Dr. Derakhshan received his medical degree from Tehran University, Tehran, Iran. He was a clinical assistant in internal medicine at King College Hospital, Medical School in London, England. He completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at St. Luke's Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio, and his residency in neurology at University Hospital of Cleveland, Case Western Reserve University. Dr. Derakhshan was awarded a neuropathology fellowship at the Institute of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University.

Dr. Derakhshan has been an assistant professor of neurology at Tehran University Medical School and an associate professor of neurology and Director of EEG Laboratories at Cincinnati College of Medicine. He was in private practice in Lake County, Ohio, from 1982 to 1988 and on the westside of Cleveland from 1988 to 1992 where a large part of his practice was devoted to electrodiagnostic work. Dr. Derakhshan has continued interest in neurovirology, ocular movements, higher cortical functions, and cerebral lateralization.

From 1993 to 1996, Dr. Derakhshan practiced neurology at Iranmehr and Arad Hospitals in Iran. He has been in private practice in Charleston since 1996.