About Faculty of Medicine

ISTANBUL NIŞANTAŞI UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF MEDICINE UNDERGRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION

The Istanbul Nişantaşı University Faculty of Medicine Education Program has been prepared in line with our faculty's vision and mission, based on the Turkish Qualifications Framework (TYÇ) and the 2020 National Core Education Program (UÇEP). The program has an interactive and multifaceted structure that blends theoretical and practical education. In addition to traditional lectures, it aims for active student participation through various teaching and learning approaches such as laboratory applications, problem-based learning (PBL), clinical skills training, case-based clinical correlation, clinical research and translational medicine, article hours, project applications, health informatics and artificial intelligence, virtual reality applications, and bedside applications. The curriculum, prepared in accordance with the content of UÇEP and taking into account the recommendations of national and international accreditation bodies, also supports students in preparing for both national and international examinations.

Duration and Structure of Education

Medical Faculty education consists of a total of 6 years:

• Years I, II, and III: Pre-clinical Period
• Years IV and V: Clinical Training (Clinical Clerkship) Period
• Year VI: Internship Period

Pre-clinical Period (Years I, II, III)

Year I (1st Grade) consists of 4 committees, Year II (2nd Grade) of 5, and Year III (3rd Grade) of 6. These committees, structured with horizontal and vertical corridor integration, are designed to be open to change and development. In this pre-clinical period, students are taught:

• Structures and functions of cells and tissues,
• Molecular, biochemical, and metabolic processes,
• Embryological and fetal development,
• Pathogenic properties of microorganisms,
• Normal anatomy and physiology of organs and systems,
• Basic mechanisms of common diseases with their pathology, etiology, and treatment principles,
• Medical pharmacology and rational drug use,
• Medical history and ethics, communication skills, and basic informatics and artificial intelligence technologies.

Additionaly, anamnesis taking, physical examination skills, patient-physician communication, and professional attitudes are acquired through theoretical and practical training.

Clinical Period (Years IV, V, VI)

Year IV (4th Grade) and Year V (5th Grade) are structured as clinical clerkships. In Year IV, students undertake compulsory internships in Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, General Surgery, Anesthesiology and Reanimation, and Urology, along with the opportunity to choose two different elective clerkships. Year V comprises 5 clerkship blocks:

• Orthopedics and Traumatology, Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Radiology-Nuclear Medicine (1st Block),
• Neurology, Neurosurgery, Psychiatry (2nd Block),
• Cardiology, Chest Diseases, Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery (3rd Block),
• Ophthalmology, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Dermatology, Otorhinolaryngology (4th Block),
• Forensic Medicine, Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Clinical Biochemistry (5th Block).

These are compulsory clerkships and 2 elective clerkships placed in different blocks. In line with the diseases and clinical presentations specified in UÇEP-2020, knowledge of diagnosis, treatment, and emergency intervention is provided both theoreticaly and practicaly. Clinical decision-making and application skills are developed through case-based learning. In addition to virtual reality applications, integrative sessions discussing clinical scenarios are incorporated into the clinical clerkship periods for students.

Internship Period (Year VI) is the final year of medical education and represents a practice-oriented training period during which students assume the status of “intern physicians” and undertake active clinical responsibilities. During this period, students consolidate the theoretical knowledge and clinical skills acquired in previous years by applying them at the bedside; they actively participate under supervision in diagnostic, therapeutic, and patient follow-up processes.

Intern physicians:

• Participate in clinical decision-making processes,

• Gain experience in the assessment and management of emergency conditions,

• Learn patient management within the framework of ethical principles and professional responsibility,

• Serve as active members of multidisciplinary healthcare teams.

This period enables students to comprehensively develop their professional knowledge, clinical competencies, and professional attitudes as they transition into medical practice.

Duration and Structure of Training

The internship program spans a total of 52 weeks and begins with the Clinical Pharmacology and Rational Drug Use Program conducted at the Maslak 1453 Neotech Campus. This introductory module focuses on safe prescribing, evidence-based treatment approaches, and rational drug use, providing a strong foundation for subsequent clinical practice.

Following Public Health rotations, intern physicians actively serve in the following clinical departments:

• Internal Medicine

• Obstetrics and Gynecology

• General Surgery

• Pediatrics

• Neurology

• Cardiology

• Emergency Medicine

• Otorhinolaryngology (ENT)

• Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

• Orthopedics and Traumatology

• Pediatric Surgery

• Urology

• Anesthesiology and Reanimation

Elective Rotations

In addition to mandatory rotations, intern physicians are entitled to complete internships in two elective clinical fields. Elective rotations are planned in alignment with the student’s career objectives and areas of interest.