A Look at Leaders and Presidents Who Transitioned from Medicine to Politics; From Mohammed al-Jolani and Bashar al-Assad to Masoud Pezeshkian

According to SaedNews political desk, the world of politics is a strange one—people from almost any professional background can become politicians. In this article, we take a look at presidents and world leaders who studied or practiced medicine before entering politics.

Abu Mohammad al-Julani

Abu Mohammad al-Julani, the leader of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, moved with his family to his hometown of Idlib during his early teenage years, where he completed high school. He later entered medical school and studied medicine for two years. In 2003, while in his third year of medical studies, he traveled to Iraq.

Bashar al-Assad

Former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad dreamed of becoming a doctor from childhood. In 1988, at only 23 years old, he graduated as a physician and began practicing medicine in the military. Four years later, he moved to London to continue his studies in ophthalmology.

Ayman al-Zawahiri

Ayman Mohammed Rabie al-Zawahiri (June 19, 1951 – July 31, 2022) was an Egyptian-born physician, theologian, and terrorist. He became the leader of al-Qaeda in June 2011, succeeding Osama bin Laden. At the age of 23, he graduated from Cairo University with honors in medicine. He was described as a hardworking student who disliked violent sports.

Che Guevara

Ernesto “Che” Guevara, widely known simply as Che Guevara or El Che, was a revolutionary figure whose influence spread far beyond Latin America to Africa and Asia. In Iran, before the revolution, he was regarded as a symbol of resistance and struggle. Due to severe asthma during childhood, he often stayed home instead of attending school, where his mother educated him. In 1948, he entered the University of Buenos Aires to study medicine.

Salvador Allende

Salvador Allende was born on June 26, 1908, in Santiago. He served as the President of Chile from November 1970 until his overthrow and death following the military coup of September 11, 1973. Before entering politics, he worked as a physician and also served as Minister of Health.

Masoud Pezeshkian

Masoud Pezeshkian, born on September 29, 1954, is an Iranian physician, heart surgeon, and politician who has served as the ninth President of Iran since the summer of 2024.