Over 5,000 High School Students Have Experienced the Operating Room Through the Young Medical Academy
The Young Medical Academy project has provided over 5,000 high school students with operating room experience to date. The project, led by Prof. Dr. Türker Kılıç, recently welcomed a special guest: Beyda Nur, a science high school student who underwent a brain tumor surgery in the same operating room two years ago and now dreams of becoming a doctor.
İstinye University Faculty of Medicine’s “Young Medical Academy” project connects high school students with the world of medicine. Students get the opportunity to closely observe the hospital operating room environment and meet leading scientists in their fields. Initiated by the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Prof. Dr. Türker Kılıç, the project allows students to watch real surgeries ranging from prostate to spinal curvature operations. Since its start in 2013, four students who decided to pursue medicine thanks to their experiences are now practicing doctors. Over 5,000 students have experienced the operating room environment through this project so far.
“It Shaped My Future”
Beyda Nur Pehlivanoğlu, a student at Erzurum Necmettin Erbakan Science High School, was the special guest at the Young Medical Academy yesterday morning, sharing the excitement with other students. At just 15 years old, Beyda was shocked to learn she had a brain tumor. She was referred to Istanbul and underwent surgery performed by İstinye University Rector Türker Kılıç and his team. Beyda said, “I admired Professor Türker and the operating room. I promised myself, ‘I will become a doctor too.’” She expressed how the Young Medical Academy offers a great opportunity for students who also want to become doctors. “I’m very happy to be here. It feels like I’m reliving that moment. After my tumor was removed, I participated in TÜBİTAK projects. This time, I entered the operating room as a spectator. It was a different perspective. It makes me very happy and proud. Once again, I saw how Professor Türker saved my life,” she added.
“Introducing Them to Science”
Prof. Dr. Türker Kılıç explained that the project aims not only to introduce young people to the operating room but also to science: “They don’t just watch here; they try to understand what this profession involves and how a surgeon thinks. Some like to work behind the scenes, some prefer to work directly with patients. While some find themselves in this world, others realize the operating room environment isn’t for them.” Regarding Beyda’s participation, Kılıç said, “She is also aiming for a medical career. For the first time, she experienced the operating room as a spectator like a surgeon, having once been a patient there. I am very happy about this.”
2,000 Students on the Waiting List
The Young Medical Academy attracts strong interest from high school students, with over 2,000 students still on the waiting list. Students are selected through resumes, reference letters, and interviews. They come from schools such as Galatasaray, Kabataş, İstanbul Erkek, Çapa, Çekmeköy TEGV, TED Rönesans College, Tarsus American College, İstek Acıbadem, Küçükyalı Doğa Anatolian, and Hüseyin Avni Sözen High Schools. Surgeries within the program are organized by İstinye University with support from TETVİT Schools. Interest in this program based in Küçükyalı is growing, with students as young as 11 applying and appointments being booked up to two years in advance.
