From Past to Present: The Journey of Female Doctors in Medicine and
Otorhinolaryngology in Turkey
Abstract
The journey of women in medicine has not been easy over time. It was a
common perception that their chastity would deteriorate if they would
enter medical schools and start their profession. Since ancient times,
very important civilizations, were established on the territory of what
is now known as the Republic of Turkey, and it is known that these
civilizations had female doctors. The first six female doctors, who were
accepted by the medical faculty and graduated in 1928, were an important
achievement of the Republic. The first female doctor in otolaryngology
in Turkey was Dr Hatice Bodur, and the first female academician was
Prof. Dr Nermin Başerer. The number of women otolaryngologists and
academicians increased over the years. However, their representation in
universities, academe, and professional associations is still not high;
the “male-dominated” model continues to exist in decision-making
positions.