Today we are experiencing the excitement of celebrating Medical Day with the title of being the youngest Medical Faculty in our country. This meaningful day, which represents the beginning of modern medical education in Turkey and the spirit of national struggle with the resistance of medical students in Istanbul against the occupation, is traditionally celebrated as March 14 Medical Day in our Republic's history. As the Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University Medical Faculty, carrying the name of the poet of the national struggle, Mehmet Akif Ersoy, we feel the significance and spiritual heritage of today more strongly and bear the responsibility of it.
Healthcare workers and our physicians will commemorate the day with various celebrations across the country, and various issues such as medical education, healthcare services, professional developments, and the problems of healthcare workers will be reviewed. We can proudly say that the medical education system, which has been well established in our country, today utilizes all advanced modern facilities, occasionally leads other countries, and has a respected place in healthcare services worldwide. We personally experienced how valuable services our physicians, who are the cornerstone of the healthcare system, provided for the development of public health during the pandemic period that shook the whole world, and we express our gratitude to them once again on this occasion.
As the Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University Medical Faculty established in 2025, we embarked on a journey to start the Medical Education program in the 2026-2027 academic year. During this time, we have established our initial academic structure in basic and clinical sciences, and we will have the infrastructure to accept our first students along with the education and research laboratories that we will soon put into service. Our students will receive education in laboratories equipped with the most modern and technological facilities and will prepare for their profession with practical training. Additionally, we continue our efforts to provide qualified healthcare services to our city, to elevate Burdur State Hospital to the status of an Education and Research Hospital, and to develop our physician staff in clinical sciences. We sincerely believe that this process will continue to accelerate with the implementation of the common usage protocol.
I would like to thank the valuable opinion leaders who did not spare their support during the establishment phase, especially the Ministry of Health and the Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University Rectorship, as well as the relevant public administration units, welcome our new faculty members, and congratulate all healthcare workers, especially our physicians, and our students on Medical Day.
Prof. Dr. Cem ÇETİN
Dean
