line with international standards. He served as its Head for 33 years. During the eight-year Iran-Iraq War, he treated countless wounded soldiers while simultaneously training hundreds of medical students and dozens of urology residents. We could sense his quiet pride as he recounted those years — a pride founded not in his own achievements, but in the resilience and dedication of his students and colleagues.

Professor Khezri was a pioneer in numerous surgical procedures, particularly in onco-urology and pediatric urology. While he introduced many advanced techniques to the region for the first time, he was also a genuine innovator. Among his several novel contributions is the orthotopic bladder-replacement procedure, which he performed for the first time in Asia in the early 1980s.

His deep commitment to research has resulted in numerous projects and the publication of many original articles in prestigious peer-reviewed journals. His work has been well-received, widely cited, and incorporated into international scientific papers and textbooks. In addition, he has authored several textbooks on urology and related subjects. Dr. Khezri’s distinguished career was marked by rapid academic promotion and numerous honors. He was recognized as the Top Researcher of Shiraz Medical School, was twice named a Distinguished Professor of the University, and was conferred the title of Veteran Professor by the Iranian Urology Association.

Professor Khezri remains active in medical research to this day. He is a member of national and various international urological associations, serves on the editorial boards of several journals — including the Iranian Journal of Medical Sciences (IJMS), the official publication of his alma mater — and acts as a referee for many peer-reviewed publications. All in all, he stands as a perfect role model, inspiring a new generation of surgeon-scientists.