Critical medical specialties struggle to attract young doctors
Türkiye’s latest medical residency exam results have renewed concerns over the future of the country’s healthcare workforce, with large numbers of residency positions in pediatric medicine, general surgery, emergency medicine and pediatric subspecialties left unfilled.
Medical experts say young physicians are increasingly avoiding high-risk specialties due to demanding working conditions, violence against healthcare workers, malpractice lawsuits and inadequate employment benefits, warning that the trend could lead to shortages in critical fields.
According to Prof. Dr. Özgür Kasapçopur, head of the Turkish Pediatric Association, the most alarming figures were recorded in pediatric subspecialties. In the latest placements, only 9 percent of neonatal medicine positions were filled, while 96 percent of pediatric intensive care posts remained vacant. “Children’s health is an investment in society’s future,” he said, calling for higher salaries, stronger incentives, lighter on-call workloads and reforms to compulsory service. Otherwise, he warned, Türkiye could face serious difficulties finding pediatric specialists in the coming years.
