Turkey

Part One

| Professional recognition in your country

1.1. Which organisation recognises doctors eligible to practice in your country?

In case your country has more then one organisation which can provide professional recognition, please attach to this survey a simple list of names and websites where we can acquire more information.

Name: Ministry of health
Type of organisation (professional, government, etc.) Trade union and professional organisation
government
Address: Bilkent yerleşkesi , Üniversiteler mah. Dumlupınar bulvarı 6001. Cad. No:9 Çankaya/Ankara 06800
Phone number: +90 (312) 585 1000, +90312 585 67 00-01
Fax: 0312 585 67 33
Contact person:
E-mail:
Website (s): https://saglik.gov.tr/

1.2. What requirements/documents are necessary for a foreign doctor to practice medicine?

i.e. language skills, medical degree, insurance, immigration status.

- To have the equivalence of the diploma and / or expertise certificates approved by the Ministry.
- Not to have an obstacle to enforce the profession by law.
- To know Turkish. (European language portfolio minimum B)
- To have received a work permit and residence in Turkey, according to the relevant legislation.
- To have compulsory professional liability insurance for physicians.

In order to work as a specialist doctor, there is a list of instituitons which are recognised, and the list is being updated: http://www.tuk.saglik.gov.tr/TR,30656/taninmislik-listeleri-hakkinda-kar...
Where else can we find more information?

http://www.ttb.org.tr/mevzuat/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&...

http://www.tuk.saglik.gov.tr/TR,30657/yabanci-uyruklu-uzmanlik-egitimi-o...

1.3. Are there any application deadlines (if so, when)?

Furthermore, how long does the professional recognition procedure usually take?

There are no deadlines for applications.

1.4. Are there any sort of examinations/interviews to apply for Medical Professional Recognition?

There is an exam called STS which foreign doctors must pass in order to get their diploma equality recognised. This exam happens twice a year, on February and August. No interviews are made, this exam is a multiple choice exam, and the questions are in Turkish.

Where else can we find more information?

https://www.osym.gov.tr/TR,8797/takvim.html
https://www.osym.gov.tr/TR,8901/hakkinda.html

1.5.1. What kind of professional medical degrees are there in your country?

General practitioner and specialist are two medical degrees.

1.5.2. How do you access each degree?

Every medical school graduate is considered a general practitioner and every doctor who finished a specialty programme is considered a specialist.

Part Two

| Training in your country

2.1. Which organisation is responsible for medical training in your country?

In case your country has more than one organisation with this function, please attach to this survey a simple list of names and websites where we can acquire more information.

Name: Board of Specialty in Medicine

Address Tıpta Uzmanlık Kurulu Sekretaryası
Bilkent yerleşkesi , Üniversiteler mah.
Dumlupınar bulvarı 6001. Cad. No:9
Çankaya/Ankara 06800

Type of organisation (professional, government, etc.): government + elected members from turkish medical association
Phone number:

Fax:

Contact person:

E-mail: tuk@saglik.gov.tr

Website: http://www.tuk.saglik.gov.tr/

2.2. Besides professional recognition, is there any other requirement for a doctor to start his training/begin to work (i.e. examination, clerkship, internship)? Namely, which documents/examinations are necessary when applying for training/job?

To begin training programme, a national exam must be passed and candidates are placed to their preferred specialty programme according to their grades in this exam. The exam is called TUS and is done twice a year.

More information is available here: https://www.osym.gov.tr/TR,8854/hakkinda.html

2.2.1. Where are training positions advertised?

They are listed online for each exam, such as: https://www.osym.gov.tr/TR,15139/2018-tus-2-donem-kilavuz-ve-basvuru-bil...
Please note that two different quota in opening positions, one for national doctors and other for foreign doctors.

2.3. Are there any application deadlines (if so, which)?

Generally exams happen in August and January. But the deadlines change each year.

Where else can we find more information? https://www.osym.gov.tr/

2.4. How do applicants choose what and where they would like to train?

After receiving a grade from TUS, they upload a list of preferences to the online system and then they are told which programme they have been placed in.

Where else can we find more information? https://www.osym.gov.tr/

2.5. Is there a fee/tuition for attending a training programme?

No, but the exam costs 350 turkish liras for early applications and 530 turkish liras for late applications.

And after you finish a specialty program successfully there is a fee of 767 liras that needs to payed.

Where else can we find more information

https://dokuman.osym.gov.tr/pdfdokuman/2018/TUSILKBAHAR/BasvuruKilavuzu1...
http://www.resmigazete.gov.tr/eskiler/2017/12/20171229M1-5.htm

2.6. Do trainees receive a salary during training?

Yes, but foreign trainees are not paid a regular salary. Foreign doctors are payed for only for night shifts and they get the ‘performace payment’ which is an extra payment Turkish doctors receive on top of their salary.

2.6.1. Moreover, what is the current salary and is overtime paid?

Salary of trainees may vary in between 4500 – 9000 turkish liras (including the night shifts and performance payments) . Overtime is not payed.

2.6.2. What type of contracts are there? How long are the working and on-calls times?

There is a single contract, trainees don’t have on-call times but they have night shifts. And night shifts are limited to maximum 10/a month by law.

2.6.3. Are sick leave, vacation days, maternity leave, voluntary work allowed and do they entail a reduction of salary?

Salary is not reduced in sick leaves or vacations but performance payments are reduced.

2.7. In general terms, how is the training assessment done?

i.e. exams, evaluations, interviews, appraisal

Each year trainees are evaluated and graded according to their theoretical, practical and academic skills. How this evaluation is done depends on the university and clinic. At the end a jury (of 5 professors) makes an interview and a finishing thesis is presented and defended. In surgical departments an operation is also performed in front of a jury.

Where else can we find more information?
https://dosyamerkez.saglik.gov.tr/Eklenti/13222,karar2degisikpdf.pdf?0
http://www.tuk.saglik.gov.tr/TR,30339/dokumanlar.html

Part Three

| Other details about training/working in your country

3.1. Is mobility possible inside and outside the country during your training?

Mobility inside the country is possible with excuses. When the accreditation of the training center is failed, or when the trainee is responsible of taking care of a family member which has to be treated in a certain city or when the trainee is married to someone who works in a different city, then the trainee can apply for mobility under certain limitations. Conditions of such mobility changes often.

3.2. How many trainees are there in your country?

Divided, if possible, by in each speciality.

Current number of total trainees is not listed; but 6-8 thousand new trainee positions are opened twice a year.

Where else can we find more information? http://www.tuk.saglik.gov.tr/

3.3. What are the success, training drop-out and post-training employment rates?

Post-training employment is guaranteed for Turkish citizens and is mandatory for 1,5-2 years.

Where else can we find more information? http://www.tuk.saglik.gov.tr/

3.4. Is there an accreditation procedure for training centres (and do they include visitations)?

Yes there are accreditation procedures that include visits and interviews.
.

Where else can we find more information? http://www.ttb.org.tr/uyek/

3.5. Is there any national recertification/revalidation scheme to practice?

Yes, recertification are also being done regularly.

Where else can we find more information? http://www.ttb.org.tr/uyek/

3.6. Are there any differences in the application procedure according to the country of origin of a trainee?

No same procedure apply to all foreign doctors, regardless of their country of origin.

3.7.1. Are there any restrictions for a foreign doctor who is undergoing training in your country to work there afterwards?

No their specialists’ diploma will be recognised immediately but they will not receive a job at a state hospital automatically like the Turkish citizens do. They can work at private hospitals.

3.7.2. Moreover, is it possible for a trainee undergoing training in another EU/EEA country to do part of his training in your country? If so, what are the necessary requirements/documents?

This can be possible when two universities make a protocol between themselves.

3.8. Please summarise the general timeline between the time where a doctor has just graduated until he has attained a final senior post as an independent medical doctor.

In other words, please describe, in general terms, the training of a junior doctor in your country.

A Turkish citizen medical graduate will be placed to a state hospital within one or two months as a general practitioner. If he/she wants to start a specialty training then he/she needs to take the exam ‘TUS’ which happens twice a year. Training years change according to the specialty programme, and varies between 3-6 years. Following this training a doctor will become a specialist.

Where else can we find more information?
http://www.tuk.saglik.gov.tr/

3.9. Is it compulsory to have malpractice (or any other) insurance?

Yes it is.

3.10. What is the general perspective/position on immigration of medical trainees to your country?

We receive many foreign doctors and medical students from (mostly) neighbor countries.

3.11. What is the general perspective/position on emigration of medical trainees to foreign countries?

There is an increasing number of young doctors immigrating to other countries.

3.13. Which organisation(s) specialise in assisting doctors in legal and work matters?

i.e. trade unions, medical chambers, other organizations.

Turkish Medical Association and its member medical chambers.

3.14. Is there any other information you consider relevant with regard to this subject?

No.