Dean's Message
The Yeditepe University Faculty of Medicine (YUFM) was the first foundation university medical school in Turkey to admit its first students during the 1996-1997 academic year. YUFM has been offering English-language education since its inception, with a six-year program that excludes the preparatory period. Over the course of 24 terms since 2002, our faculty has graduated a total of 1544 students. At present, there are 672 students (inclusive of the preparatory class), 149 faculty members, and 88 medical specialty students.
The initial two years of our curriculum are devoted to basic medical sciences, which are taught through an integrated education system. During the clinical introduction period in the third year, diseases that are associated with the systems that were taught in the first two years are presented in a comprehensive manner. During the fourth and fifth years, students are required to participate in clinical internships. Those who effectively complete these internships advance to the sixth year as interns and, upon graduation, receive the title of "Medical Doctor."
The aim of our educational program is to contribute to the maintenance of healthy living in harmony with the environment by providing medical education at national and international standards, adhering to ethical values and contemporary educational principles; to train qualified and competent physicians through pre-graduate, post-graduate, and continuous professional development programs; to develop participatory and innovative approaches sensitive to the needs of society and healthcare services by prioritizing stakeholder participation and scientific innovations in educational processes; and to contribute to raising health awareness in individuals and society and to creating social awareness.
Yeditepe University Faculty of Medicine has played a pioneering role in all accreditation systems to ensure the achievement of these educational goals. Our Medical Education Program is among the first foundation university medical schools to receive National Medical Education Accreditation. Our graduates have the opportunity to pursue their careers worldwide due to the World Federation of Medical Education (WFME)'s recognition of the National Medical Education Accreditation Board. Simultaneously, our university hospital became the first in Turkey to receive the Joint Commission International (JCI) Academic Research Hospital accreditation in 2007, with all its hospitals and units focused on international patient safety and education. We have replicated this success in 2010, 2014, 2017, 2020 and 2025, proving that it is not a mere coincidence.
The greatest assurance for the doctors of tomorrow is the high quality of medical education that is provided by prominent expert academicians in state-of-the-art clinical environments, which are equipped with the latest diagnostic and treatment methods.
Prof. Dr. Sina ERCAN
DEAN
