Medipol University

PhD education in the field of Orthotics and Prosthetics in Türkiye was initiated for the first time in the 2022-2023 Fall academic semester at Istanbul Medipol University. The objective of this doctoral program is to raise Doctors of Philosophy (PhD) in the field of Orthotics and Prosthetics who possess the skills to conduct scientific studies, carry out independent research, analysis, and interpretation, and utilize the data obtained in this field for the benefit of science and humanity.

Due to the shortage of academic faculty in our country, there is a profound need to establish doctoral programs for specialized Orthotists and Prosthetists. Today, in parallel with technological advancements, the scientific field of orthotics and prosthetics is undergoing a continuous transformation. In the globally evolving and expanding science of Orthotics and Prosthetics, evaluating clinical problems and determining the efficacy of treatments have gained paramount importance. Therefore, the initiation of this PhD program in Orthotics and Prosthetics will offer specialized Orthotists and Prosthetists the opportunity to learn in line with scientific and technological developments, thereby contributing significantly to the advancement of orthotic and prosthetic science.

İstanbul Medipol Üniversitesi Sağlık Fiziği Doktora programı, tüm dünyada hızla gelişmekte olan Medikal Fizik alanında yetkin, donanımlı kişiler yetiştirmek amacıyla eğitime başlamaktadır.

Bu programda sadece teorik eğitimle yetinilmeyecek, bunun yanında son teknolojik cihazlarla donanmış kliniğimizde kurulu cihazlarla verilecek olan pratik eğitim de yer alacaktır. Programımızda alanında yetkin, güncel bilimsel ve teknolojik gelişmeleri zaman kaybetmeksizin takip eden ve bu gelişmeler ışığında daha verimli bir eğitim vermeyi kendine şiar edinmiş bir akademik kadro tarafından eğitim verilmektedir. Programımızın öncelikli amacı Medikal Fizik alanında ülkemizin ihtiyaç duyduğu akademik personel yetiştirmektir.

Periodontology is the scientific discipline encompassing the maintenance of health and the treatment of specialized hard and soft tissues that surround and support the teeth or dental implants, preserving their position within the jaw. This attachment apparatus, known as the periodontium, performs critical functions such as firmly anchoring the teeth to the jaws and acting as a shock absorber during biting and chewing to prevent damage from excessive forces.

The mouth serves as a gateway to the body and acts as a mirror reflecting our general health status. Specifically, our periodontal condition provides vital information regarding the health of our gingival tissues. Although periodontal inflammation is primarily triggered by plaque accumulation on the teeth, various systemic diseases can also weaken the supporting structures of the teeth. Furthermore, some serious disorders manifest their first symptoms in the oral cavity before becoming apparent in any other part of the body. Consequently, a trained periodontist may be the first healthcare professional to detect the presence of a general disease, such as diabetes or bleeding disorders, during an intraoral examination. Due to its relationship with general health and its overlap with other medical disciplines, periodontology is considered a "holistic" branch of dentistry.

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

The primary aim of the Medical Laboratory Techniques Program is bringing technicians up who can make an analysis in clinical biochemistry, microbiology, pathology, molecular biology and genetic laboratories.