Türkiye and Its Medical Education
General Information
Türkiye is located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. This unique position plays an important role in its diverse and colorful demography, and also in its rich history.
While you may remember Türkiye by a vibrant city like Istanbul, or an ancient city of Ephesus, or the stunning landscapes of Cappadocia, there is a lot more to it. Türkiye boasts breath-taking landscapes, like the pristine beaches along the Mediterranean coasts, snow-capped mountains in the east.
Home to people from different nationalities, with Turkish majority, population of Türkiye is over 85 million. The official language is Turkish, and the local currency is Turkish Lira (TRY). Ankara is the capital city and infamous Istanbul is the largest city in Türkiye, serving as both an economic and cultural center.
While Türkiye is a predominantly Muslim country, it is a secular state with a constitution that guarantees freedom of religion, and it’s possible to find churches and synagogues in almost every city.
Türkiye is also famous for its numerous delicious dishes like kebabs, Turkish delight, and lahmacun.
Medical Education in Türkiye
Medical education in Türkiye is on par with international standards, held in high regard and follows rigorous standards, with numerous prestigious universities offering medical programs that span six years, including 3 years of theoretical coursework (covering mostly basic medical sciences), 2 years of clinical rotations, and one year of internship.
Different from the medical schools in the United States (U.S.), Turkish medical schools admit students directly from high school based on their performance in the Turkish national college entry exam. In the U.S., a student must complete a bachelor’s degree (with specific pre-medical coursework) and take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) before applying for medical school.
Turkish medical doctors are well-trained and educated, having completed rigorous and comprehensive training in various disciplines, preparing them for a successful medical career. Every Turkish physician who successfully finishes medical school graduates as a General Practitioner (GP).
GPs are medical doctors who provide primary healthcare services to patients of all ages as they are often the first point of contact for every individual seeking medical care. GPs are responsible for diagnosing and treat a very wide range of conditions, including common colds, heart attacks, diabetes, and even aortic dissection. GPs are also responsible for managing chronic diseases, providing preventive care, and offering health education to patients. GPs can be stationed in a variety of settings like emergency departments, community health services departments, family health centers. Overall, GPs aim to improve access to healthcare services for everyone, especially for the population in rural and underserved areas of Türkiye.
A Turkish doctor can either opt to stay as a GP (as long as they want) or can get into a residency program and become a specialist of their desired specialty. Türkiye’s residency programs operate on a somewhat similar model to US, as physicians take a national medical specialty exam and go into specific programs depending on how well they perform in these exams.
Turkish Physicians in the United States
To work as a medical professional in the United States, Turkish doctors must meet strict criteria and obtain the necessary licenses and certifications which include passing the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) and fulfilling the requirements of the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). Once these criteria are met, they apply for residency programs, and further advance in their medical and scientific journeys. Many Turkish physicians also opt to pursue board certification in their respective specialties, further demonstrating their dedication to their respective fields.
Turkish physicians bring their strong knowledge, expertise, and commitment to best patient care to the United States and enrich the cultural diversity of medical field. You can see Turkish physicians in a wide range of medical specialties including (but not limited to) Internal medicine, Pathology, Psychiatry, Pediatrics, Neurology. Apart from patient care, Turkish physicians are also actively engaged in medical research, making discoveries, and further contributing to scientific field. One of the world-renowned Turkish physicians is Dr. Aziz Sancar, a Nobel winner for chemistry, for his tremendous work in DNA repair and circadian clock.
Guest Author: Mahmut Demirturk, MD
He graduated from Gulhane School of Medicine in 2021 and worked as a general practitioner for a year. Subsequently, he transitioned to the role of a research fellow at Emory University, focusing on investigating the impacts of specific lectins on inflammatory bowel diseases. With aspirations of becoming a gastroenterologist, he is actively pursuing his passion for advancing medical knowledge.