Medical faculties and medicine

Young people completed their university applications yesterday and are eagerly awaiting the schools they'll be accepted to. Medical schools are among the most popular choices . I'm also writing about the current situation in medical schools during this time.

The number and quotas of medical schools are crucial for planning healthcare services and workforce development. Let me be clear: planning is not something we possess or adhere to. There is no scientific evidence to support the future projections for the numbers and quotas of medical schools I'll provide below. There are also quality and capacity issues. We see this in many professions: the unplanned and unscheduled opening of schools wastes the resources, labor, and financial and emotional investments of the country and its families, forcing young people into despair, unemployment, and a futureless future. Among other reasons, this leads to young people fleeing the country.

DISCUSSIONS ON THE NUMBER OF DOCTORS AND MEDICAL FACULTIES

When recklessly opening medical schools, the inadequacy of doctors in Türkiye is often cited, compared to the number of doctors in Europe and OECD countries. This isn't wrong, but it's inadequate. To determine the total need, you need to determine how many doctors are needed in which healthcare system, with which population and disease projections, and in which specialties and areas of practice. Let me remind you, the Ministry of Health published a study on this subject in 2014. Accordingly, it was recommended that the number of doctors admitted in 2014 be rapidly reduced from 12,000 to 5,250 within three years to ensure the number of doctors meets the needs. Where? Not only have quotas decreased, but they have also increased over the years. In 2025, a total of 23,028 medical students will be admitted, 18,788 of whom will be Turkish citizens and 4,240 foreigners.

Last year, the Ministry of Health reported the number of physicians in Türkiye as 221,649. The figures for 2025 have not yet been released, but based on previous growth rates, the current number of physicians is close to 240,000. The Ministry boasts about its rapid increase in physician numbers. Over the last 16 years, the number of physicians per 100,000 people has increased by 63 percent in Türkiye, compared to 23.5 percent in EU countries and 22 percent in OECD countries. In Turkey, the increase is almost three times faster. Excessive speed isn't always a good thing.

This year, 87 state medical schools are accepting students for 98 medical programs, including both Turkish and English. There are 15,357 available places in Turkish and 1,453 available in English. As you know, private universities in Turkey are called "foundation" universities. This year, 33 state medical schools have opened a total of 48 programs in Turkish and English. These schools will accept 3,744 students in Turkish and 2,474 in English. A total of 146 programs will accept students, up from 140 last year. There are three state and four foundation medical schools that have not yet accepted students.

Accreditation is a key indicator of quality. The institution that evaluates and accredits medical education in Türkiye is the Medical Education Programs Evaluation and Accreditation Association (TEPDAD). Of the 146 programs I mentioned, 65 (44.5%) are accredited. Last year, it was 55, and while there is limited positive progress, there is some improvement.

The University of Health Sciences (SBU) maintains its unique position in the world. It shares access with 68 training and research hospitals spread across the country. It admits specialist students to these hospitals and makes academic appointments. There are eight medical schools in Turkey (for some unknown reason, the Trabzon Medical School was separated from SBU and transferred to Trabzon University this year). Two are in Uzbekistan, one each in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Syria, and four are abroad. A university that knows no borders. The SBU-affiliated medical schools in Adana, Bursa, Erzurum, Izmir, and Kayseri have continued to accept students for years despite not providing training facilities. Students are transferred to other faculties.

FOUNDATION MEDICAL FEES

The significant increase in these programs continues. Foundation universities charge students various fees based on their scholarship status. These increases far exceed the announced TÜİK inflation rate. Yeditepe University Faculty of Medicine charges the highest tuition fee for fully fee-paying students, at 1,705,000 TL. Last year, this program's tuition fee was 968,000 TL, a 76% increase. Another example is Koç University Faculty of Medicine. It doesn't accept fully fee-paying students. This year, those with 50% scholarships will receive an annual fee of 1,185,000 TL. This means that if all tuition fees were paid, the fee would be 2,370,000 TL, a 48% increase compared to last year. Foundation medical schools maintain high quotas for international students, especially in English programs, and this has become a profitable area. A prime example is Istanbul Medipol University Faculty of International Medicine. It only accepts foreign students as fee-paying students, along with 10 Turkish scholarship students. It has increased its total quota for international students from 80 to 95 in one year, with an annual fee of $40,000.

This is essentially the situation in medical schools. While there are many problems, it's crucial that young people pursue medical education and embrace the profession and our health. Together with them, our fight for the right to healthcare will continue to intensify.