Özet:

Aim: This study has been planned to discuss the strategic goals of medical education in Turkey on the basis of an analysis of the current problems related to the number and composition of physicians, and to present a new medical education model regarding the needs of the country. Methods: This is a descriptive methodological study. The data of the study were obtained from the literature review, the statistical annuals of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Turkey, the World Health Organization, and the Council of Higher Education. Obtained data are presented in tables of groups. The proposed new medical education model is presented in a schematic form. Results: In our country, 19,151 students enrolled in faculties of medical in the 2020-2021 academic year, and 103,170 students continue their education. The orientation towards specialty education increases the deficit of primary care physicians such as family physicians or occupational physicians. As of 2020, there are a total of 171,259 physicians in Turkey, of whom 49,760 are primary care physicians, 88,127 specialists and 33,372 residents. The number of physicians has increased by approximately 40% in the last 11 years. The number of residents has increased approximately 2 times more than primary care physicians. A decrease was observed in the number of primary care physicians in some of the recent year’s contrary to expectations of increase. On the other hand, the number of specialists is continuously increasing despite the shortage of physicians who will provide primary health care services. It is suggested in this paper that medical education should be structured in 6 departments (family medicine, community medicine, internal medicine, surgical medicine, emergency medicine, basic medicine). Effective and competent physicians should be trained in each department with 2 years of practical education (master's degree) subsequent to a 4-year license education. In addition, those who have completed their license education should be given the title of "physician assistant", and they should work paid-time while continuing their practical training. Thus, health care service supply will be supported, and an effective practical training will be realized with the aprenticeship method. Depending on their desire, these physicians can receive specialization training in their field and become specialists. In this way, specialization training can be completed in a shorter time period and more effectively. Conclusions: As medical education focuses on training primary care physicians only, the need for physicians will not be met and the need will gradually increase each year. Therefore, medical education should be given in 6 departments and the quotas of these departments should be determined separately according to the student training capacity of each medical school. Countries that foresee and implement this change in medical education will be ahead of the others. As a result of the medical education to be carried out in departments, it will be possible to provide a more efficient and quality service with a hierarchical structure in the form of residents, physicians, and specialist physicians.

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