Traditional and Complementary Medicine

Medicine has been as ever-present as disease throughout thousands of years of human history. As the "art of healing" in a broad sense, medicine explores and experiences every possible instrument—both preventive and curative—passing them through the refinement of centuries to succeeding generations. The experiences of previous eras thus evolve into the literature of the new.

Today, "Traditional and Complementary Medicine" (T&CM) re-emerges on the historical stage as an ally, assistant, and complement to modern medicine. Driven by the global trend of shifting away from the synthetic toward the natural, these millennia-old traditional treatment techniques are re-integrating into our lives, offering significant potential for health promotion and disease prevention. Numerous physicians, motivated by clinical experience and supported by emerging scientific evidence, are pursuing training in Traditional Medicine to integrate these methods into their therapeutic practices.

In response to these encouraging global developments, the most definitive and courageous step regarding the legitimacy of T&CM within the framework of evidence-based medicine has originated from our country. Through successive regulations issued by the Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Health, these ancient healing methods have, for the first time globally, attained a formal legal foundation compatible with scientific research methodology. With this reformist step, recognized as a model by the World Health Organization (WHO), the state has fulfilled its role in the field of T&CM, passing the mantle to the scientific community.

At this critical juncture, a previously unrecognized gap in education and employment has come to the fore. The most significant deficiency lies in the lack of academic personnel and programs necessary to conduct the research activities required to understand the physiological processes underlying traditional treatments and to integrate these methods appropriately into contemporary medicine. Such practices, if implemented, must be grounded in scientific methodology—namely, they must be evidence-based.

For these reasons, the Istanbul Medipol University Graduate School of Health Sciences has established Master’s and PhD programs aimed at training researchers capable of bringing the findings and outcomes of traditional treatments into the laboratory for analysis. This program is designed to develop researchers who are proficient in both traditional treatment modalities and contemporary medical terminology, enabling them to bridge the gap between practice and laboratory research.

Within the framework of this program, students will benefit from our university’s high-level facilities, observing applications in T&CM polyclinics while conducting research at REMER (Regenerative and Restorative Medicine Research Center) laboratories under the academic supervision of internationally acclaimed scientists. Furthermore, the program aims to provide all participants with the skill set to integrate their professional experience with traditional medical practices and to conduct independent research with academic rigor.

Graduates of the T&CM PhD Program who meet the relevant criteria of the Ministry of Health will be able to fulfill the industry's need for qualified practitioners. Graduates without the authority to practice will be able to engage in research and academic activities contributing to the understanding of traditional treatment mechanisms, the development of instruments for traditional applications, or the integration of different disciplinary approaches to enhance the field of traditional medicine.

Asst. Prof. Ali Timuçin ATAYOĞLU
Head of the Department of Traditional and Complementary Medicine