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INDEX PUBLISHER TurkofAmerica, Inc.
10 A NEW RIVAL IN BRAIN SURGERY FROM TRENTON FOR NYC AND PHILADELPHIA
CO-FOUNDER & GENERAL MANAGER Ömer Günefl – omer@turkofamerica.com
Capital Health System, with an investment of $30M,
CO-FOUNDER & MANAGING EDITOR Cemil Özyurt – cemil@turkofamerica.com
opened its Stroke and Cerebrovascular Center. The hospital aims to fulfill the needs of brain patients in the area.
ART DIRECTOR Sinem Ertafl EDITOR Patricia Russo, DEPUTY PHOTO EDITOR Necdet Köseda¤ SENIOR ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR Ayhan Kay WRITER-REPORTERS Ayfle Önal Zambo¤lu, Ali Ç›nar, Demet Cabbar, Duygu Uçkun, Maureen Ertürk, Melda Akansel.
10
14 DR. ZEKI UYGUR: A TREASURE FOR TURKS IN NEW YORK
14
As we felt it was a binding duty to tell about the national t reasure of the Turks in the U.S., this gentleman of Istanbul, TURKOFAMERICA asked his close friends and fellows about Dr. Zeki Uygur.
CONTRIBUTORS Burcu Gündo¤an, Halim Özyurt, ‹brahim Dönmez.
18 DR. HAKAN USAL RECREATES YOU
ADVISING COMMITTEE Ali Günertem, Egemen Ba¤›fl, Ferhan Geylan, G. Lincoln McCurdy, Mahmut Topal, Mehmet Çelebi, Osman (Oz) Bengür, Tolga Ürkmezgil. MAIN OFFICE TURKOFAMERICA, Inc. 445 Park Avenue, Suite 936 New York, NY 10022 Tel: +1 (212) 836 4723 Fax: +1 (917) 322 2105 info@ turkofamerica. com www.turkofamerica.com
An average of 1200 surgeries are performed at Dr. Usal Cosmetic Surgey Center per year with 400 of them aesthetic and 800 of them reconstructive.
18
REPRESENTATIVES IN THE U.S. CALIFORNIA (Los Angeles): Barbaros Tapan btapan@ turkofamerica. com Tel: +1 (213) 924 8027
20 34
CALIFORNIA (San Fransisco): Ayfle Önal Zambo¤lu – aozamboglu@ turkofamerica. com Tel: +1 (650) 938 1764
NEW YORK (Rochester) Ersoy Yildiz – eyildiz@turkofamerica.com Tel: +1 (585) 414 4300
The “Best Doctors” list highlights 1,434 physicians, the top two percent in the metro area in various specialties. According to the Castle Connolly America’s Top Doctor 2008 list, there are four Turkish-born physicians named among the best doctors.
26 ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL PHYSIOTHERAPISTS IN NEW YORK Dr. P›nar Atakent started working as a specialist in 1981 at
CONNECTICUT Ali Ç›nar – acinar@turkofamerica.com Tel: +1 (203) 722 4339 MASSACHUSETTS Mustafa Aykaç – maykac@turkofamerica.com Tel: +1 (857) 205 8318
20 NEW YORK'S TOP TURKISH DOCTORS
the Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation department at Long Island College Hospital where she has been chief for the past seventeen years.
26
34 DR. EMRE PROVIDES A BRAND NEW LEASE ON LIFE There is one transplant surgery in particular that has caused New York Magazine to choose Dr. Emre, who has not only
EUROPE: Yasin Ya¤c› – yyagci@turkofamerica.com Tel: +31 (624) 66 92 23
attracted the attention of the medical world, but also its praise, as one of the top ten best doctors of the year.
TURKEY GENERAL COORDINATOR Nuri Özyurt – nozyurt@turkofamerica.com
50 TURKEY’S MEDICAL ‘TOURIST ATTRACTIONS’ Turkey is among the most preferred destinations for British
MARKETING & SALES P›nar Özçelik- turkiye@ turkofamerica. com SUBSCRIPTION & DISTRIBUTION Nispetiye Caddesi Peker Sokak Aky›ld›z Apt. No:26/4 1.Levent Istanbul, Turkey Tel:+ 90 212 282 37 11
patients, according to Medical Tourism Survey 2007, along
50
with India and Hungary.
56 ONE OF THE TOP 100 DENTISTS: DR. UTKU OZAN Dr. Ozan educated 2100 dentists in 86 seminars in
PRINT: Promat Bas›m Yay›n San. ve Tic. A.fi. Sanayi Mahallesi 1590. Sokak No: 32 34510 Esenyurt - ‹stanbul - Turkey Telefon: + 90 (212) 622 63 63-pbx Fax: + 90 (212) 622 63 73 E-Mail: info@promat.com.tr
2008. Dr. Ozan visited 19 countries and his 2009 schedule includes seminars in 14 different countries.
64 TURKISH DOCTORS IN NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY AND CONNECTICUT
Most articles in the magazine are translated by Citlembik Ltd. Tel: +90 (212) 292 3032 www.citlembik.com.tr TURKOFAMERICA is a member of Independent Press Association. TURKOFAMERICA is a member of Turkish American Chamber of Commerce Industry. Cover Photo: Mehmet Demirci, Zaman Newspaper.
06 • TurkofAmerica
First time in the U.S., TURKOFAMERICA brings together a list of Turkish doctors who practice in all type of specialty in
56
New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. The list includes 129 Turkish-born doctors’ names from Adolescent Medicine to Urology.
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FROM EDITOR
Turk›sh Doctors ›n the Un›ted States ccording to author Marc Angel’s book, La
AAmerica: The Sephardic Experience in the United
Cemil Özyurt
cemil@turkofamerica.com
States, Jack David Hananiah was the first Sephardic Jew in New York to become a dentist. The date on which Hananiah received a dentist’s diploma was June 8, 1917. Hananiah was not only a Sephardic Jew, but he was also a Turkish-born citizen of the Ottoman Empire. He was born in Smyrna (Izmir), an ancient city in Western Turkey. Unfortunately, later he was murdered in his office by a former patient. His brother Ely also became a dentist.
According to our research, there are approximately 200 Turkish physicians practicing in the tri-state area. The majority of them obtained their education in Turkey, then immigrated to the U.S.
Being a dentist was a big deal in the early 20th century for new immigrant colonies in New York; therefore La America, community newspaper of Sephardic Jew, was proud to inform its readers that the Sephardic community had their first dentist. Since 1917, many Turkish-born doctors have practiced in the United States. In the 1950’s and 1960’s, many doctors came to the United States from Turkey, creating a new trend, among the educated, of moving to this continent. During the years after WWII, economic and military relations between the United States and Turkey played an important role in the arrival of 4,000 Turkish engineers and doctors to this country. The doctors who arrived in the 1950’s are now enjoying their retirements. Many continue to live in the U.S., while some of them went back to Turkey. Nowadays there is no accurate source on how many Turkish physicians are practicing in the United States. Thus, preparing a special health issue was a very hard and long struggled for us, as this issue is the first publication about Turkish doctors in the U.S. and we did not have enough information about who is practicing where and in which specialty. We would have not been successful in finding a broad doctors’ list, if we had not focused on the tristate area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. According to our research, there are approximately 200 Turkish physicians practicing in the tri-state area. The majority of them obtained their education in Turkey, then immigrated to the U.S. In the past, the private medical industry in Turkey did not advance or grow as much as it should have;
for this reason, the doctors preferred to stay in the U.S. Recent economic developments and the achievements of the private health industry in Turkey now make the U.S. less attractive for Turkishborn doctors. The doctors who graduated from Turkish universities, almost all of them, are very proud of having had a good education in Turkey. According to our research, Cardiology, Internal Medicine, and Dentistry are the most popular specialties among the Turkish doctors currently practicing in the U.S.. They mostly graduated from prestigious medical schools, such as Capa, Cerrahpasa, Ankara University, and Hacettepe. Among these 200 doctors, there is also an eye-catching second generation of successful names. Dr. Mehmet Oz, Erol Veznedaroglu, and Caner Z. Dinlenc are some of them. Unquestionably Dr. Oz is the best known Turkish doctor in the U.S. He is vice-chair and professor of surgery at Columbia University and directs the Cardiovascular Institute and Complementary Medicine Program at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. Oz is the health expert on The Oprah Winfrey Show, the highest-rated talk show in American television history. In addition to Oz, many successful Turkish doctors heal their patients and they have respected reputations in the health industry. It’s very common to see a Turkish doctor in any city’s list of top doctors. Psychiatrist T. Byram Karasu, cardiac surgeon M. Arisan Ergin, transplant surgeon Sukru Emre, and pediatric endocrinologist Levon Agdere are just the names on New York Magazine’s latest “Best Doctors” list. Our Special Health Issue cover story is about Zeki Uygur, a true treasure for Turks in New York since 1969. I am sure that Dr. Uygur will be angry at us for putting him on the cover because he always wants to avoid publicity, but I believe that it was a binding duty to tell his tale for future generations. Personally, I have never met him, but in order to prepare the cover story we talked to many of his friends, patients, and colleagues. As his friends say, we haven’t met any person who speaks negatively about Dr. Uygur. He has conquered the hearts of Turkish people and I hope you will enjoy reading his story. ! TurkofAmerica • 07
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DR. EROL VEZNEDAROGLU
A New R›val ›n Bra›n Surgery from Trenton for NYC and Ph›ladelph›a:
The Stroke & Cerebrovascular Center of New Jersey
Capital Health ew York City and Phila-
Ndelphia are two cities that
System, with an
have been competing throughout the history of the U.S. Philadelphia, a city which was the largest in the country in the 1800’s, was the first to open a medical school. Starting from the 20th century, New York City took the lead in industrialization and commerce.
investment of $30M, opened its Stroke and Cerebrovascular Center. The hospital aims to fulfill the needs of brain patients in the area.
In all those years, the people who lived between New York City and Philadelphia had recourse to these two cities for better health services. Now, the corporations that are located in New Jersey are trying to fill this gap by making serious investments. Neurovascular Surgeons, Erol Veznedaroglu, MD.
10 • TurkofAmerica
Capital Health System, which operates in the ca-
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pital of New Jersey; Trenton, and also the city of Hamilton, is in the lead of those corporations that want to provide patients the health services they need without the necessity of traveling to New York City or Philadelphia. Capital Health System is expanding its operating area.
well. What makes Trenton more attractive is the fact that it is more affordable than New York City, especially for the patient’s relatives, considering hotel and the other costs. Veznedaroglu says, “When it comes to health, money is not the first priority, but we have competitive special care, service and treatment methods for the patients.”
Lately, Capital Health System, with an investment of $30M, opened its Stroke and Cerebrovascular Center. The hospital aims to fulfill the needs of brain patients in the area.
THE DOCTOR SON OF DOCTOR FATHER Erol Veznedaroglu is one of three children of doctor parents, Muhtesem & Kincal Veznedaroglu. His father Muhtesem Veznedaroglu is a graduate of the Medical School of Istanbul University. After having completed his army duty, he first arrived in Canada without knowing English at all, then moved to the U.S.. Muhtesem Veznedaroglu married K›ncal Veznedaroglu whom he met at the hospital he was working at in Denver. Erol Veznedaroglu says he could never tolerate the difficulties that his father, who worked as a doctor in upstate New York for nearly 30 years, faced in the years he immigrated to the U.S.. Erol Veznedaroglu says he was raised as an American by Turkish parents and he stresses the contribution of his family to his success. Erol Veznedaroglu is married and has two children, a son and daughter.
These recent additions to the Stroke and Cerebrovascular Center of New Jersey are part of Capital Health’s $30 million investment to bring the latest advances and highest quality treatment of aneurysms, AVM’s, strokes, intracranial stenosis and other critical conditions involving the brain to central and southern New Jersey and Bucks County, Pennsylvania. One of the most popular facilities in the U.S. in the brain surgery field, Philadelphia-headquartered Thomas Jefferson University Hospital transferred 20 members of its team to Capital Health, including significant names such as Dr. Erol Veznedaroglu and Dr. Kenneth M. Liebman, as well as nurses and nurse aides. At the age 38, holding the title of being the youngest department director in the history of Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Dr. Erol Veznedaroglu, within two months after he started (the interview was conducted in the second week of February) at the Capital Health System, says they took care of nearly 100 patients and performed 60 operations. Dr. Veznedaroglu can perform up to 6-7 operations a day. Dr. Veznedaroglu performed 5,000 operations last year with his team at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. He mentions that he came from an environment where there was a high patient traffic into an environment where the patients are treated with more specialized care. He says, “This is the kind of place I have always wanted to work. When you work in a university hospital and with that many patients, it becomes impossible to give more time to each of your patients. The service we provide here is very special.”
ABOUT CAPITAL HEALTH Capital Health is a 589-bed acute-care teaching hospital located in Trenton, New Jersey. Capital Health, which is comprised of two hospitals and an outpatient facility, offers centers of excellence in neurosciences, maternal child health, cardiology, dialysis, trauma services, and oncology. In October 2008, Capital Health announced that its Fuld hospital had received the highest possible ratings for the treatment of stroke by HealthGrades, the healthcare ratings company. Capital Health is the only hospital in the Tri-County area of Mercer, Burlington and Camden counties to be ranked among the top 10% in the nation for treatment of stroke, a ranking it has earned for the past two years in a row.!
“Patients throughout our region have been looking to major cities such as Philadelphia and New York City to get the highest level of care and advanced treatment for strokes and other life-threatening brain conditions,” said Al Maghazehe, CEO & President of Capital Health. “With the acquisition of this advanced equipment and the addition of Dr. Veznedaroglu and Dr. Liebman to our staff, the same quality of care is available at Capital Health.” When he was asked if making a new start at a new hospital after leaving the busiest brain surgery department in the world had carried risks, Dr Veznedaroglu answered, “It did, absolutely!” However, he says that he admired the vision and plans of Capital Health System CEO & President Al Maghazehe for the hospital. Veznedaroglu mentions that having been a doctor for the last 15 years, he follows the principle of every patient being treated equally. He adds that he wants the Cerebrovascular Center of New Jersey to be the first address to go for the patients of brain illnesses in the area. The young doctor says that he has patients not only from Central New Jersey and its surrounding area but also other states of the U.S. He mentions that the hospital carries all the necessary equipment in order to serve the patients coming from Turkey in the best way as TurkofAmerica • 11
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DR. ZEKI UYGUR
Dr. Zeki Uygur:
A Treasure for Turks ›n New York mong the immigrant ethnic groups in the U.S.,
Athere have always been people who dedicated
themselves to the people of their home countries. They become worried when their compatriots are worried, they become sad when they are sad. They help without any expectations in return. They are concerned about helping their people, not their own benefit, despite the capitalist system. They could adapt to the cycle and make millions to have a comfortable and trouble-free way of life, just like many of their co-workers. Instead they choose to conquer the hearts of their people.
As we felt it was a binding duty to tell about the national treasure of the Turks in the U.S., this gentleman of Istanbul, TURKOFAMERICA asked his close friends and fellows about Dr. Zeki Uygur.
They do not play cheap games like getting a “Lifetime Achievement Award” award after donating a couple of thousand dollars to some businessman’s foundation. They are not in the media aimlessly. They do not have their pictures published in magazines. One of these people is Zeki Uygur, whose name is mentioned with respect and gratitude by many Turks in New York. We had been planning to tell his life story after the interview we would have with him. Melda Akansel, who helped a lot with this edition, arranged an appointment and saw Zeki Uygur in his office. Dr. Uygur politely refused Melda’s interview request. He had thought she was one of the Turks in need of help. He said, “Let’s sit down, I will talk, we can chat but you are not allowed to use it in the magazine.” Zeki Uygur does not like talking about himself. As we felt it was a binding duty to tell about the national treasure of the Turks in the U.S., this gentleman of Istanbul, TURKOFAMERICA asked his close friends and fellows about Dr. Uygur. As they told us about him, we enjoyed the opportunity to get to know this great treasure of Turks in New York. A NAVY OFFICER At the opening of his art exhibition at the New York Turkish Cultural Center in April 2007, Dr. Zeki Uygur gave some details about his life:
14 • TurkofAmerica
He graduated from the Medical School of Ankara in 1950. He was an officer in the Navy. He served 3.5 years as a doctor on Turkish naval ships, including Ataturk’s ship, the Savarona. In 1952, he was sent to the U.S. as a member of a 200-person crew in charge of receiving 3 torpedo ships while he was serving as a flotilla doctor with the rank of lieutenant on the destroyer; the Gaziantep. As the ship approached Staten Island, one soldier fell off and injured his head. Dr. Uygur helped the injured soldier get treatment by taking him to several hospitals. It was this event that led Dr. Uygur to do his specialty training in neurosurgery. After having completed his 3.5 month duty in the U.S., he returned to serve at Gulhane Military Medical School in Istanbul. Dr. Uygur finished his specialty training in general surgery at Gulhane Military Medical School between
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Photo by Cahit Oktay, Forum Newspaper.
Dr. Uygur returned to Turkey in 1965 and started to work at the neurosurgery department in Istanbul Kasimpasa Hospital, since the neurosurgery department at Gulhane Military Medical School had already been opened by a colleague. After having worked for 4 years in Kasimpasa Hospital, he retired from the navy in 1969 with the rank of colonel. Then, he immigrated to New York. From his first days in the city until now, he has been determined to help the Turkish community and whoever needs a doctor. HE STILL DOES NOT TAKE ANY MONEY Well-known for the fact that he does not take any money from his Turkish patients, Dr. Uygur has been taking care of his patients in Brooklyn for several years. These days, he is in midtown Manhattan, taking care of his patients 2-3 days a week. Attorney Cahit Akbulut, who has known Dr. Uygur for 20 years and has shared the same office for the last 7 months, complains about the fact that Dr. Uygur still doesn’t ask for any money from his Turkish patients. Akbulut says, “He does not take any money from those who don’t have it but when the ones who have it are reluctant to give money, I demand our administrative assistant to take care of the money issues.” When asked what kind of personality Dr. Uygur reminds him of, Akbulut answers “A perfect personality; someone who cares about human lives, not money.”
the years 1954 and 1957. He was sent back to the U.S. by the insistent effort by his teacher Dr. Recai Erguder while he was working as a senior consultant at the academy. He continued his education at St. Albans Naval Hospital. He did not get the chance to finish his studies because in March 1960, the military staff made a decision ordering all the military students abroad to return to Turkey. Dr. Uygur went back to his job in Gulhane Military Medical School. Dr. Uygur witnessed the first military coup in Turkey on May 27, 1960. He even knew 30 of the 38 officers who carried out the coup from the period when he used to work as a doctor at Gulhane Military Medical School. After the coup, in 1961, he was sent back to Iowa University to go on his brain surgery education. He finished his specialty training in brain surgery in 1965. Dr. Uygur’s dream was to open the brain surgery department in Gulhane Military Medical School when he returned to Turkey. He ignored his professor’s insistent advice to stay in the U.S. Dr. Uygur became angry when his professor said, “I worked as a visiting professor at Athens University for 2 years. There’s no difference between Greece and Turkey, you can’t do it.”
YOUNG TURKS Dr. Uygur has been attending a group meeting continuously for the last 40 years. The members of the group call themselves “Young Turks”. The founders of the group are Dr. Zeki Uygur, along with journalist Dogan Uluc and Sinan Korle. The members of the group believe the success in the continuity of the group all this time has depended on three factors. The first one is that they do not talk about politics. The second one is that religion is never a topic in any discussion. The third and last one is the fact that spouses are never invited to these meetings. Around 30 people participate in each meeting. He was awarded a “thank you plaque” by his friends because of his contributions to the Turkish community at one of these meetings. One of Uygur’s closest friends, Emirhan Buzlucali, points out that Dr. Uygur is very interested in Turkish literature. Dr. Uygur recites poems that have themes of love for one’s homeland and nation at the meetings of the Young Turks. Buzlucali, who has known him for 25 years, says, “Whoever needs a doctor, no matter in which different specialty, he finds the best doctor. He is a kind of a health consultant for our community.” NO MORE SURGERY Dr. Uygur stopped doing surgery in 2005. His biggest wish is for the removal of the monetary relations between the patients and the doctor. He says, “We doctors should not be thinking about money, it should be other people’s job to do so.” His close friend Mehmet Guven, who has known Dr. Uygur for 35 TurkofAmerica • 15
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DR. ZEKI UYGUR
Photo Courtesy of Mehmet Guven
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Dr. Zeki Uygur with his friends Burhan Ozcan, Mehmet Guven and Ozdemir Kosal at one of Young Turks meetings in New York. (From left to right)
years, says, “If Zeki Uygur had cared about money, he would be a millionaire now, but money has never been a priority for him.” Mr. Guven also adds that he knew only two names from the piece of paper that he was given when he first came to the U.S. in 1974. One of these names was Dr. Uygur. Mehmet Guven, who retired from the Permanent Mission of Turkey to the United Nations, says he has not met one person who talked negatively about Dr. Uygur. LOOK AT THE RESULT… IS HE HEALING? Mehmet Guven has a memory that he witnessed with Dr. Zeki Uygur; a memory he can never forget. In the midst of 80’s, Yavuz, a police officer working in the Turkish Consulate, had a child with a chronic disease and the child needed treatment. The child was first brought to Dr. Uygur. After having treated him, Dr. Uygur forwarded the child to other doctors for other tests and treatment. He also asked these doctors to forward the bills to him. Not only did he not take any money for treating this child but also he paid all these bills from the other doctors. Dr. Uygur also handed money in an envelope to the father’s child while he was in the hospital, asking to contribute more. Mehmet Guven felt like crying when he told us about the story. He said, “Whenever I told Dr. Uygur that he is not taking money but they misuse his good intention, he always comes up with the same response: ‘Look at the result, Mehmet… Is he healing?’” HE OPENED AN ART EXHIBIT His friends say that Dr. Uygur is a passionate Fenerbahce, one of the most popular sports club in Turkey, fan. He tries not to miss any of their soccer games and he usually watches the games with his closest friends, Emirhan Buzlucali and Prof. Etem Erol, at Ali Baba Restaurant 16 • TurkofAmerica
in Midtown Manhattan. Another passion that Dr. Uygur has is art. Dr. Uygur lives in Long Island and he exhibited the pictures he drew during the trips he made between his house and his job in New York. He opened his last exhibit in April 2007. At the opening of the exhibit, he said, “No matter how many operations I have done, I would always do my next surgery with the excitement as if it was the first surgery. The 24-48 hour period after the surgery is very stressful. This exhibit includes what I drew to relieve my mind.” Having started in 1974, Dr. Uygur has drawn over 1,000 pieces, most of which were done on his train trips. Dr. Uygur has always felt worried about the condition of the patient after the surgeries. He says even if he learns from the doctors that the patient is fine at night time, in the morning he would think about which foot he should step forward with to enter the hospital for good luck. “There is a big difference between now and the 60’s & 70’s” Dr. Uygur says. “We, doctors, used to struggle in small hospitals in those years. In recent years, it is very common to see Turkish doctors in the management departments of big hospitals. These doctors have achieved great success. I am proud. Now, forget about Zeki Uygur!” he adds humbly. Dr. Uygur is also very proud of keeping the promise that he gave to his mother not to change his name when he came to the U.S.. Dr. Uygur treated thousands of patients free of charge. He does not drive a car. He lives in a rented house in Long Island. He has been married to Ayla Uygur since 1953 and they have two children. Dr. Uygur does not consider retiring. One of his favorite hobbies is going fishing. His favorite fish is young blue fish.
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THE STORY OF THE COP HE SAVED BECAME A MOVIE A very memorable event in Dr. Zeki Uygur’s life was saving the life of the police officer who revealed one of the worst corruption scandals in the history of New York Police Department. Dr. Uygur was the first to treat officer Frank Serpico when he was brought to the emergency room at New York Greenpoint Hospital on February 3, 1971 after Serpico had been shot in a clash with his colleagues. When Frank Serpico wrote a book about his memories, he mentioned Zeki Uygur in his book as the Turkish doctor who saved his life in that hospital. Later, Frank Serpico’s life story was turned into a movie by the director Sidney Lumet. Al Pacino played officer Frank Serpico in the movie. Dr. Uygur never told the media about Frank Serpico. DEDICATION TO HUMANITY & HIS PEOPLE Dr. Uygur shows the same care and closeness to everyone whether they are a police officer well-known to Americans or a refugee just off the boat. His close friend Mehmet Guven summarizes Dr. Uygur’s sensitivity in these words: “Let’s say a young Turkish man working in a gas station at the very end of Long Island had an accident and Dr. Uygur coincidentally heard this. He would not hesitate, he would not delay, he does not have a car but you would see him getting a train or a taxi to reach that hospital to help this young Turkish man. He would help him monetarily. While going to this young man, he would not tell anyone about this, he would not ask anyone to give him a ride. He is nonpareil.” “Whenever someone in the Turkish community has any difficulty with the police, they first try to find me. If anyone has a health problem, they try to reach Dr. Uygur,” says Erhan Yildirim, a liaison between the New York Police Department and the Muslim community in New York. He adds, “We, as a Turkish American community, are a very big family in the U.S. and Dr. Uygur is like our abi (the Turkish word for elder brother).” ANOTHER SALVATOR ALTCHEK One of the members of Young Turks Group, who did not wish his name published, said Dr. Uygur is like Dr. Salvator Altchek for the Turkish community. Dr. Salvator Altchek, who was known for 67 years as the $5 doctor to the melting pot of Brooklyn, especially the poorer residents of affluent Brooklyn Heights, died in September 2002. He was 92. According to the New York Times, Dr. Altchek continued to work until two months before his death. He delivered thousands of babies and generally attended to the health needs of anyone who showed up at his basement office in the Joralemon Street row house in the Heights where he lived, charging $5 or $10 when he charged at all. The member of the Young Turks Group said Dr. Uygur has never been motivated by money and he added: “He has been practicing since 1969 in the U.S. If you compare him to the other brain surgeons who have worked that long, they have least two houses, loads of money in the bank and comfortable lives, but Dr. Uygur does not.” He told a story concerning Dr. Uygur helping his poor patients: “I heard the story from the patient himself. When Dr. Uygur was practicing in Long Island, NY, a Turkish patient needed a doctor. He found Dr. Uygur’s contact number and called him. He said he needed a doctor but he did not have money. He was not able to come to the hospital either. At that time, Uygur was working in New York City. Uygur got his address and traveled to the address from New York City. After treating the patient, he went to the pharmacy and paid for the medicines which the patient needed. To this day, that person tells this story about Dr. Uygur.” TurkofAmerica • 17
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HAKAN USAL
Dr. Hakan Usal Recreates You By Melda Akansel
An average of 1200 surgeries are performed at Dr. Usal Cosmetic Surgey Center per year with 400 of them aesthetic and 800 of them reconstructive. or humans, the desire to fix physical imperfections or
Fto recreate their looks may be as old as humanity it-
self. In our day people find themselves at the door of plastic surgeons because they have the desire to have a new look, for psychological reasons or for medical reasons. Plastic surgeons fix imperfections or completely change a part of the body with the touch of a scalpel, thanks to the advances in both technology and the medical practice. Neither a large nose, cellulite-ridden legs nor a sagging stomach has to haunt women anymore, nor do people have to live with the loss of a limb or a fa-
18 • TurkofAmerica
ce burned in a fire. All of these can be repaired with the use of the plastic surgeons’ gifted hands. “Plastic surgery is a life changing experience,” says Dr. Hakan Usal, one of the most successful aesthetic and reconstructive surgeons in New Jersey and the United States. He helps patients reach their new desired physiques or reclaim their old image at his clinic, Dr. Usal Cosmetic Surgey Center. Dr. Usal, in addition to performing aesthetic surgeries such as face, neck, waist and stomach surgeries, also performs reconstructive and microsurgeries surgeries to repair damage to the face and hands.
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17 YEARS DEVOTED TO PLASTIC SURGERY Dr. Hakan Usal, who graduated from Istanbul University Cerrahpasa Medical School in 1986, took the first step toward becoming a surgeon by starting a specialization in general surgery. He started his medical career as a practitioner at the Russian border of Turkey at Mount Ararat where Noah's Ark ship was lost. He later trained in general surgery at hospitals in Istanbul and Ankara. Dr. Usal, who then decided to pursue his studies in plastic surgery in Scotland, had to repeat his general surgery studies while also pursuing his specialty studies because his diploma from Turkey was not accepted. Then taking advantage of an offer, Dr. Usal came to the United States and repeated his general surgery studies for a third time and his plastic surgery studies for a second time at Staten Island University in order to meet the requirements of the American educational system. During the same period, Dr. Usal, who had been accepted at NYU, finished his yearlong microsurgery training and then went on to University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey to finish his plastic surgery specialization. Dr. Hakan Usal opened his own New Jersey clinic in 2000. Usal performs his emergency surgeries and microsurgeries, such as hand and finger reattachments at the Hackensack University Medical Center, and he also works in collaboration with Nyack Hospital, Good Samaritan Hospital, Valley Hospital and Pascack Valley Hospital. AN EXPERT IN FACIAL PLASTIC SURGERY Dr. Usal performs all of the facial plastic surgeries at Dr. Usal Cosmetic Surgey Center, which has a heavy patient load. Dr. Usal is experts in the field of breast and stomach surgeries. Breast reduction and enlargement, implant placements, face-lifts, neck lifts, liposuction and stomach lifts are the most frequently performed plastic surgeries. In the field of reconstructive surgeries the most common interventions are hand surgeries, broken bones, broken hand bones, tissue repair and facial repairs. An average of 1200 surgeries are performed at Dr. Usal Cosmetic Surgey Center per year with 400 of them aesthetic and 800 of them reconstructive. Most of Dr. Usal’s plastic surgery patients hale from Italy or South America. Pointing out that South Americans are extremely focused on beauty and aesthetics, Dr. Usal says, “The women especially are interested in plastic surgery. They come to get their breasts enlarged, stomachs lifted or for liposuction.” Dr. Usal says that he is very happy that he has many Turkish patients. Just as patients come to him from all four corners of the States, he also has many patients who especially come to him from Turkey. Dr. Usal also says that there are certain problems that he faces with his Turkish patients: “This is not something that is stressed too much in Turkey and it really is neither an accepted nor an understood practice either. When I say, ‘quit smoking then I will perform the surgery’ the patients have an immediate negative reaction. They tell me that no doctor in Turkey had ever suggested such a thing.” Another large group among Dr. Hakan Usal’s patient profile is made up of his Armenian patients. Being that New Jersey has a large Armenian-Turkish population, many of these patients come to Dr. Usal Cosmetic Surgey Center. NO SURGERY ON SMOKERS “Mostly my patients are middle-aged and are working professionals. Looking young and dynamic allows people to be more successful in the world
of business,” says Dr. Usal, speaking about the benefits of plastic surgery. He also stresses that this is a trend in the United States: “In America leaders, presidents, and managers are all athletically built, healthy, youthful and energetic people. Here everyone wants to work with happy, healthy, confident and energetic people. This is exactly what plastic surgery provides and it increases people’s self-confidence. For example, when a woman gets breast enlargements she can choose her outfits accordingly and when her self-confidence increases then this reflects back onto her professional and her social life. When plastic surgery is done right, the right amount, then it can positively affect a person’s life.” For this reason he does not operate on every patient who walks in; he first determines if the person’s general health and psychological make up is appropriate for that particular surgery. For example he does not operate on patients who smoke. He explains his reason behind this: “The rate of complications is much higher in patients who smoke. In smokers the skin heals slower, scarring is more prevalent and it is more likely that there will be lung problems after the surgery.” He also does not immediately perform surgeries on those people whom he terms “plastic surgery addicts;” he says these people are never happy with their appearances and he only performs their surgeries if he deems it necessary. LACK OF STANDARTIZATION IN TURKEY Dr. Hakan Usal visits Turkey from time to time for various conferences and says he is happy about the point that plastic surgery has reached in Turkey today. Usal says that a high level has been reached in the educational system and that in the past few years he has come across many articles from Turkey published in American medical journals. Most of the surgeries that are performed in the United States are also being performed in Turkey, says Usal, and then points out that the only difference between Turkey and the United States is standardization and that this is the cause of certain problems in Turkey. He goes onto say: “I do not feel that there is a huge gap between my colleagues there and here. I even consult on some issues and get advice from my Turkish colleagues. In Turkey, however, due to the educational system, each doctor’s knowledge and experience varies. In the United States you will get a nearly similar result from whichever plastic surgeon you go to. That plastic surgeon’s knowledge and ability will usually be at a standard level. There is a level of standardization. This of course is a result of a level of standardization in education. But that does not exist in Turkey and even though the same things are being done, the differences between plastic surgeons varies greatly.” “THE U.S. WELCOMES EVERYONE” Dr. Usal is a scientist who has accomplished much in the way of education and career overseas. He is happy to be in the United States when it comes to the educational system and his profession. He summarizes all that he has accomplished professionally by stating, “This country has given me much that I had asked for. I received the world’s best plastic surgery training.” He points out that the United States welcomes all and adds: “As a doctor who lived and worked in Scotland and England for many years I witnessed a negative attitude towards Turkish people in certain places. This attitude even affected me even though I am a doctor. But from the first day that I came to this country I was received warmly. This is a country that welcomes everyone and gives a working person a chance.” Dr. Usal, who as time goes by misses Turkey more and more, plans to take all that he has accumulated, knowledge and experience, back to Turkey in the future and is working on arranging a part-time working plan for here and Istanbul.! TurkofAmerica • 19
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THE BEST OF NEW YORK
New York's Top Turk›sh Doctors very year, Castle Connolly Medical Ltd. finds and
Enames doctors who are believed to be represen-
tative of America's top doctors and the hospitals in which they practice.
The “Best Doctors” list highlights 1,434 physicians, the top two percent in the metro area in various specialties. The list is compiled from a peer-review survey conducted by the New York City research and information company, Castle Connolly Medical Ltd., which publishes an annual guidebook, Top Doctors: New York Metro Area. The book lists the top 10 percent of physicians, more than 6,000 in all, in New York City, Westchester County, Long Island and portions of New Jersey and Connecticut.
The “Best Doctors” list highlights 1,434 physicians, the top two percent in the metro area in various specialties.
20 • TurkofAmerica
According to the Castle Connolly America’s Top Doctor 2008 list, there are four Turkish-born physicians named among the best doctors. These names are psychiatrist T. Byram Karasu, cardiac surgeon M. Arisan Ergin, Sukru Emre, and pediatric endocrinologist Levon Agdere. You can read Sukru Emre’s story on page 34-35 of this issue. Below are the details of other three physicians. T. BYRAM KARASU T. Byram Karasu, M.D. completed his psychiatric residency at Yale University. He is presently Silverman Professor and the University Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Psychiatrist-in-Chief at Montefiore Medical Center. The author or editor of sixteen books, author or co-author of more than 100 papers, editorial board member of nine journals, Dr. Karasu currently is the Editor-in-Chief of the American Journal of Psychotherapy, and a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association (APA). He has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the Sigmund Freud Award and the APA's Presidential Commendation. From 1979-1982, Dr. Karasu chaired the APA’s Commission on Psychiatric Therapies, which produced a critical review of psychosocial and somatic therapies. In 1981, Dr. Karasu was appointed chairman of another national task force comprised of over 400 scholars, researchers, and clinicians with the goal of producing a seminal document describing the treatment of each psychiatric disorder. (Source: Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University)
New York Magazine ‘the Best Doctors’ issue.
MEHMET ARISAN ERGIN M. Arisan Ergin, MD, PhD is the chairman of the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery and co-founder of the program at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center. His achievements over a career spanning three decades include the attainment of a full professorship at The Mount Sinai Medical Center, where Drs. Ergin, Klein and McCullough first met. Dr. Ergin’s authorship of more than 90 original scientific publications has earned him an international reputation for his expertise in aortic surgery. His goal of building the finest cardiac surgery unit in the region has been realized at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center. LEVON AGDERE After graduating from the private Sahakyan-Nunyan Armenian High School in Fatih, Istanbul in 1975, Levon Agdere completed his studies at Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty of Istanbul University, in 1981. Dr. Agdere’s main specialty is pediatric endocrinology and he has been practicing for about 25 years in the New York metropolitan area. During his first years in the U.S., he completed his residency at Lutheran Medical Center, Brooklyn between 1983-1986, then worked at NY Hospital-Cornell Medical Center between 1986-1989. Being board certified for pediatrics and pediatric endocrinology, Dr. Agdere has a very busy schedule. He is affiliated with New York Methodist Hospital, Brooklyn Hospital Center, and Wyckoff Heights Medical Center. Dr Agdere’ special expertise is diabetes, short stature in children and thyroid disorders. He is a member of the Brooklyn Pediatric Society. !
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CANER Z. D‹NLENÇ
Dr. D›nlenç Def›es the Prostate w›th A Robot r. Caner Z. Dinlenç uses a robotic sur-
Dgical method to perform prostate
By Melda Akansel
Dr. Caner Dinlenç examines nearly 300 patients each month and his surgical program is also quite full; he dons his scrubs an average of thirty times per month.
22 • TurkofAmerica
surgeries without the need for a scalpel, removing this surgery from being many a man’s most feared nightmare. Also performing kidney stone surgeries with the same method, Dr. Caner Z. Dinlenç has been signing off on success after success in the United States with his team at the Beth Israel Medical Center. Dr. Caner Z. Dinlenç was born in the United States, his father having moved to that country in the sixties to pursue a master’s in engineering. The Dinlenç family, who had thrown themselves into their careers, decided to settle for good once their children were born and they have been there ever since. Caner Dinlenç pursued his studies in the United States and then choosing medicine, went on to study at Boston University Medical School. After staying in Boston for fourteen years, Dinlenç returned to New York and started a year-long specialization in Urological Surgery and Laparoscopy at the Long Island Jewish Center. Dr. Dinlenç was very careful and fastidious when he was choosing his field of specialty. The fact that there were not many urologists in his field and that there were only 3-5 in the whole country attracted his attention. Another point of interest for Dinlenç was that the use of technology was very common in urology. “In the early nineties, urology was the one
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within all of the surgical specialties that was the most open to the use of technology. That’s why I went into that direction,” he says as he explains why he chose urology. Among the many Turkish patients that Dr. Caner Dinlenç sees, many come from Turkey specifically to be treated by him. He also has patients from all over the United States with New York, New Jersey and Connecticut leading the way. He says, “Ten to fifteen Turkish patients come to me per month, on average. As they refer me to one another this number keeps growing.” Dr. Caner Dinlenç examines nearly 300 patients each month and his surgical program is also quite full; he dons his scrubs an average of thirty times per month. ROBOTIC PROSTATE SURGERY ON THE INTERNET The robotic prostate surgery that Dr. Caner Dinlenç has been performing in his field of specialty for the past seven years can be seen on the Internet. He explains the importance and the specifics of this surgery that does not use a scalpel, therefore reducing blood loss: “We perform this surgery with a three armed robot. I sit at a computer and I perform the surgery by remote control. We perform the whole procedure without having to cut the patient open; we enter through three small holes smaller then the dimensions of a pencil. This procedure allows for the patient to have a much easier recuperation process, especially when we are removing cancerous cells. It is also very important for the man not to lose his erectile potential. With this surgery it is much more of a possibility to save the nerves from dama-
ge.” Another important factor with this surgical process is that there is less blood loss. In an open surgery, a blood loss of two liters is considered normal, but with this surgery that blood loss is about ten percent of that. Yet one more advantage of this method is that the patient returns to normal daily activities within two weeks; for example going back to work is no problem. KIDNEY SURGERIES Dr. Dinlenç, who no longer performs open surgeries, also uses the same method to performs kidney surgeries, in addition to prostate surgeries. As he recounts his specialty, methods and experiences to medical students in classrooms, he also travels nationally and internationally to conferences to which he is invited to share his knowledge with his colleagues. Dr. Dinlenç is also invited to many conferences in Turkey where he is able to meet his colleagues during his lectures, which he gives both in Turkish and English. Dr. Caner Z. Dinlenç’s future career plan is to teach the surgical procedure that he performs to other surgeons and to ensure that it becomes more widespread. In this aim he is very fastidious about teaching his assistants, as well as the doctors who travel from Turkey to learn from him. Additionally, Dr. Dinlenç also places importance on showing the way to young medical students and doctors, especially those who come from Turkey. He would like the surgeries that he performs to be performed in Turkey, but he says that it is still difficult.!
TurkofAmerica • 23
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DR. ÖZGEN DO⁄AN
Heart Fr›endly Dr. Özgen Do¤an gen Dogan also has specializations in the fields of ecocardiology and nuclear cardiology. There are three cardiologists, including Dr. Ozgen Dogan, and two internists at his clinic. As medical technology advances, Dr. Dogan and his team follow each latest advance and they can conduct any test that can be done in a hospital right there in the clinic.
Dr. Ozgen Dogan practices not only at Columbia University and Long Island College Hospital, but he has also been one of New York’s most successful cardiologists.
nquestionably, heart attacks are the biggest health
Uthreat to people today and the medical community
By Melda Akansel
Dr. Dogan points out that Turkish patients in New York and in the United States are usually under a great amount of stress, and that especially because the percentage that smoke is so high, Turkish people are in a high risk group. 24 • TurkofAmerica
is making great efforts to try to solve this problem. Dr. Ozgen Dogan tries to call attention to the importance of a healthy heart by saying, “The number one killer in the modern world is heart problems and the heart attacks that are caused by this.” He also states that many things raise the risk of a heart attack, from bad nutrition to being overweight, from stress to not getting enough exercise. Dr. Ozgen Dogan practices not only at Columbia University and Long Island College Hospital, but he has also been one of New York’s most successful cardiologists, protecting the hearts of thousands of patients for the past twenty years at his own clinic. Ozgen Dogan, like all Robert College students, had already decided to go to the United States while still in school and had chosen to pursue industrial engineering in Atlanta. His first step in realizing this dream was the university entrance exams and achieving the necessary scores. However, at the last minute the attraction of the medical field was so great that Ozgen Dogan found himself at Istanbul University Medical School, following a long forgotten childhood dream. Always keeping the United States in the back of his mind, Dogan graduated from the Cerrahpasa School of Medicine and then started an internal medicine specialization in Boston in 1989 before continuing at Cornell University and Long Island College Hospital for specialization in cardiology. Dr. Oz-
Dr. Dogan has a heavy patient load at Columbia University and Long Island College Hospital and at his own clinic, and among them he has many Turkish patients. Turkish patients usually come to Dr. Dogan either through word of mouth or through what they read about him in the media. Dr. Dogan usually gets about fifteen Turkish patients per week, and he has also many patients come from Turkey to see him. Dr. Dogan points out that Turkish patients in New York and in the United States are usually under a great amount of stress, and that especially because the percentage that smoke is so high, Turkish people are in a high risk group. “Moving to a foreign country usually creates a lot of stress, especially during the transition period due to problems with language and cultural differences, and this causes the person to smoke much more,” says Dr. Dogan as he states that Turkish people usually smoke a lot. Dr. Ozgen Dogan has a lot of memories about his many Turkish patients. One that he cannot forget is this: A Turkish patient came to him when he first started to work as a cardiologist in New York. This patient, who had a large hole in his heart, had jumped ship and come to the United States, so he did not have any kind of insurance. Dr. Dogan, whose mother’s side is from Kirklareli, lent his help to this man from his region and with the help of charitable organizations, first he performed an angiogram and then during his surgery he repaired the heart valves and the hole in his heart. Dr. Dogan is still in touch with this patient who is in great health now and an American citizen living in Philadelphia with his wife and two children. For Dr. Ozgen Dogan, who is extremely dedicated to his career, each day coming to work is a whole new beginning and extremely exciting. He has decided that he will work all of his life, not even thinking of retiring. As he explains why he loves his career so much, he says, “The things that tie me to this profession and make me so happy are first of all dealing with the patients and making them better and second of all to teach the medical students and the chief interns in order to guide them and continue with research.” Dr. Dogan fits in attending conferences in Turkey into his heavy schedule, and he also tries to vacation as much as possible in Turkey. He also states that as time goes by his yearning for Turkey gets greater and greater and that he hopes in the future to be able to spend three or four months every year in Turkey.!
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PINAR ATAKENT
Her mother had a stroke the year that she entered medical school and that led her to change her specialty from obstetrics and gynecology to physical therapy. Entering this field with the desire to help her mother and other patients who were experiencing the same problems, Dr. Atakent trained in her specialization at Yeshiva University and then she became chief intern at New York University. Dr. P›nar Atakent started working as a specialist in 1981 at the Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation department at Long Island College Hospital where she has been chief for the past seventeen years. P›nar Atakent has been working for the past 28 years at Long Island College Hospital.
One of the Most Successful Phys›otherap›sts ›n New York r. P›nar Atakent is one of New York’s most success-
Dful physiotherapists and New York Magazine has
By Melda Akansel
Dr. P›nar Atakent started working as a specialist in 1981 at the Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation department at Long Island College Hospital where she has been chief for the past seventeen years.
26 • TurkofAmerica
chosen her as one of the top ten doctors in her field of specialization for the past twelve years. Dr. Atakent, who took the first step toward her career at Hacettepe University Medical Center, has been working for the past 28 years at Long Island College Hospital, one of New York’s top hospitals. Due to some coincidence, P›nar Atakent, who was had been making plans to enter the political science department to go into foreign affairs, ended up in medical school instead. Canceling her full scholarship enrollment at the last moment, P›nar Atakent then started her medical training at the then newly founded Hacettepe University. While Atakent was still a student, she had idealistic plans of going back to her village as a doctor after the end of six years of training, but under the influence of her teacher Prof. Nusret Fisek, she changed her mind and decided to do her specialization in public health. Under the leadership of Prof. Nusret Fisek, who was the person to develop the field of public health in Turkey, she did two years in her specialization as well as additional training in obstetrics and gynecology at Sincan Village Clinic and in the villages around Sincan. After watching her professors, who at that time were mainly American, Dr. P›nar Atakent decided to go to the United States to further her career. Dr. P›nar Atakent did not delay this decision of hers to move to the United States.
Dr. Atakent has been furthering her career in the United States for a very long time and for the past twelve years she has been chosen by New York Magazine as one of the top ten doctors in her field. Atakent, who is very modest on the subject of her achievements, sees her biggest accomplishment as being the only Muslim and Turkish woman department chief at Long Island College Hospital. She describes people’s reactions: “When they hear of a Turkish woman or a Muslim they imagine a woman who is covered and who says yes to everything her husband demands. They cannot even accept that a Turkish woman can graduate from university or that she can come to the United States to practice her chosen career.” Atakent, who symbolizes the Turkish woman and her successes in the best way, sparks people’s surprise even more when she tells them that her mother graduated in 1942 with an archeology degree from Ankara University School of Language, History, and Geography. A CAPTAIN IN THE AMERICAN ARMY Dr. P›nar Atakent was a doctor in the American Army between 1982-1991 but then she left the army at the time when the Gulf War started. Atakent, who was serving as a captain, then served in different army hospitals on the weekends as well as working at Long Island College Hospital. Dr. Atakent explains why she took on this responsibility by saying, “Wherever they are in the world, soldiers are only serving their own country’s politics. They are just as innocent and as well intentioned as our own soldiers.” Dr. Atakent has lived through many experiences in the long years that she has been working in the United States and has many memories that make her proud as a Turkish woman. One of these moments was when she was still serving in the American army and a typical Texan patient came to her with a cowboy hat on his head and boots on his feet. The Texan patient, who had not been able to find a diagnosis for his ailment for months, had a condescending expression on his face when he saw a mere woman doctor in front of him and then he went on to ask her where she was from. At first he did
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PINAR ATAKENT
not trust this doctor who came from a country he had not even heard of. But then when Dr. P›nar Atakent correctly diagnosed him and he started to get better after his treatment he showed his gratitude by telling her, “You, as a female doctor from a country I had never heard of, diagnosed me correctly and made me better.” During that same period Atakent was in Washington for short-term duty when she took on the treatment of an American general. When the general found out that Dr. P›nar Atakent was Turkish, he got out of his sick bed and stood in salute. He thanked Atakent, saying that he had served in the Korean War alongside Turkish soldiers and that ever since he had wanted to be able to salute a Turkish person and that she had given him this opportunity. Due to the location of Long Island College Hospital, where she works, the majority of the patients she sees are Italian in origin, but she also has many Turkish patients. Dr. Atakent’s patients usually work in physically challenging jobs such as at restaurants or gas stations. Additionally she sees many student patients. From time to time Atakent also treats patients who come from Turkey. Besides being a very successful doctor, Atakent is also known for her sense of charity; she is very fastidious, especially when it comes to doing physical examination reports for young men going into the army and she does these for free. “Young men going into the army now know they can call me for their reports. When they call in to get an appointment and the secretary asks them what kind of insurance they have they generally answer ‘what are you talking about, I’m Turkish’ or ‘what do you mean, I’m Turkish’, and now the secretary is also used to this.” Although she has been working and living in the United States for the past thirty two years, Dr. P›nar Atakent finds the state of current medical practice in Turkey both very satisfactory and hopeful. According to the latest figures, she says that Turkey is among the top thirteen countries in publishing scientific articles and that she no longer sees as many patients who come from Turkey for treatment. “I send foreign speakers from here to speak at lectures and conferences in Turkey. They are all experts in their various fields. When they return they always praise Turkish doctors and their educational and knowledge levels. ‘There is nothing left for us to teach them’ they say.” Another characteristic of Dr. Atakent, who has dedicated herself completely to her career, is that she has aided many Turkish colleagues in coming to the United States. For years she has hosted Turkish physiotherapists to gain experience at her side and she is very proud of this fact. She says, “Many physiotherapists who are in important positions in Turkey have come and observed at my side for a few months and we have seen patients together. We have learned a lot from each other.” After 9/11, just as it is in all other arenas, it has also been harder to get a visa; therefore Turkish doctors cannot travel as easily as they could before. An invitation from Dr. P›nar Atakent is no longer sufficient; now the hospital administration needs to be aware of the person who will be visiting. Even though Dr. Atakent is far away from Turkey, her heart is still in Turkey and with her loved ones there. She attends conferences frequently and she prefers to spend her vacation time in Turkey. But still her longing for Turkey is within her at all times. One morning as she was walking to work she happened to see a ship anchored near the hospital that had hoisted a Turkish flag. She got so excited she could not keep still and her heart was pounding. For a whole week she looked out at the ship from her office many times a day. At the end of the week when she saw that 28 • TurkofAmerica
the ship was gone, she could not hold back her tears. She described her feeling and her yearning: “When the ship left it touched me so much, it was as if it had abandoned me here all alone. Each time I saw the ship it had given me the feeling that I could go to Turkey at anytime.” She says that the new generation that has come from Turkey is so much luckier and adds, “In our time there were no Turkish stores or restaurants. It was impossible to even find yogurt or tomato paste. For the first two months I cooked with ketchup. For a long time I had my mother send me tomato paste. It was also extremely hard to call Turkey. You would ask to be connected, then the gendarme would get connected and then just as you were speaking, the lines would go dead.” Another thing that has stuck in P›nar Atakent’s mind from those days was Inci Fenik and Faruk Fenik’s radio program. “They would give us the news, saying automobile prices have gone up, cigarette prices have gone up. Our only connection to Turkey was this. Now it is almost as if New York is an extension of Turkey.” Dr. P›nar Atakent’s goals for the future are to be able to pass on her knowledge and her experiences to the next generation of doctors. As a doctor who has dedicated her life to her profession and who has spent many years in the United States, she has one thing that she always advises her students: “Do not do anything to your patients that you would not do to yourself or to your loved ones. See your patients as members of your family. Treat them in that manner, approach them in that manner.” !
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TURGUT YET‹L
Journey of an M.D. From Kars to New›ngton, Connect›cut two schools of that were popular in Istanbul. After graduation I was appointed to the city of Kars through the obligatory service arrangement which was in effect at the time. Between working as a medical doctor for the Kars dept of education and doing a residency in family medicine in Istanbul, I spent three years in Turkey.
Dr. Yetil with his colleagues.
r. Turgut Yetil has been practicing internal me-
Ddicine in Newington, Connecticut for 12 years
By Duygu Uckun
duygu.uckun@gmail.com
Dr. Yetil is the partner of a practice that is responsible for providing health care services to 15,000 in Connecticut.
30 • TurkofAmerica
now. He has an extremely busy working schedule; being affiliated with three different medical institutions, he is sometimes on call 7 days of week - just like many other medical doctors in the United States. What distinguishes him from many others however, is, his story starts in a wood stove heated room in a small Anatolian city, Kars. Today he's the partner of a practice that is responsible for providing health care services to 15,000 in Connecticut - a rather prosperous state with the highest per capita income in the country. We asked Dr. Yetil about being an M.D. in the United States, the health system, advice for new-comers to the field, as well as his own personal journey in the profession.
Dr. Yetil, how long have you practicing medicine in the U.S.? Have you practiced medicine in Turkey? Could you tell us your first days as a doctor, and your experiences? I graduated from medical school in 1987. Istanbul University Medical School (Çapa T›p) was one of
My first days after graduating medical school were some of the more exciting days of my life. The bus trip to Kars was long but not boring thanks to a new military recruit who was also going to his assignment for the first time. Being in the middle of January and one of the coldest years, I had asked the Kars taxi driver to make sure to take me to a centrally heated hotel. Well I ended up in a wood stove room that dwindled away to leave me sleeping in minus 40 degrees. The hotel owner new the taxi driver well. It figures. For the next year and a half I worked in new and relatively luxurious clinics with two other doctors. Lots of long lines was the hall mark of medicine in Turkey. It was fun visiting village schools for medical services. The city was a beautiful historical place with a river passing through and a fort on top of a central hill. I enjoyed it. How long have you been living in the U.S.? Could you tell us about your first days in the U.S., and the process that you have gone through in order to practice medicine in the U.S.? Was language a challenge for you? Was your training in medicine sufficient? After applying and passing the qualification exams in the U.S., I went through a matching process which involved interviews in medical schools for an internal medicine residency program. I matched with University of Connecticut Internal medicine residency program and stayed in the area after graduation. I am part of a single specialty group of two doctors and one advanced nurse practitioner for the past 12 years. Regarding the language barrier, although I had no language problems thanks to my childhood in Australia [Dr. Yetil lived in Australia between ages 6-12 as his parents were included in the first wave of immigrant workers in 1960s], it took some getting used to the US medical system. First of all the responsibilities of the doctors in the U.S. were disper-
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sed between ancillary groups, such as enhanced nursing responsibilities, phlebotomists, lab technicians, nurses aides, transportation, voluntary personnel etc. This gave the whole process of patient care a smooth flow. Another significant difference was the level of communication between all personnel. This was far advanced than Turkey in the U.S. Finally I realized that practical, “hands on” medicine was much more emphasized in the U.S. schools. This was thanks to the ratio of two or three residents/students to educators compared to the 15 to one ratio of my time in Turkey. Could you tell us more about your transition to work as a doctor in the States? My transition to working after residency was rather easy. I had an offer to join one of the local doctors in his practice. I was initially salaried for two years. This allowed me to have an income while I was building up my practice. Subsequently I joined the practice as a partner. Things have been busy ever since. What are the advantages of having your undergraduate medicine education in Turkey? I think my advantage of being a foreign medical graduate was to better understand and communicate with the immigrant population of Connecticut. Being able to help the local Turkish community is also rewarding.
Not even the doctors can keep up with which medications are covered under which insurance plans. The whole industry is very expensive to run. For the doctors, technology is what runs up the price on health care. Becoming more efficient requires electronic gadgets and soft ware programs which cost a lot. What is your advice for those who want to practice medicine in the U.S.? I enjoy being a medical doctor in the U.S. very much. I get to be a doctor without worrying about availability of technical, social and financial services. Abundance of support staff makes life easier. First step of practicing medicine here is to take the foreign medical graduate exams step one, step two and step three (Preclinical and clinical sciences.) Once the first two tests are passed you can apply for the matching program for residency. A diploma and the curriculum of your medical school will be required for the application process. It’s not often that we see Turkish Doctors here. I think the language barrier has been a major problem in the past. Maybe proximity to Europe also makes the U.S. a second degree choice for Turkish graduates. Thank you for your time Dr. Yetil. It was nice talking to you. Thank you this interview Duygu. I rather enjoyed it.!
Could you describe a typical day at the office? On a typical day I round on my patients in the hospital, followed by seeing patients in the office. Our office patient census is around 15,000. In a busy day I see about 35 to 40 patients. It averages out to be 25 – 30 patients a day. I also get to see nursing home residents once or twice a week. Doing part time hospice work gives me the opportunity to work with hospice nurses, clerics and end of life issues [hospice: a program of medical and emotional care for the terminally ill.] Do you come across Turks often at work? You do not have an accent; do your colleagues realize you are Turkish? I can’t say I don’t have an accent. It shifts subtly between New York and British [due to Australia years.] But yes, I don’t have a Turkish accent except when speaking Turkish. What are your thoughts on the health care system in the U.S.? We know the U.S. is not a social state in the classical sense, can you say that citizens have access to quality health service? It’s not a secret that the health system in the U.S. is not perfect. There are over 40 million people uninsured and much, much more that are under insured. This is in the face of budget breaking inflation in the health care industry. It’s in dire need of fixing, starting with capping the liability insurance burden on doctors. One thing that’s positive is that once you have insurance you do get high quality care. This includes having good quality and fast service. Do you think it is an efficient system? Could you evaluate this from the viewpoint of doctors and patients? Health insurance is very complex in the U.S. There are too many insurance companies that offer a myriad of various insurance plans. To top it all the plans keep changing frequently so that no one is sure what their plan exactly offers. If you’re not a lawyer that reads the fine prints in the plans, you may be stuck with big unpaid bills. TurkofAmerica • 31
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DR. VEDAT OBUZ
A Doctor, A Scientist, An Inventor, An Entrepreneur: Vedat Obuz
Trenton, NJ – It is possible to call Vedat Obuz an inventor, a businessman, an entrepreneur, and a sufi in addition to his other titles: a doctor and a scientist.
r. Obuz came to Minnesota University to pursue with the TUBITAK/NATO scholarship he won (he took first place in 1989) after having worked in the foundation of the first Bone Marrow Transplant Center in Ankara during his senior year in medical school. Along with his Turkish co-worker, scientist Fatih Uckun, Dr. Obuz worked on a lot of important projects published in prestigious medical journals such as Blood, PNAS, and Radiation Oncology.
Dgraduate studies leading to a Ph.D
When Dr. Obuz first arrived in the U.S., his dream was to add a Children’s Department to the Bone Marrow Transplant Center in Ankara. He finished his Ph.D. at the Oncology and Bone Marrow Department at the University of Minnesota. Having seen the fact that his options would be limited if he returned to Turkey without getting a specialization degree, he decided to go on with his studies with an Internal Medicine & Pediatrics dual program, which would also help him to get to know the U.S. healthcare system better. Dr. Obuz got his specialization degrees in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics at Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia in 1996. After having gotten his specialization degrees, he started to work in the capital of New Jersey; Trenton, since the immigration laws allow doctors with a three year employment history to obtain a green card. He first worked for the insurance company HIP of NJ in Trenton. After the company went bankrupt in 1999, he established Lotus Clinics.
32 • TurkofAmerica
Dr. Obuz points out the fact that his belief in Sufism led to important changes in his life. He says, “Serving every human positively and humanely no matter who they are helped me be nominated as the number one doctor according to a survey conducted among 90,000 Medicaid patients in 1996. This was the result of my belief in mysticism & the universal call of Rumi.” A PIONEER OF “MEDICAL HOME” One of the projects that Dr. Obuz is investing in is called the “Medical Home Concept.” The objective of the project is “to make the patients feel at home.” This project, which will be implemented for the first time in New Jersey, will include 60 doctors. A similar project has been implemented with 80 doctors in Pennsylvania. Every doctor will have 1/60 share in the project and they will be required to invest $50K. So, the capital for the foundation of the Medical Home Center will be $3M. The Medical Home Center, which will be managed by a professional CEO, will host the latest
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technology in patient follow-ups and records. It is expected to be opened in Trenton in the first week of April. THE RIGHT DIAGNOSE WITH THE SURVEY Dr. Obuz, besides his investments, presents the applications he uses in his office for use in other doctors’ offices. Dr. Obuz’s software, VVMD ™; Visionary Visual Medical Doctor, transfers every stage of the patient’s visit, from his arrival at the clinic until his departure, to digital media. Every patient visiting the clinic fills out a one-minute survey. The purpose of this survey, which is done on a touch-screen, is to provide the right treatment for the patient. Dr. Obuz holds the patent for the application. The application aims to reach better diagnosis results for the patients by minimizing the human factor. It has thousands of different combinations in its test bank database. The application was built on an open-source platform and can be improved by software developers. AN INVENTOR Dr. Obuz holds patents on two products. Six products are in line to get patented. Respowell, a spacer developed by Dr. Obuz for asthma patients, not only helps the patient use the medicine more efficiently, but also helps with decreasing the waste of medicine. The tool saves 40% of the regular costs. Dr. Obuz said he would be willing to sell his product, without any profit, to any institutions and non-profit organizations who want to help asthma patients in Turkey. TURKEY MEETS WITH BIO CITY Dr. Obuz is working on a worldwide brand new project, “Bio City” which will be a great gift to Istanbul. This “Bio City Project”, which brings a breath of fresh air to the healthcare system, is supported by international investors. Opro LLC, a company established by Dr. Obuz and his brother Ibrahim Obuz, who lives in Turkey and is a doctor as well, will be in charge of choosing the doctors and training them for the new Bio City Hospital. !
Representative Rush Holt, 12th District of New Jersey visited Dr. Obuz office to support the campaign for children.
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DR. fiÜKRÜ EMRE
Dr. Emre Prov›des a Brand New Lease on L›fe By Melda Akansel
There is one transplant surgery in particular that has caused New York Magazine to choose Dr. Emre, who has not only attracted the attention of the medical world, but also its praise, as one of the top ten best doctors of 2007.
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r. fiükrü Emre, who has helped thousands of patients get a new
Dliver, provides his patients with a brand new lease on life.
Emre was director of the adult and pediatric liver transplant programs at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York for five years before joining the Yale faculty in July 2007. According to the Castle Connolly America’s Top Doctor 2008 list, Sukru Emre is one of the Turkish-born physicians named among the best doctors. Dr. Emre also makes great efforts for liver transplantation to become more prevalent and advanced in Turkey. He transferred to Yale-New Haven Transplantation Center as director of the center and section chief of transplant surgery and immunology in the Department of Surgery two years ago. He says: “Everyone is extremely enthusiastic about making the liver transplant program one of the best in the nation. It’s a real team effort, and I’m happy to be the leader of this team.” After his arrival, he began reorganizing the transplant program, implementing a process for meeting the myriad regulatory requirements, developing an academic calendar and identifying a new database for the tissue typing lab. The center’s waiting list for liver transplants grown from about five to 40, and Emre’s goal is to see it grow to between 100 and 150 within a year. There are more than 16,500 Americans awaiting livers for transplant, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing. In his short time in New Haven, Emre made history by performing a split-liver transplant, the first in Connecticut. The recipient was a 7-month-old boy with biliary atresia, a defect that afflicts about 1 in 10,000 infants and is the most common reason for pediatric liver transplants. “MY ROAD WAS SHOTER…” Dr. fiükrü Emre was working as an assistant professor in Turkey before he came to New York and just like all other Turkish doctors in the United States, he found himself caught in a very hectic tempo. Most often doctors who come from Turkey to the U.S. have to go through additional training despite their previous academic training and specialties; however, Dr. Emre did research for a short time as a fellow and research fellow before he was accepted as a doctor due to his extensive research and publishing background in Turkey. He himself acknowledges that “I did not have to start from scratch, my road was shorter because I had already come here as a professor.” Dr. fiükrü Emre graduated in 1977 from Istanbul University Medical College; he then did his surgical assistantship and then his associate professorship at the same University. Dr. Emre then decided to go to the U.S. in order to learn liver transplantation and started to work at the Downstate Medical Center. Dr. Emre worked for a whole year on liver, heart and intestinal transplants on test animals and then he became chief intern at Mount Sinai Hospital. Sukru Emre, a liver and kidney specialist who arrived at Yale in July 2007 from Mount Sinai, leads a revived center for organ transplantation at Yale. Dr. fiükrü Emre, who gives those patients waiting for a new liver hope with the surgeries that he performs, is well known by the Turkish people and in the past 20 years. He has given over fifty
Turkish patients new livers. Each surgery has its own very different story, says Dr. Emre, and he goes on to say, “Each patient is a different case, and each surgery is a new beginning. Each patient has a very specific situation. The pre-operational and post-operational period is as important as the surgery itself, a fastidious preparation, skill, knowledge and follow-up.” Each surgery he has performed has a different place in his heart. There is one in particular that is a bit more special for him: For a Turkish doctor to be able to transplant a liver from one Turkish patient to another Turkish patient while in the U.S. is something that does not take place too often. A very close friend of a Turkish patient awaiting a liver suffered from an aneurysm, and upon his being declared brain dead, the family decided to donate his organs. Since the family knew the patient awaiting a liver very closely, they decide to donate the liver to him. Dr. Emre speaks of this surgery that has carved a place in his memories “For me it was an unforgettable surgery. It was a Turkish doctor taking a liver from a Turkish man to transplant into another Turkish man in the U.S.” A FORERUNNER IN HIS FIELD Dr. fiükrü Emre is shown as one of the most successful doctors in his field and he says that his goals for the future are to continue in this vein. He is the medical editor of many medical journals and he continues to publish. Dr. Emre also gets invited to attend conferences and to give lectures about his own experiences from many different countries. Dr. Emre is very modest about all of his successes and his prizes, saying that all of the prizes he has received makes him proud and that it serves to motivate him, and then he goes on to say that motivation is very important for a surgeon: “The first one is academic motivation. The second one is the successful results from the work on patients and the good feelings and the spiritual reward you get from this. The third motivation is the material one. When you can get all three of these motivations together then I don’t think there is anything left that you could want.” !
THREE LIVES WITH ONE LIVER There is one transplant surgery in particular that has caused New York Magazine to choose Dr. Emre, who has not only attracted the attention of the medical world, but also its praise, as one of the top ten best doctors of 2007. Dr. Emre describes this surgery, which is his own method, called Domino, where he performs liver transplants into three patients at the same time: “In FAP patients even though their livers are structurally normal they have enzymes that are missing and they create too much protein and this build up of protein can lead to nerve damage. This process usually takes about thirty years and there is nothing wrong with the patient using this liver for those thirty years. You can transplant this liver that you take from a patient like this into another patient. The family of a young girl who had died in a car accident donated her organs and since her liver was big enough, we put half of it in a patient with FAP and the other half we placed into a 5-year-old patient who had liver failure. Then we took the liver of the FAP patient and transplanted it into a 67-year-old patient who needed a new liver. We performed these transplant surgeries at the same time in three different operating rooms.” TurkofAmerica • 35
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AL‹ ‹NANÇ SEÇK‹N
Gets R›d of Pa›n By Melda Akansel
Dr. Seçkin over the past twelve years has helped thousands of patients get rid of their pain.
ccording to
Aan old belief, during the time that
during the time that God was creating the world, it was thought that people would only live 20 to 30 years and then a dinosaur would come along and devour them so they would be able to lilive their whole lives without feeling any pain. Even though pain is one of the most common and important health problems, and is usually a messenger of a more serious underlying health problem, it has not been taken seriously for ages. HoHowever, in the 21st century, pain managemanagement is now accepted as a branch ononto itself, and in most countries, with the United States leading the way, patients are treated for their pain by experts in this field. Dr. Ali Inanc Seckin, upon noticing the negative effects that pain had on people’s lives, decided to dedicate his career to working in this field, and over the past twelve years has helped thousands of patients get rid of their pain.
CHALLANGE PAIN Dr. Ali Inanc Seckin, who completed his studies at Cerrahpasa Medical School in 1996, worked as a general practitioner for one year. After completing his specialization in anesthesio logy at Istanbul Florence Nightingale Hospital, 36 • TurkofAmerica
he came to the United States in 1998 for research purposes and then found himself at the Mayo Clinic. After realizing the depths of the role that pain was playing in people’s lives, Dr. Ali Inanc Seckin decided to put into practice the results of all of his research of the past four years and he started an intense period as a resident at the University of New Jersey Medical School. Dr. Ali Inanc Seckin then moved on to Columbia University and started to work in pain ma-
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nagement therapy, and today he is working as an anesthesiologist at Hackensack University Medical School. Dr. Seckin also continues to work on his research in the area of pain management. I AM A PAIN DOCTOR Dr. Ali Inanc Seckin, who identifies himself as a “pain doctor,” says “Pain is the oldest of all illnesses, yet it has taken thousands of years for us to discover it,” and points out the importance of pain in people’s lives and how the medical community’s attitudes towards pain has been changing. It is true that even with cancer patients, the right kind of pain management allows them to continue to live their lives as normally as they can. “It used to be that cancer patients were riddled with pain and were waiting to die. Now they can live their daily lives as they receive their chemotherapy treatments. The feeling of pain can be gotten rid of either by the use of medicines or by surgical methods”. Dr. Seckin points out how important these different therapies are and how they affect people’s lives. HE HAS A 98 YEAR OLD PATIENT Besides cancer patients, Dr. Seckin treats patients from all countries, ages and pain groups, including those with back, neck, disc and nerve problems. The majority of his patients are between the ages of 40 and 95. His oldest patient to date has been 98 years old, and the eldest patient he has operated on was 94 years old. Another patient of his came to him at the age of 75 after a surfing accident, another 80-year-old patient came to him with an injured back from playing racquetball. “As people’s lives get longer and longer the bone structure cannot handle the wear and tear and certain degenerations occur. Eventually there is nerve damage, which causes pain. Keeping people active prolongs their lives and slows down the aging process. The grandmothers of yesterday do not exist anymore. Instead of saying you need to stay still, you need to sit in one place, you now have to get them to stay active. For people in their 80-90’s, it is very satisfying when they can cook for themselves or clean their own houses or at least take part in these activities.” This is how Dr. Seckin motivates his patients. Dr. Seckin points out that they also try to work on their patient’s psychological well being as they treat their pain and he says, “getting rid of a patient’s pain is almost a divine experience”. THE AMERICAN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM Dr. Seckin points out that he has only a small group of Turkish patients and that this is due to the fact that most Turkish people do not have private health insurance and also due to them not knowing the American health care system. “A person who is born and has grown up here is already in the system and at the smallest amount of pain they run to their doctor. However, Turkish people seem to be scared of even entering the system. They think healthcare is too expensive, and they worry about how they would be able to afford it if they need to have surgery. They therefore fear any sign of pain and they wait for it to pass. Then when pain becomes a much larger signal, it is usually at a phase that is a little too late,” he says as he explains Turkish patients’ approach to pain. According to Dr. Seckin, another problem that Turkish patients face is the problem with language. The patient who does not speak enough English also fears going to a doctor or to the hospital. In reality not speaking the language or any other problems are not important factors in the way of getting treatment because hospitals must provide a translator to the patient. Turkish patients come mainly with upper and lower back and neck pain. Especially blue-collar workers who are engaged in physical labor co-
me to him with back and muscular pain. Mostly Turkish patients come to Dr. Ali Seckin upon recommendations or referral. Some get his name from the paper; some from their health insurance company and some find him through the Internet. Besides those patients that Turkish general practitioners refer to him, there are also those Turkish patients that he meets in the hospital. BEING A DOCTOR IN TWO COUNTRIES According to Dr. Seckin, there are a few differences between being a doctor in Turkey and being a doctor in the United States. Dr. Ali Seckin, who has been a practicing doctor in the United States for the past twelve years, says that each country has its own healthcare system. “When you know the rules of both countries, then you can be more of a help to your patient. Here there is more of a financial possibility. The patients, the insurance companies and of course the government have more money. Here there are not that many limits on the financial aspects. Especially in New York, whether the patient has money or not the emergency rooms must provide service regardless. A doctor must see and treat the patient within the first four hours,” says Dr. Ali Seckin when speaking of the possibilities within the American health care system. Just as in other hospitals, Hackensack University Medical Center also has a clinic for low-income patients and once a month Dr. Ali Seckin treats patients there. He also points out that different countries and different cultures have different approaches to pain management; he goes on to point out: “Advances in technology and the changes in living conditions bring along with them new habits and illnesses. Illnesses here are also different; when you work with patients from different cultures and different groups then you see that each population has a differing view on pain. Here there is not the same kind of approach to pain that there is in Turkey. For example someone from the Middle East may see pain as some sort of punishment while someone from Scandinavia or Ireland may look for an approach that minimizes pain. Hispanics approach pain in a much more dramatic fashion and they define it much more visually.” In the near future Dr. Ali Inanc Seckin plans to keep on with his research and to advance in his field of choice. Dr. Seckin, who loves his profession, tries to erase his patients’ pain every single day. He also exercises, swims, and rides a bicycle in order to keep pain and stress away, just as he recommends to his own patients. Dr. Seckin, who is also interested in music, plays the trumpet and the Ney. The biggest pain buster in Dr. Seckin’s life is his twins.! TurkofAmerica • 37
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HANDE OZDINLER
She Works to F›nd a Solut›on for a D›sease W›th No Cure LS, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, was identified for the first time in 1874. A progressive disease of the nervous system, ALS causes paralysis by impacting motor nerves. World-reknowned scientist Steven Hawking is the most famous person living with this disease. He, along with thousands of others, still waits for a cure. Hande Ozdinler, PhD., who is conducting research on ALS, has been given the responsibility to form the ASL research center at Chicago’s Northweastern University. At the laboratory that she will establish, Ozdinler will concentrate on dying nerve cells. She will investigate why and through what mechanisms the cells die and which factors could enable them to return to life.
A
Ali Ǜnar
acinar@turkofamerica.com
In addition to numerous Turkish doctors who actively work in patient care in USA, there are also those who take part in the research efforts to discover the causes of diseases. Dr. Ozdinler talked about the new institute and their work with TURKOFAMERICA:
Hande Ozdinler, PhD., who is conducting research on ALS, has been given the responsibility to form the ASL research center at Chicago’s Northweastern University.
40 • TurkofAmerica
Could you tell us a little bit about yourself? I was born in Istanbul in 1971. From Bosphorus University, I received my bachelor’s degree in Molecular Biology and Genet›cs, and also my master’s degree in Chemical Engineering, through a partner project of the same department of the University. Later on, I came to the USA to work on my doctorate. I received my PhD degrees in the subjects of Cell Biology, Anatomy, and Nerve Sciences from Lousiana State University’s Health Sciences Center. Afterwards, I came to Harvard Medical School’s Massacuhusetts General Hosptial Neurosurgery department as a researcher. At the end of my first year here, I was given an award, which is presented only to two people, and I became more independent and moved up to the position of facutly member. At last, I was given the responsibility to form the Amyotrophic Lateral Scle-
rosis (ALS) research center at Northwestern University, and subsequently I decided to leave Harvard University and transfer to Northwestern Universtiy. Are you conducting research projects on diseases of the brain? At what stage is your work right now? My field of interest is neuro-degenerative diseases. I am especially focused on ALS. I am not one of the doctors seeing patients, I am one of the doctors seeking to find the causes of diseases. Our work is progressing rapidly. I believe that I will bring momentum to the studies, especially in this newly formed center. What exactly is the ALS research center you formed? What sort of stages did it go through before being established? What is its budget? What is its plan of action and goals? How many people will work at the center? As you know, ALS is a disease with no cure and there are numerous institutions that exist to find the cause of it. In the laboratory that I will be forming at Northwestern University, we will be focusing on the nerve cells that die because of the disease. The cause and the mechanism through which they die, and through which factors they could be brought back to life will be investigated. The center is still at the stage of formation and, at first, its work will be started by four people. I hope the number of our researchers and our budget will increase in tandem with our discoveries. In the early stages, the center will receive a great portion of its financial support from the Les Turner ALS Association, which is an organization devoted to finding the cure for this disease. I am sure that we will find support from other sources in the following years. What would need to be done for your work to make it to the clinical stage? One of the advantages of discoveries on the cellular level is that they give quick results; a disadvantage is the
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necessaity for the obtained result to be tested in other systems. There will be work in animal models in due course. In addition to this, one of world’s biggest ALS banks is in Northwestern and it will be possible to benefit from that. Medical research in the USA are carried out on top levels and financial support is provided. What are the main resources for this types of research? In the USA, somewhat differently than in Turkey, the private sector gives a lot of support for scientific research. In Turkey, as far as I know, support is generally state-based. There are of course exceptions to this, for example, the ALS research center that the Kirac Foundation established under the aegis of Bosphorus University. However, these types of support are both very small in number and the financial support provided is limited in comparison to the USA. Yet the private sector’s investment in scientific research is an inevitable obligation. I hope, for this reason, that appealing packages would be developed in Turkey. To expect investment in the sciences solely from the state is a big deficiency. . What is the reason that medical research in Turkey is limited? Actually, I don’t necessariyly believe that medical research in Turkey is limited. When the opportunities at hand are taken into consideration, Turkey is not unsuccessful. What is important is to increase the level of investment. Turkey, for example, is one of the leading countries in terms of eye health and operations, and, furthermore, we have started health tourism in this area. This is a great achievement. My hope is for us to be able to show same level of success in neuro-degenerative diseases as well. Are there other Turkish doctors in the center you work at? Are exchange programs recommended? As of now, we don’t, but I wish this for the future. Ultimately, if we don’t share our knowledge, it would be a burden for us. Just as we share every technological discovery and every accumulation of knowledge with the doctors of other countries, we need to share them with Turkish doctors immediately. You went to Northwestern University after Harvard. What are the differences of the mode of work? Harvard is really an excellent university. I had the joy and pleasure of working there for six years. It’s such an atmosphere that your brain is always working. There are always dialogues, panels, debates, and conferences. You constantly ask questions and try to find answers to those questions. I don’t know Northwestern that much but after a few visits there I understood that if you take Harvard and place it in Chicago, it would be Northwestern University. Harvard University is an academically satisfied university, and Northwestern is a rapidly growing and developing, dynamic and active university, and it is among the top ten universities of the world. Its dynamics attracted me. I’ve seen there the dynamics that I haven’t seen at Harvard and I decided to take part in that excitement of growth. Any advice to medical students and new graduates who want to take on the occupation of a doctor in the USA? In my opinion, they shouldn’t set themselves just to see patients; rather, they should keep a place in their minds and hearts for research. If possible, they should receive a scientific doctorate. There is a joke here which I like; they say, “Doctors that see patients cure one patient in one day. But doctors that investigate the causes of a disease don’t even cure one patient throughout their whole life. Yet one day comes and they are able to cure thousands of people at once with their discoveries.” I think doctors in Turkey too must raise themselves in accordance with these two methods of curing.
You hold a position at TASSA. Can you explain that a little further? The Turkish American Scientists and Scholars Association (TASSA) is an organization established by Turkish scientists who live in America in order to build bridges in the fields of science between Turkey and America. I was first elected as the Health and Biomedical representative member of the board. Later, I was elected as the committee chair. I say ‘I wish I could’ve been more active.’ We all work voluntarily at TASSA. TASSA is growing rapidly; both its credibility and its participation and investment levels are increasing. I am so happy for the existence of an organization such as TASSA. It proves to me that people can be beneficial to their country even without living within the borders of their country. I think this is a very important fact. WHAT IS ALS? Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as "Lou Gehrig's Disease," is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to their death. When the motor neurons die, the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost. With voluntary muscle action progressively affected, patients in the later stages of the disease may become totally paralyzed.!
HEALTH FROM THE PRISITINE WATERS OF PACIFIC OCEAN ALGICARE- Pure Brown Seaweed Extract The powers of seaweeds have been drawn upon for thousands of years for their ability to prolong life, prevent disease, and impart beauty and health. Worldwide research is continuously being done and brown seaweed has been found to be the most beneficial. Algicare is a natural dietary supplement extracted from the richest type of brown seaweed -- Laminaria japonica. This unique nutritional product is comprised of all the important organic elements found in seaweed. Our product, Algicare, is the purest, most organic extract made from the brown seaweed Laminaria Japonica. This extract contains the life essential properties of organic iodine, alginates, fucodian and laminarin. • Organic iodine regulates metabolism and promotes maturation of the nervous system. • Alginate is a natural absorbent of radioactive elements, heavy metals and free radicals. • Fucoidan kills cancer cells. • Laminarin - polysaccharide helpful in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. Thousands of people used brown seaweed extract to achieve great improvements in their health and here's why... * Boosts the immune system. * Detoxifies the body from heavy metals, radioactive elements, free radicals and toxins. * Can help protect against thyroid cancer and other cancers. * Helps to decrease high blood sugar and cholesterol levels. * Helps those who are overweight by improving the function of the gastro-intestinal tract. * Improves the structure of hair and nails and help them to grow. * Help to detoxify smokers from strontium and cadmium. VISIT www.algicare.com or Call 1-866-944 7321 TurkofAmerica • 41
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DR. MEHMET TONER
Harvard's Ice Man n the crystalline and futuristic realm of cryobiology
Istands a man from Moda in Istanbul.
By Maureen Erturk
maureenseaberg@gmail.com
Considered one of the world's leading experts in the field, Mehmet Toner, Ph.D., came to America 25 years ago from the neighborhood of plane trees and tea gardens and the rigorous training of Istanbul Technical University's mechanical engineering department. Today he is Professor of Surgery (Biomedical Engineering) at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and is the founding director of the National Institutes of Health BioMEMS Resource Center. BioMEMS stands for Biological Micro Electrical Mechanical Systems.
What this country still does extremely well is the high tech stuff that is multi-disciplinary and complex. There is integration across disciplines. Other countries don't have the flexibility and
And though that all sounds very complex, cryobiology has very practical and necessary applications. Freezing tissue is central to being able to store and transport organs, stem cells, skin, and even embryos, he explains. "The only reason Lance Armstrong was able to have children after his cancer is because he'd frozen his sperm," explains Dr. Toner. How did a man who began in mechanical engineering end up in medicine? "Towards the end of my studies in Istanbul I'd shown more interest in academic work, so I applied to a few different programs and came to do my graduate studies." The universities to which he applied included Harvard, Yale and MIT, all of which accepted him. He chose MIT after a Turkish professor at Yale unselfishly championed the work going on at MIT instead of poaching him for Yale, thinking he'd be a good fit and believing in its future. He took his advice. And these new disciplines have a basis in traditional engineering, he explains.
the dynamism that we have here.
"I was a standard pure mechanical engineer, but was interested in plasma physics and hydrodynamics, thermal science - low temperature biology was a very natural extension. "Living cells and tissues are almost becoming like drugs now. Cells will be therapeutic." Particularly if science is given the funding and the environment to help people, he says. SCIENCE CAN LIFT THE COUNTRY And as he once stood on a precipice between conti-
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nents before journeying to America, he sees another path opening before him and all who care about the promise of his area of research: He thinks the new American President Barack Obama will be good for science. "It's been so bad under the last administration, it can only go up," he points out. And he's particularly buoyed by the president's choice for Secretary of Energy, Dr. Steven Chu, the Nobel Prize-winning physicist and director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory at the University of California.
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"After World War II, MIT professor Dr. Vennavar Bush wrote 'Endless Frontiers.' And the point of the report was that in 1945 the government had to put money into research and development and the universities. " Places like the NIH and America's graduate schools blossomed when the paper successfully inspired a commitment to the future, he explains. "Many economists will say that 50 percent of the economy is fueled by this policy even today," says Toner. Dr. Toner is very proud of the undergraduate education he received in Turkey. Its superiority is evidenced in how easy he found a place at a top university like MIT. "We'd learned a lot of it in our undergraduate work," he says. REVIVE THE CLARION CALL OF ENDLESS FRONTIERS However, he notes that the United States is still the world leader in graduate education and high tech innovation and he's happy to be here to add to his knowledge and apply what he learned as a young man in Turkey. "What this country still does extremely well is the high tech stuff that is multi-disciplinary and complex. There is integration across disciplines. Other countries don't have the flexibility and the dynamism that we have here. It's very important that we keep this." Unlike when Dr. Toner arrived, he notes that more than half of today's foreign doctoral students are returning to their homelands. "It's good but we are in effect creating our own competition," he observes. For this reason as well as the long term recovery of America, we need to revive the clarion call of "Endless Frontiers," he says.
"He's an outstanding scientist, a remarkable man," says Dr. Toner. "Energy will probably create a lot of possibilities for this country." He feels that the current recession is cyclical and that in the long run, science can lift the country out of the economic doldrums. "We have a lot bigger issues on our plate with the economy and war and all of that but in the end what I feel is happening is the U.S. is going through various phases." That the US retains any dominance in the world high tech sector is due to another MIT professor, Dr. Toner explains.
"Science creates jobs, improves life, grows our economy. Some of the effects are long-term benefits and when people are worried about how they're going to pay for dinner, they don't have the luxury of thinking about this," he notes. But it is his prescription for America, nonetheless. Dr. Toner is humble about his place in the Turkish-American Diaspora. Though he has opened his home to many other Turks coming to Massachusetts area to work and study and taught curious Americans about his still-misunderstood homeland, he says "I wish I could do more. "Our numbers are somewhat growing. They’re still too small to have much impact and visibility, especially politically. But that is beginning to change."!
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ÇA⁄ATAY ERAKIN
Erak›n: One Of New York’s Most Successful Endodont›sts entist and Endodontist Ça¤atay Erak›n, originally
Dfrom Izmir, is now living and working in his cho-
sen profession in New York. Erak›n, who won the green card lottery, has performed root canal treatment on thousands of patients since 2001.
By Melda Akansel
For the past eight years Ça¤atay Erak›n treated thousands of patients’ pain with his root canal treatments.
44 • TurkofAmerica
Dentist Ça¤atay Erak›n’s arrival story in the United States is different from that of most other Turkish doctors. In 1992, after finishing his five-year educational process at Ege University Dental School, Erak›n chose root canal treatment as a specialization and became an endodontist. After winning a green card, his profession that had started in Izmir all of a sudden found its way to the United States. Arriving in New York in 1995, American educational system rules and regulations meant that Dentist and Endodontist Ça¤atay Erak›n had to receive additional education and training. He studied dentistry for three years at New York University and then he went on to do two more years in his chosen branch of root canal treatment. In 2001 Ça¤atay Erak›n opened his clinic in Manhattan and for the past eight years he has treated thousands of patients’ pain with his root canal treatments. ROOT CANAL THERAPY ON FAMOUS PEOPLE Ça¤atay Erak›n performs his root canal treatments at his clinic with one American and one Russian endodontist. Erak›n’s patients do not suffer from normal tooth and gum problems. As Erak›n explains his practice, “Usually our patients do not come here with regular problems. We accept patients who are referred to us from other dentists and after we perform root canal treatments then we send them back to their regular dentists.” On the other hand, when patients in pain approach them directly then Ça¤atay Erak›n and his team perform root canal treatments if called for and then they send their patient to another dentist for further treatment. After the root canal treatment that Erak›n performs, the dentist with whom the patient is continuing their treatment performs the fillings and crowns. After the root canal treatment process the treatment period ends; there-
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fore, Erak›n’s patients are not long-term ongoing patients.
replicate exactly and this allowed us to be even more successful.”
Due to the cosmopolitan make-up of New York, Ça¤atay Erak›n sees patients from all different countries and he also treats Turkish patients. He points out that on average two Turkish patients come to his office per week; “If we look at the make up of my patients we see that usually we see two Turkish patients per week. Since the root canal treatment process takes about forty-five minutes, we are only able to see ten patients per day. When you look at the sum that way then two Turkish patients per week is quite a percentage.” Among Ça¤atay Erak›n’s famous patients are Georgian president Mikhail Saakashvili and Yoko Ono, wife of John Lennon, a member of the legendary musical group The Beatles.
Ça¤atay Erak›n finds it very positive that the number of Turkish doctors practicing in New York is growing every day. As a root canal treatment specialist, he works with many Turkish dentists; they refer patients to each other. He is very happy to be working in co-operation with Turkish dentists. Additionally, he goes to Turkish doctors for his own health problems.
Ça¤atay Erak›n, who has studied both in Turkey and the United States, points out that the study of dentistry is different in both countries. He says that the study of dentistry is advanced in Turkey and he compares the process of study this way: “The level of study in Turkey is good. We received a good foundation during our studies and we studied from great books. Education is free in Turkey but the students cannot access various resources. However, here you have every opportunity, for example when the student goes to the library he can find DVD’s, videos, books and other resources that are necessary. In Turkey we studied everything from books but then it was very different when working on a patient. We had to use whatever materials that were on hand. Here, especially at NYU, whatever we saw in the books or studied in the classroom, we were then able to
Ça¤atay Erak›n, who loves his profession and has been working at his own clinic in New York for the past fourteen years, is very happy with his life here. For his plans for the future, he aims to advance in his specialty and in his own words, he aims to “reach the top point in his career.” “I want to be among the best in the field of endodentistry,” he says, and not liking to sing his own praises, he instead gives an example of his success through the experience of one of his patients: “Another dentist had recommended me to a patient who needed root canal treatment. However the patient wanted to get a few more opinions. When three other dentists he spoke to also recommended me, he found his way to my clinic. The first thing he said to me was, “You must be the most well known endodontist in Manhattan’.” Ça¤atay Erak›n, who spends most of his time with his patients, has decorated the walls of his clinic with paintings by Tuncay Topcu. This art-loving dentist also enjoys classical music and opera. He never misses an opera at the New York Metropolitan Opera nor a concert of the New York Philharmonic.!
Among Erak›n’s famous patients are Georgian president Mikhail Saakashvili and Yoko Ono, wife of John Lennon.
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DR. SEMRA ÇOfiKUNTUNA
She Lays Relat›onsh›ps on The Table fter completing her psychology training at Hacettepe
AUniversity, Semra Çoflkuntuna came to the United
By Melda Akansel
Psychologist Semra Çoflkuntuna, who came to the United States to do her PhD, solves the problems of individuals living the tiring and fast-paced life in New York. “The biggest problem for people here is loneliness,” says Çoflkuntuna, who specializes in solving relationship problems.
States in 1976 to do her PhD. Çoflkuntuna started her doctoral program in experimental psychology but then took a hiatus to enter the professional field. Not finding what she was looking for, she then decided to change her doctorate to one in clinical psychology because, as she says, “I like working with people more.” After completing her training, she opened her own clinic in Manhattan and has since been working as a clinical psychologist for the past fifteen years. Speaking of her general patient population, Çoflkuntuna says, “Usually people come to me because they have trouble with life. They come looking for solutions to either their personal or work problems.” According to Çoflkuntuna, problems that have existed from before or that have not been solved becomes a barrier after a certain age. In these situations people have difficulties in achieving what they want or in succeeding. They do not see their own potential or they feel that something is missing in their lives. Couples and relationship problems are also part of Çoflkuntuna’s practice. “I do not work with families, but I do work with couples,” she says as she underlines the importance of relationships between two people. Semra Çoflkuntuna also provides therapy for her own colleagues. “In this field we also need to understand our own problems and our feelings. If I do not know myself or if I can’t express my feelings then I cannot help anyone else. That is why we generally go to therapy as well.” As a psychologist, Semra Çoflkuntuna, who works in New York, says that she has patients from all countries and that she works with every age group except for children. The average age group of her patients is between 22 and 50. Her youngest patient to date was 17 and her oldest was 82. Semra Çoflkuntuna says that compared to other nationalities, she does not have that many Turkish patients. She explains this by saying that Turkish people generally try to solve their problems themselves. Her Turkish patients usually come to her with relationship problems. “Turkish patients usually call me because of relationship problems that they are having. They also come frequently after having their first child in their marriage, saying that ‘their nerves are shot’.” Semra Çoflkuntuna decided to come to the United States to further her education and says that she has reached most of her career goals in the past thirty-one years that she has been living here. Çoflkuntuna had at first thought that she would be returning to Turkey after graduating but then, after starting her practice, she said that with time leaving became a harder and harder decision. Even though she has become used to the United
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States and to living here she does say that she still does not feel that she completely belongs: “I do not feel myself at home here one hundred percent but also each time I go back to Turkey I also do not feel that I completely belong there either. However this feeling helps me with my work. I am able to look at things from two different points of view.” Being between two different cultures is an advantage for her. It helps her when she is working with people from a different culture and she feels that she is able to understand them better. Çoflkuntuna says that people who come to her for therapy also feel much more comfortable due to this. LONELINESS IS THE BIGGEST PROBLEM Semra Çoflkuntuna states that the biggest problem for a foreigner living in the United States is loneliness. Even though not knowing the language causes many problems, she says the real problem is the difference in the cultural language. Çoflkuntuna says: “Knowing English does not always solve everything when it comes to communicating. Even a person who is here studying English can find this very difficult. It is very difficult for a person to think outside of their culture and therefore it is very hard for them to understand another person’s behavior. For someone who has recently arrived it is very difficult to leave their surroundings and their lives, to then come here and gain new habits and to interact with people from other cultures and it takes time to understand their behaviors and all of this reflects on their relationships.”!
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MEDICAL TOURISM
Courtesy of Aksam Newspaper, Turkey
Turkey’s Med›cal ‘Tour›st Attract›ons’ By Duygu Uckun
duygu.uckun@gmail.com
Turkey is among the most preferred destinations for British patients, according to Medical Tourism Survey 2007, along with India and Hungary.
In Turkey’s central eastern province, Sivas’s Fish Spa has remained one of the best kept secrets among domestic tourists for a long time. Turkish model Tu¤ba Özay at Sivas’s Fish Spa.
he urge to receive health services at lower cost has
Taccelerated medical tourism rates in recent years.
Highly complicated and overpriced health plans in developed Western countries cause thousands of patients to seek service abroad. The volume of the health tourism market has reached $20 billion in the U.S. This number is expected to double by 2010. Turkey is among the most preferred destinations for British patients, according to Medical Tourism Survey 2007, along with India and Hungary. Cheap and timely access to quality health services offered in accredited facilities attracts thousands of foreign patients to Turkey
50 • TurkofAmerica
every year. Turkey's mild climate and easily accessible tourist attractions give the patients an opportunity to receive health care and visit a foreign country while doing so. In other words a sick-leave in Turkey! Who would not enjoy such a hospital visit? Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism estimates 500,000 foreign patients visit Turkey for medical care every year. According to the Ministry’s website, cosmetic and plastic surgery, dentistry, eye surgery, and infertility treatment are among most popular “tourist attractions” for medical patients. It is recently reported that eye surgeries are very popu-
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lar among German citizens, especially because the cost of treatment in Turkey is in some cases one third of that in Germany. In July 2008 a total of 1,500 patients came to Turkey from Germany, Austria and Switzerland, according to Deutsche Presse Agentur (DPA). DPA estimates the cost of a European’s visit for eye treatment to be 1500 Euros, which includes accommodation and travel costs. The cost of laser eye surgery by itself is a major reason for Germans to have it done in Turkey. The operation costs between 4000 and 8000 Euros in European countries, whereas approximately it runs about 600 Euros in Turkey.
DOCTOR FISH OF KANGAL, SIVAS However patients do not always travel for purely medical reasons such as surgeries, replacements or fertility treatments. They also enjoy the healing waters and springs, recently referred to as spas, in Turkey. According to the Turkish Health and Tourism Association, Turkey is home to 1800 hot springs of which 100 are used for touristic purposes. 40,000 beds are available in thermal resorts. Pamukkale, Denizli, Afyonkarahisar, Balikesir, and Kizilcahamam in Ankara are among the most popular thermal resorts.
Following are a few comparisons retrieved from the website Treatment Abroad: a laminate veneer crown (ceramic) costs around £550 in the UK, whereas in Turkey the same costs around £150. Tooth whitening (upper and lower jaws) costs £950 in the UK, and only £250 in Turkey, and root canal treatment (one canal) typically costs £100 in the UK, and just £25 in Turkey.
In Turkey’s central eastern province, Sivas’s Fish Spa has remained one of the best kept secrets among domestic tourists for a long time. Lately, London Times journalist Lousie Murray wrote about Sivas’s Fish Spa (Balikli Kaplica); she describes the Spa in this way: “not many places have a hot spa pool with hundreds of voracious fish. It's all part of a treatment that claims to heal psoriasis at this remote spa 5,000 feet high in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey.” (Balikli Kaplica Spa, Kangal, Sivas, Turkey, June 3, 2006, London Times) The healing waters of Sivas have a pH of about 7.2, are isothermal. and maintain a temperature of about 35 °C throughout the year (Ozer, Akpinar, & Akcay, 1987). The thermal water is rich in calcium, magnesium, and selenium (1.3 ppm) and is suitable for bathing. According to Murray’s article, Sivas’s Fish Spa treatment has provided clear benefits to more than 70% of their patients and a mean remission time of over eight months, as stated Dr Martin Grassberger of the Medical University of Vienna.
According to the ‘Health care in Turkey’ report prepared by the TurkishUS Business Council (TAIK) in 2008, the retail price for a heart bypass (that is for those without health insurance) in the US is 210,842 USD, 11,000 USD in India and 13,000 USD in Thailand; whereas the same surgery costs 3,500 USD in Turkey. The great discrepancy between prices is significant in transplants as well. According to the same report, the retail price of a kidney transplant is estimated to be 100,000 USD in the U.S, while the cost of such an operation in Turkey is 35,000 USD. Simpler procedures such as knee replacement would cost approximately 30,358 USD for a insured US citizen; the cost would be half of that amount if carried out in Turkey. Such striking difference is encouraging for the health care sector, especially in the big cities of Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir.
HOW TO ARRANGE A MEDICAL TRIP TO TURKEY The Internet seems to be rich resource for those who want to arrange a medical trip to Turkey. Medical travel intermediaries such as MedRetreat, Medsolution, Wake Up to Turkey, TWARP.com, as well as medical centers Anatolia Care and CTG Healthcare, allow you to plan your trip, accommodation, and treatment in advance. Package programs and great deals are part of the advantages offered by such companies. According to the MedRetreat website, cost of medical care in Turkey is competitive with the rates of South America and Southeast Asia. So if you have already seen those places, why not pack your bags for Turkey this time?! Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism estimates 500,000 foreign patients visit Turkey for medical care every year.
Courtesy of Aksam Newspaper, Turkey
Some figures from the Ministry’s website indicate how costs are effectively low in Turkey. In vitro fertilization treatment, which is a process by which egg cells are fertilized by sperm outside of the womb, costs 15-16 thousand USD in the U.S., whereas it costs approximately 2,600 USD in Turkey. Moreover, you might be surprised how much research can be done over the Internet. For example,e via a website called Visit and Care, you can access detailed information about the hospitals, their bed and staff capacities, how many and which fertility treatments they have carried out, and pregnancy rates as well.
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KEV‹N N‹KSARLI
Dr Niksarl› Looks After Your Eyes r. Kevin Niksarli, who has been awarded an achieve-
Dment certificate given by the VISX STAR company to
By Melda Akansel
Dr. Kevin Niksarli completed his specialization in ophthalmology in five years and became an expert in the field of laser eye surgery.
54 • TurkofAmerica
ophthalmologists who use their laser technology to perform the most eye surgeries, continues his professional work at the clinics he owns in New York and New Jersey. Dr. Kevin Niksarli came to the United States in 1986 to pursue his medical training and now as one of New York’s most accomplished ophthalmologists, he is a light at the end of the tunnel for many patients. Kevin Niksarli’s dreams of becoming an industrial engineer started at Istanbul’s German High School and continued with his studies at Bogazici University. After two years there, he came to New York to attend Columbia University to major in Computer Engineering. After graduation, Niksarli worked for three years in computers and then when he decided to become a doctor, he started his medical training at Cornell University Medical Center. After four years of training Niksarli graduated in 1993 and then, planning on specializing in ophthalmology, he decided on the course of his career and professional path. Dr. Kevin Niksarli completed his specialization in ophthalmology in five years and became an expert in the field of laser eye surgery. After his graduation in 1998 Niksarli opened his own clinic, NewSight Laser Center, and to this day continues to perform laser vision corrections and treats thousands of patients. SAVING PEOPLE FROM EYEGLASSES For the past ten years Dr. Niksarli has been greeting his many patients every day in Manhattan’s NewSight Laser Center with a warm smile; he has become almost a savior to people who have complaints about their eyesight or for those whose eyeglasses have become almost a part of their bodies. The most important thing about this surgical method, which does not use a scalpel or other cutting instrument, is that everything from a to z is done with a laser. He describes the technical possibilities of laser vision corrections in the following way. “We create what can be called a lid above the eye before the surgery; we used to use machines with a razor, but now we perform those procedures with lasers as well.” Dr. Niksarli says that many patients come to the clinic with trepidations but then after the laser surgery even their expressions change, that when they are free from the eyeglasses or lenses they relax both psychologically and physically and that within a few
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hours they can go back to their daily activities. In his own words: “We perform this surgery to free them from their eyeglasses.” He also treats hypermetropia, astigmatism and myopia as well. “The most common eyesight problem is myopia and it is also very common among the younger population. This is why myopia surgeries lead the way. The cases of hypermetropia and astigmatism treated by laser surgery are also not few. Hypermetropia usually becomes evident after the age of 40. The upper age limit for these surgeries is 65,” he says as he explains the average age of his patients. Dr. Kevin Niksarli has stopped performing cataract surgeries in the past few years and only performs laser vision corrections, while he refers his cataract patients to other colleagues. TURKISH PATIENTS USUALLY HAVE MYOPIA At his clinic Dr. Kevin Niksarli frees over two thousand patients every year from their eyeglasses and ten percent of these patients are Turkish. Dr. Niksarli explains his Turkish patient population: “This number may look small at first glance. But Turkish patients may also choose to go to Turkey to be treated. Some patients choose to go to Turkey because health services are cheaper there. Usually they get treated when they go for their vacations. Since costs are cheaper in Turkey, the cost of treatment can be as little as half of what it would be here. If you consider this factor and take into account the size of the Turkish population in New York then you see that this ten percent is not a number to undervalue.” Turkish patients reach NewSight Laser Center either through referrals or through advertisements. Dr. Kevin Niksarli says that he decided to open his second clinic four years ago in New Jersey due to his heavy patient caseload. He spends one day a week with his patients at the New Jersey clinic, but performs surgeries only at the Manhattan clinic. In his clinic, which is completely equipped with all of the latest technologies, Dr. Kevin Niksarli works with one other ophthalmologist and he also opens the doors to his clinic to other ophthalmologists in New York who do not have operating rooms. At Dr. Niksarli’s clinic there are three types of lasers for use on myopia, hypermetropia and astigmatism and other ophthalmologists can rent them as well. Among the many awards and successes that Dr. Kevin Niksarli has won, he has also received the VISX STAR company’s achievement award for ophthalmologists who perform the most eye surgeries using their laser technologies. In addition, the 2004-2005 and 2006 best ophthalmologist in the United States awards are among his many achievements. Dr. Kevin Niksarli has reached most of his career aspirations in the twenty years that he has been in the United States and he sums up his future aspirations as “continuing with his surgical successes.”!
Dr. Jim Walkup Building Your Relationship for a Lifetime Marriage, Relationship & Individual Counseling Licensed Marriage and Family Counselor 445 Park Avenue New York, NY 10022 Tel: 914 548 8645 Email: jimwalkup@optonline.net www.dr-jim.com TurkofAmerica • 55
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DR. UTKU OZAN
One of the Top 100 Dent›sts:
Dr. Utku Ozan
Dr. Ozan educated 2100 dentists in 86 seminars in 2008. Dr. Ozan visited 19 countries and his 2009 schedule includes seminars in 14 different countries.
entistry Today, the leading magazine of dental
Dhealth in the U.S., every year publishes the list of
the top 100 dentists who educate dentists with seminars throughout the country. Dr. Utku Ozan, who first entered the list in 78th place in 2005, took 8th place in the 2008 list. The list of the top 100 dentists, which was 56 • TurkofAmerica
published under the title “Top Clinicians in Continuing Education” in the December 2008 edition of the magazine, was selected from a field of nearly 5,000 dentists. Dr. Ozan is the only Turk in the list, which is created according to the forms filled out by the dentists that participate in these education seminars.
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Dr. Ozan educated 2100 dentists in 86 seminars in 2008.
Dentistry Today Magazine also publishes the list of top 100 dentistry products in their monthly editions. The last list included Ni-Ti Max, a product developed by Dr Ozan’s company, Maximum Dental, to be used in root canal treatment. In addition to being a dentist, Dr. Ozan markets 12 products he developed for better dentistry through his company Maximum Dental. Dr. Ozan holds the patent of 4 of these products himself. One of these products, a medicine developed for dental fillings, is on the market under the “By Dr. Ozan” signature. Headquartered in Secaucus, New Jersey and having distributors in 17 different countries, Maximum Dental operates with a team of 17 people. Accredited by American Dental Association and Academy of General Dentistry, Dr. Ozan has the authorization to give seminars to dentists who have to complete a certain number of continuing education credits each year. Dr. Ozan educated 2100 dentists in 86 seminars in 2008. Dr. Ozan visited 19 countries and his 2009 schedule includes seminars in 14 different countries. INTERACTIVE MEDIA Soon, Dr. Ozan is planning to move his education seminars, which includes hands-on training on the latest methods and developments, to interactive media. Dr. Ozan, with the technology he set up in his office in New Jersey, will make it possible for dentists to access his seminars from their offices; therefore avoiding the hassle of traveling. Having established his own company in September 2007, Dr. Ozan has products in the market, which he developed after the difficulties
he faced throughout his years as a dentist, particularly in root canal treatment. Dr. Ozan says, “There is tough competition for us out there from century-old established large companies, both in the U.S. and all over the world, but we trust our products. Our target is to reach the 4th biggest share in the market.” Dentsply International, Sybron Dental Specialist & Bressler are the leading dental products companies in the market. Dr. Ozan continues the marketing of his products by having advertorials and advertisements published in 13 different magazines to increase the sales of his products online. He points out the fact that he never advertises his own products in his education seminars. He adds, “Mostly, rival companies sponsor these seminars. I inform the dentists about the alternative products they can use and then they make the decision.” Utku Ozkan is a graduate of Gazi University School of Dentistry and his father was a doctor. He is married and has one child. ! PRODUCTS OF MAXIMUM DENTAL - Canal Clenmax - Sonicmax - Endomax Smart - Rota - Apexmax IV - Curemax V - Xray Max - Guttamax - Cameramax - DG-16 - K, H & C Hand Files - Irrigamax TurkofAmerica • 57
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Doctors Have Been Meet›ng at Th›s Ball for 41 Years n 1950’s and 1960’s, many doctors and engineers
which took place for the first time in 1968 in New York, is a traditional event that the doctors have been trying to continue ever since.
58 • TurkofAmerica
Ali Serdar Karakurum, (second from the left) President of Turkish American Medical Association is with Kaya Boztepe, President of Federation of Turkish American Association and Ayse Turan, Medical Attache of Turkish Consulate General in New York.
Icame to the USA from Turkey, creating a new
Mihri Cakir, who lives in California, mentions how the ball she went in 1971 is still fresh in her memory. “The young adults would come to the ball with their families. In a way, they would be introduced to the community. People would dress quite elegantly and nicely and the ball was given great importance,” she says.
Prior to this trend of migration of doctors and engineers, between the years of 1820 and 1950, nearly 360,000 people migrated to the USA from the Ottoman Empire and the Republic of Turkey. About 45,000 to 65,000 of this group consisted of Muslims and Turks.
When the doctors who assembled under the organization Turkish American Medical Associations fell short of taking advantage of technological advancements, the bond between them also broke quickly. The current president of the organization is Ali Serdar Karakurum, who previously served as president twice. In addition to Karakurum, the other officers are Tolga Kapusuz, Ferda Hatipoglu, and Esra Hatipoglu, who make up the organization’s board.
trend, among the educated, of moving to the continent. During the years after WWII, economic and military relations between the USA and Turkey played an important role in the arrival of 4,000 Turkish engineers and doctors to this country.
The “Doctors’ Ball,”
Photo: Ridvan Sezer, turkishny.com
THE DOCTORS’ BALL
The doctors and engineers that came during the second wave of migration, which followed the earlier migration that started during the last years of the Ottoman Empire, began to assemble in the USA through associations. The “Doctors’ Ball,” which took place for the first time in 1968 in New York, is a traditional event that the doctors have been trying to continue ever since. Because the Turkish population during the 1970’s was small, this ball, which was organized every year in March, used to carry a special meaning for Turks, since they could get together, even if it was only once a year, and ease their longing for home. As years passed by, it lost its initial popularity.
One of Karakurum’s primary goals for his presidency, to which he was elected in May of last year, is to activate the organization’s website. A 1986 graduate of Ankara University Medical School, Karakurum has sent invitations to a total of 1060 people for the ball in March 2009. Expecting the participants to be around 100 people, Karakurum says he wants to form a database of the doctors and update their adresses. Karakurum has been the chair of the science department of Nassau University Medical Center for three years and also has his own private practice.
IT WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT EVENT Turgay Kadioglu, a Turkish businessman who attended the ball at the end of the ‘70’s with his family, describes it as an event that was awaited impatiently throughout the year and as one of the largest Turkish organizations in New York, then. “People would come to the ball all dolled up and it used to be very crowded. There would not be a special guest artist from Turkey but, rather, local artists would entertain,” says Kadioglu. Even the name of the artist who took the stage during those years is remebered by Kadioglu: Tarik Bulut.
Karakurum came to the USA despite the warnings of his uncle, who is also a doctor here. He points out that as a result of the development in the health sector and the private sector’s innovative approaches in Turkey, the number of doctors coming to the USA to work has decreased over previous years. Dr. Karakurum added, "Turkey is doing very important work in developing the health sector. Many private hospitals were opened, and the new generation of doctors in Turkey don't need to come to the U.S. for work. Even most medical students prefer to go back to Turkey after completing their education."!
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OHAN KARATOPRAK
DR. KARATOPRAK IMPROVES THE QUALITY OF LIFE
By Melda Akansel
Dr. Ohan Karatoprak has been chosen as one of the top 267 doctors in New Jersey out of a possible 25 thousand for the past seven years and has been honored as an honorary professor at New Jersey University Medical School. Dr. Karatoprak graduated from Istanbul University Cerrahpasa Medical School in 1977.
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ven though the secret of preventing aging or securing immortali-
Ety has not yet been discovered, prolonging a healthy life or, in
other words, improving the quality of life is no longer a mere fantasy. Anti-aging expert Dr. Ohan Karatoprak says that by correctly directing the genes in the human body it is possible to prolong the healthy and high quality phase of life. Dr. Ohan Karatoprak, who is one of the pioneers in this field, conducts research into anti-aging and obesity and he also works as a general practitioner in his clinic in New Jersey. Dr. Ohan Karatoprak graduated from Istanbul University Cerrahpasa Medical School in 1977 and then in 1979 he came to the United States to do his surgical specialization. Karatoprak decided on general practice and after three years of his specialization training he opened his own clinic in 1986 in New Jersey. The interest he had in this field led him to do research and to continue his education and training in this field. After Karatoprak completed another specialization in geriatrics, he took on the position of chief of the obesity clinic at Teaneck Holy Name Hospital. Dr. Karatoprak, who was interested in the patients that came to this clinic to lose weight, started to do research on the role obesity played in aging and on anti-aging. Dr. Ohan Karatoprak has been working on the subject of anti-aging for the past twenty two years, long before the recent interest that this subject has gained and he has also had a book published on the subject: “Personal Genetic Health: 21st Century Anti-aging Breakthrough”. According to Dr. Ohan Karatoprak, who has been working for many years on the subject of anti-aging, premature aging and obesity, there is a very close tie between obesity and aging. “Obesity is an event that has to do with the body producing too much insulin. Too much insulin causes inflammatory arteriosclerosis. This indicates that too much insulin causes premature aging.” Says Karatoprak, who provides personalized treatment for his patients based on the results of their genetic and hormonal test results, “We determine what each patient needs based on their genetic test results and then we determine a personalized treatment for that patient. There is a personal treatment for each person. We usually prepare a program that includes personalized vitamins, proper nutrition and suitable exercise.” Dr. Ohan Karatoprak, who continues to work both on his anti-aging research as well as his general practice, says that his patient group who come in for anti-aging treatments are between the ages of 20 and 75. Karatoprak states that his Turkish patients usually hear about him through the Internet or from news reports about him in the media, and that his Turkish patients make up about twenty percent of his patient load. Dr. Karatoprak also has patients who come to him directly from Turkey. Just as he has patients who learn about his anti-aging treatments, he also has Turkish patients who come to him with tests that they have had done in Turkey to get a second opinion or a consultation. Dr. Karatoprak says that other countries are following in small steps the advances that the United States and Germany are making in the field of anti-aging, and that he is closely following Turkey’s view on the subject. From time to time he speaks at conferences in Turkey and in 2005 he was able to meet with his colleagues at the first AntiAging Congress. Dr. Karatoprak thinks that there is a long road that Turkey has to go down on the subject but at the same time he finds it hopeful that there is an attempt in Istanbul to create an association on anti-aging.
Dr. Ohan Karatoprak has been chosen as one of the top 267 doctors in New Jersey out of a possible 25 thousand for the past seven years and has been honored as an honorary professor at New Jersey University Medical School. Dr. Karatoprak, who is modest about his achievements, points out that there are some differences between the medical training in Turkey and the United States. For example, doctors in the United States have to pass a subject examination every few years, and that this leads them to renew their knowledge and stay fresh in their specializations. “They ask the same questions of the new graduate and the doctor with twenty years of experience. This is why medicine here is more advanced,” he says, as he talks about how the United States force doctors to renew themselves constantly. Dr. Karatoprak, as an anti-aging expert who has done research on obesity, proper nutrition and aging and who has treated his patients according to his findings, has also done genetic testing on himself and his family. Dr. Karatoprak has prepared a specialized vitamin program for his family based on their test results and he places a great importance on proper nutrition. He is very conscious when it comes to nutrition and always keeps the nutritional value of each food in mind. For example, he tries to stay away from foods that promote insulin release in the body such as potatoes, rice and pasta, or he tries to limit them to a small amount at the end of a meal. Vegetables, fruit and salad are indispensable. For protein his choice is chicken, but of course he does not touch the skin. Every day he makes sure to eat hazelnuts and peanuts and he never forgets to drink lots of water. He is also very careful about the amount of calories he takes in. Besides his healthy and correct nutritional program he also exercises; twice a week he runs and plays tennis.!
Taner Türkeflfl,, MD Fellow of the American College of Physicians (FACP) and Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) Certified
IMMIGRATION EXAMS INSURANCE ACCEPTED
Dr. Taner Türkefl designated by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
314 Carr Avenue Keansburg, NJ 07734 T: 732-495 5000 C: 917-716 5853 F: 732-495 5003
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JUL‹DE TOK ÇELEB‹
An Expert on the Genet›cs of Melanoma in 1998, also has an advanced specialization in cancer genetics. WORKING ON THE GENETICS OF MELANOMA Dr. Julide Tok Celebi works primarily on skin moles and does research on melanoma, which is a type of skin cancer. Dr. Celebi states that she does research on the genetics of melanoma and she is also an expert on the follow up on patients with a high risk of developing melanoma. Dr. Celebi does follow-ups and body scans for moles on patients’ bodies since they can change over time, grow in size or can change shape or color. Dr. Julide Tok Celebi also performs certain cosmetic procedures such as botox, filling and laser treatments. Dr. Julide Tok Celebi, who has a heavy patient load, can examine an average of 250 patients per month. Most patients come due to the moles on their bodies. Dr. Celebi’s patients are usually between 35-60 years old and American. Dr. Celebi’s Turkish patients make up about ten percent of her patient load. Turkish patients usually come to her with wart and eczema problems. Turkish patients reach Dr. Celebi on referral from New York Presbyterian Hospital, through their insurance companies or through the Internet. At times Dr. Celebi also has patients who come directly from Turkey.
r. Julide Tok Celebi has been working as an ins-
Dtructor in the Dermatological Department at Co-
By Melda Akansel
Dr. Julide Tok Celebi, who has a heavy patient load, can examine an average of 250 patients per month. 62 • TurkofAmerica
lumbia University-New York Presbyterian Hospital for the past seventeen years treating thousands of patients for anything from cancer to eczema, from warts to moles. Dr. Celebi, who works primarily on treating moles, also performs cosmetic procedures such as botox and laser treatments.
Dr. Julide Tok Celebi, who graduated in 1990 from Istanbul University’s Cerrahpasa Medical Center, completed her dermatological assistantship in 1992. Celebi then decided to come to the United States in order to do clinical research and then conducted research for the next two years at Washington Georgetown University Medical School’s Dermatological Department. Dr. Celebi next did her internship between the years 1994-95 at Florida University and afterwards started her specialization training at Columbia University. Dr. Julide Tok Celebi, who finished her three-year specialization training in dermatology
Dr. Julide Tok Celebi points out that there are some differences between the medical training in Turkey and in the United States, and that one of these differences is that the process in the United States is more formalistic: “Here after having a year of training in internal medicine or surgery you then do a specialization in dermatology for the next three years. After that you take a national general exam. You graduate with the score that you receive from that exam.” Dr. Celebi also states that one must repeat this exam every ten years to retain the “American Board of Dermatology” diploma. In Turkey each medical school has their own exam and that is the way they graduate their assistants. Dr. Julide Tok Celebi is very happy to be in New York, and to be living and working in this city. In the future she plans to continue her research. Dr. Celebi hopes to sign off on medical discoveries by keeping melanoma the objective. Dr. Celebi says that a stressful city like New York can tire a person out so she tries to get rid of her stress by working out. Dr. Celebi runs and exercises three times per week and also likes to go to the opera with her 8-year-old son.!
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ERGUN SENAY
Why Is Dental Work So Expens›ve?
mericans’ oral health has improved tremendously in
Arecent years. Over the past decade, tooth decay has
Most people complain about paying very high bills for dental treatment. Dr. Ergun Senay explains that.
decreased by 15% in children, and just a quarter of adults over 60 have lost all their teeth, down from onethird. Dentists attribute the improvement to such advances as fluoridation and better oral hygiene at an early age. Ergun Senay, a Turkish dentist who has practiced in Manhattan for over 20 years, points out that the importance of dental treatment should be taught by families and schools at the same time. He says, “Dental treatment and tooth brushing are fundamentally important in the U.S. You may see some people on the street that may not have a good appearance, but if you pay attention to their teeth, you will recognize that the teeth look great. Families in the U.S. educate their children about the importance of their teeth from pre-school on up.” Dr. Ergun Senay graduated from the Department of Denistry of Istanbul University in 1982. After graduation, without having any business experience, he came to the U.S. He continued his dentistry studies at New York University. First, he started to work for a clinic in New York, then he opened his own clinic in 1988. At the clinic, three doctors work with Dr. Senay and 30 percent of his patients are Turkish. Most people complain about paying very high bills for dental treatment. Dr. Senay explains that, “America is more expensive than other countries for dental care because the cost of service is expensive, such as labor, lab costs, and technology, etc. We spend more time on teeth and we use different technologies. Advancements in dental technology can offer patients modern solutions to traditional dental problems. It is expensive but the quality, professional service, qualified technicians, and superior equipment for diagnosis and treatment are excellent in the U.S. This makes the price higher than in other countries.” According to Dr. Senay, there are many differences
between Turkey and the U.S. in terms of dentistry. The most important thing is the economic difference. In the U.S., the quality of dental service is much higher than any other country. Dr. Senay stressed that there are many good dental service places in Turkey but they can’t offer certain treatments because of economic reasons. “For example we use equipment for dental veneers. This equipment makes great plating in an hour but it is very expensive. It’s very normal that it causes a higher cost. Service, quality and the equipment that we use for treatment must be excellent because we want to make sure that patient will not have same problem with his or her teeth in the future,” Dr. Senay said. INSURANCE FACTOR The American Dental Association recommends that patients visit their dentist and dental hygienist a minimum of twice a year to maintain proper dental hygiene. Most private companies offer medical insurance to cover their employees’ medical care but sometimes, in order to reduce medical benefits, they don’t cover dental treatment at all. If a person wants to have his own insurance for dental care, the insurance cost will be more expensive for that individual. A survey of 321 companies carried out by HSA found that 65% of employers believed their staff would most value dental insurance contributions as a benefit. Despite this, 67% of companies said they would not consider implementing dental benefits as they perceive them to be too expensive. For instance, in 2001, 33 companies on Fortune Magazine’s list of America's very best employers were paying 100% of their employees' health-care premiums. In 2006, this number dropped to only 14 employers. Dr. Ergun says new developing in dental treatment increases the costs of treatment and companies don’t want to pay employees’ health care bills because of the high costs. He adds, “In this way, patients have higher bills.” ! TurkofAmerica • 63
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TURKISH DOCTORS IN TRI-STATE
TURKISH DOCTORS IN NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY AND CONNECTICUT ACUPUNCTURE Melik Dodanli – New York, NY ADOLESCENT MEDICINE, PEDIATRICS Garbis Baydar – Englewood, NJ Fatih Ramazanoglu – Elmer, NJ ANESTHESIOLOGY Levon Capan – New York, NY Hakan Attaroglu – Niskayuna, NY Gayle Atlas - New York, NY Tolga Kapusuz, Mineola, NY ANESTHESIOLOGY, PAIN MANAGEMENT Semih Gungor – New York, NY CARDIOLOGY Gencer Filiz – Brooklyn, NY Guldeniz Doganay – Brooklyn, NY Gurkan F. Taviloglu – The Bronx, NY Hasan Garan – New York, NY John M. Bozer – Buffalo, NY Mehmet C. Oz – New York, NY Nevber Cemaletin – New York, NY Ozgen Dogan – New York, NY Hasan Atalay – Albany, NY CARDIOLOGY, INTERNAL MEDICINE Sinan Kadayifci – Bay Shore, NY CARDIOLOGY-INTERVENTIONAL/INVASIVE Burak Arkonac – Roslyn, NY
DIAGNOSTIC RADIOLOGY Neda Yagan – New York, NY Sezen Z. Ozoktay – Jamaica, NY Melih H. Arici - New Haven, CT EPIDEMIOLOGY OF MICROBIAL DISEASES Serap Aksoy – New Haven, CT FAMILY MEDICINE Muhammad Azam – Dayton, NJ Ismail Ozcan – Lake Ronkonkoma, NY Murat Acemoglu – Cohoes, NY Ohan Karatoprak – Fort Lee, NJ GASTROENTEROLOGY Hulya Levendoglu – Brooklyn, NY Safak Reka – Brooklyn, NY GENERAL AND COSMETIC DENTISTRY Armand Karakash – Forest Hills, NY GENERAL DENTISTRY Bill Akpinar – Little Neck, NY Yavuz Erdogan – Paterson, NJ GENERAL PRACTICE Huseyin E. Tuncel – Brooklyn, NY Taner Turkes – (314 Carr Avenue Keansburg, NJ 07734 – Tel: +1 (732) 495 5000)
CHILD NEUROLOGY Cigdem Akman – New York, NY
GENERAL SURGERY Gokhan Ozuner – Suffern, NY Kazim Doganay – Bronx, NY Umur Atabek- Camden, NJ
CHILD PSYCHIATRY Asli Saba Abaci – Rochester, NY
HEMATOLOGY, INTERNAL MEDICINE Olcay Batuman – Brooklyn, NY
CHIROPRACTIC Nabil Kazan – Paterson, NJ Norayr Ozbalik – South Plainfield, NJ
HEMATOLOGY, PEDIATRIC ONCOLOGY Mehmet F. Ozkaynak- Valhalla, NY
CLINICAL MEDICINE, RHEUMATOLOGY Yusuf Yazici – New York, NY CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST Birsen Erses – New York, NY CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE, INTERNAL MEDICINE, PULMONARY Selim Arcasoy – New York, NY DENTISTRY Arif Izmirligil – Port Jefferson STA, NY Ayse Bilge Adsay – Newark, NJ Dan Pinar – Nyack, NY Deniz Yildirim – Depew, NY Ergun Senay – New York, NY Gurbuz Edeer – Oakland, NJ Hamit Gokce – Brooklyn, NY Kayhan Civelek – New York, NY Mustafa Seker – New York, NY P. Yavuz Erdogan – Paterson, NJ Rafi K. Saatciyan – New York, NY Sukriye B. Artam – New York, NY Ugur Artam – New York, NY Ali Gulum – Flushing, NY Sadettin Sen – Fairlawn, NJ Sue Fusun Toy – Clifton, NJ DERMATOLOGY Julide Tok Celebi – New York, NY
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INFECTIOUS DISEASE, INTERNAL MEDICINE Nigahus Karabulut – Trenton, NJ INTERNAL MEDICINE Ayturk E. Aydin – Wayne, NJ Birsen Yuzak – Garden City, NJ Deniz Mehmet Pirincci – Le Roy, NY Dimyan Balikcioglu – Bronx, NY Eli S. Djebiyan – Englewood, NJ Enver Akalin – New York, NY Erhan Kucuk – Wayne, NJ Esenbike Bek – Smithtown, NY Istiklal Arikan – Hamilton, NJ Mehmet Cavusoglu – Douglaston, NY Nejat Caginalp – Douglaston, NY Nermi Onat – Clifton, NJ Tivana L. Bain – Brooklyn, NY Yilmaz Aldemir – Northport, NY Yusuf Miraloglu – Rochester, NY Dr. Ihsan Mustafa Uygur – Dover, NJ Erol Fikrig - New Haven, CT Ali Erol - Wethersfield, CT Tulin Koparan - Stamford, CT
INTERNAL MEDICINE, GASTROENTEROLOGY Abdo Balikcioglu – Brooklyn, NY Ali Serdar Karakurum – Port Jefferson, NY Ayse Aytaman – Brooklyn, NY
INTERNAL MEDICINE, PEDIATRICS Vedat Obuz – (Lotus Clinic, 2605 Route 130 S Cinnaminson NJ 08077 – Tel: +1 (856) 829 5466) Aret Kahyaoglu – Hackensack, NJ INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY Erdal Cavusoglu – Brooklyn, NY
PEDIATRIC ENDOCRINOLOGY Falka Ulcay Abaci – Brooklyn, NY Levon Agdere – Brooklyn, NY
MATERNAL AND FETAL MEDICINE, OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY Tulin Ozcan – Rochester, NY
PEDIATRIC MEDICINE Deniz M. Burton – Clifton, NJ Yucel Atakent – East Meadow, NY
NEONATOLOGY/PERINATAL MEDICINE Meltem Olgun – New Haven, CT
PEDIATRIC PULMONARY Umit Emre – Brooklyn, NY
NEPHROLOGY (KIDNEYS) Aydin M. Olgun – Huntington Station, NY
PEDIATRICS Aynur Devli – Wayne, NJ Deniz Cereb – Staten Island, NY Melih Sarigul – Clifton, NJ Kadri Aygen – Chester, NJ
NEUROLOGY Moris J. Danon – New York, NY Tamer Toklucu – Amityville, NY NEUROSCIENCES & ENDOVASCULAR / CEREBROVASCULAR SURGERY Erol Veznedaroglu – (Capital Health System, 750 Brunswick Avenue Trenton, NJ 08638 - 877-247-3443) NEUROSURGEON ZEKI UYGUR – 36 EAST 20th STREET NEW YORK, NY 10003 – Tel: +1 212 387 0600 NEUROVASCULAR SURGERY Murat Gunel – New Haven, CT OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY, REPRODUCTIVE ENDOCRINOLOGY & INFERTILITY Aydin Arici – New Haven, CT Emre U. Seli – New Haven, CT Huseyin Copur – Hackensack, NJ Kutluk Oktay – New York, NY Mert Bahtiyar – New Haven, CT Ozgul Muneyyirci Delale – Elmhurst, NY Suleyman E. Dolen – Brooklyn, NY Pinar Kodaman - New Haven, CT Cem Omay – Denville, NJ Aysegul Ozbek - Middletown, CT OPHTHALMOLOGY Ahmet Degirmen – Elizabeth, NJ Idil Bilgin – New York, NY Kevin Niksarli – New York, NY ORTHODONTIST Mehmet Dikengil – Elizabeth, NJ PAIN CARE Ali Inanc Seckin – Hackensack, NJ PAIN MANAGEMENT Nilufer A. Guleyupoglu – New York, NY PATHOLOGY Cavit Oguzhan – Far Rockaway, NY Cuneyt Okay – Batavia, NY Sakir Humayun Gultekin – New York, NY Tarik Kumral – Newton, NJ PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY Abidin Hakan Tuncer – Rochester, NY
PHYSICAL MEDICINE & REHABILITATION Pinar Atakent – Brooklyn, NY PLASTIC SURGERY Hakan Usal – Hackensack, NJ Nevin E. Gokalp – New York, NY PLASTIC/RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY Hakan Kutlu – Morristown, NJ PSYCHIATRY Mustafa Ziyalan – New York, NY Pinar Ziyalan – New York, NY Rosalind Gul Hoffman – New York, NY Semra Coskuntuna – New York, NY Serafettin Tombuloglu – Rockville Centre, NY Toksoz Byram Karasu – Bronx, NY Hulya Erhan – New York, NY Ece Tek - New Haven, CT PSYCHIATRY & NEUROLOGY Cenk Tek-New Haven, CT RADIOLOGY Nevin Halil Okay – Franklin Lakes, NJ RHEUMATOLOGY Doruk Erkan – New York, NY THORACIC SURGERY Ergin M. Arisan- Englewood, NJ TRANSPLANT & IMMUNOLOGY Sukru H. Emre – New Haven, CT UROLOGY Caner Z. Dinlenc – New York, NY Erdal Erturk – Rochester, NY Altan Kadri Ilkay, East Setauket, NY
* Doctors are listed in alphabetical order by their specialties. The list can not be copied, or used without prior permission of TURKOFAMERICA.