Faculty of Veterinary Medicine

I am a faculty member at Istanbul University - Cerrahpaşa, Veterinary Medicine Faculty. At the same time, I am the Head of Department at Veterinary Medicine History and Deontology. My name is Altan Armutak. We are the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. As you can see, we have animal friends around who are quite dear to us. We regard them as our friends, our pals. We never perceive them as different species. The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine is an institution where we try to understand our animal friends as creatures that think, live, and have feelings and emotions as we do. It is a faculty that aims to treat their health problems. Veterinary medicine is the only field of profession that serves another species other than humans. Therefore, it occupies a different field among others, and thus has its own challenges. In many parts of the world, people who have close contact with animals, who try to understand them, devote their lives to them, are regarded by developed societies as very wise people who are passionate about animals. The Veterinary Medicine program lasts for 5 years, which adds up to 10 semesters. The program is a year longer compared to other programs of other faculties. The education provided at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine is at the graduate level. In other words, a person who finishes his studies here can be considered to have a master's degree, and can apply for a doctorate degree. In the first year, an education and training process in the form of an initial and introduction to veterinary medicine is offered. The first year, students usually take courses mainly in physics, chemistry and biology. In addition, anatomy courses begin and courses introducing them to the profession, such as the history of veterinary medicine, are given. Anatomy is particularly difficult for students because we teach them about the anatomy 10 different animals, whilst in a medicine program you just learn about human anatomy. These lectures are about the anatomy of approximately 10 species, such as sheep, goats, pigs, cattle, horses, cats, dogs, poultry, exotic animals and so on, comparing them to each other. So the difficult courses begin in the first grade. Later on, courses on physiology and biochemistry, which are about the bodily processes begin. However, the introduction courses to veterinary medicine ends in the first year or in the first half of the second year. Then the pre-clinical period begins in the veterinary medicine program. During this period, the students take courses one pathology, microbiology, virology, pharmacology, parasitology. Students who are now ready for the clinic after a year begin taking their introductory courses on internal medicine, surgery and obstetrics clinics. These students begin to provide patient check-ups in the clinic as soon as they start the introductory courses in this clinic. Later, while practicing for courses like internal diseases, surgery, obstetrics, gynaecology, artificial insemination, exotic animal courses in clinics, they also start to take food hygiene and technology courses, since veterinary medicine is not only about animal health or diseases. In addition they also take courses in subjects like breeding and developing productive animal breeds or animal feeding, which we call zootechnics. In addition, there are courses on professional ethics, animal rights and also additional elective courses. Students who take these courses, complete two separate internships in two years and who finally prepare a graduation thesis can graduate at the end of the fifth year. I can wholeheartedly say that our faculty is a great faculty. It requires studying regularly, like it is the case in the Faculty of Medicine. It requires day-to-day study, not missing any lessons, and proper attendance. The courses are theoretical; however, the content requires you to make use of laboratories and practice in the clinic. For this reason, we want the students coming to the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine to love animals first of all. People who love animals can be much more successful and productive in this profession.
Laboratories occupy an important place within the courses of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. In addition, laboratories are very important in research. In the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, we have histology, physiology, and biochemistry laboratories. We have Microbiology, virology, parasitology, pathology, pharmacology and toxicology laboratories to be used in pre-clinical studies. In addition, there is a central laboratory in clinics. The analysis of the diseases that may occur in the animals are made with the blood examinations performed in this central laboratory, to be treated in the clinics. In other words, it is a field that operates a lot in laboratories. Laboratory and clinical courses are supported by theoretical courses. Internships are completed in our faculty in two years. Our students complete their farm animal care internships in the third and fourth years. They complete internships on pet care, such as cats and dogs. Our students who complete both the clinical and farm animal internships prepare a graduation thesis at the end of the fifth year, after completing these internships. Our students present this dissertation to the faculty members in the form of a seminar. Students who deliver a proper thesis which is then accepted by the faculty members in that field, will graduate if they complete their courses and exams. This profession can be done anywhere. We have many faculties abroad that we have agreements with. For example, students from universities abroad such as Munich Ludwig Maximilian University in Germany and Italy come here. Our students can also go to study there. In other words, Erasmus Programs are actively implemented in our faculty. In addition, we provide internship opportunities abroad. If the student presents an invitation letter by correspondence to the faculty dean's office or registrar’s office, they can go to any country to complete an internship for one or two months. The door of our faculty is also open to such offers. In addition to this, there is an International Scientific Research Congress organized at our university. Veterinary medicine students from over 30 countries, from the European Union, Asia, the Balkans and Turkey participate in this international congress. This makes for a great platform to communicate ideas and knowledge, and also is a great privilege I must say. Our students can graduate after 5 years. But I have to say that just like in the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry or Pharmacy, our faculty is a faculty that requires discipline. The reason for this is that advanced biology education is provided in the field of medicine. Students who graduate from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine can apply to faculties and become academics like us. They should complete their doctorate studies. Later, they can take part in providing health services to animals in the faculty as assistant professors, associate professors and professors or they can do research here. They can also specialize in fundamental fields of medicine such as anatomy, physiology, histology, biochemistry, virology, microbiology, parasitology, pathology, and keep on with their studies in the faculty. They can work as academics there. Likewise, they can work as academics in institutions and organizations that provide education in health sciences in the Faculty of Dentistry. In addition, there is a large veterinary staff part of the Ministry of Agriculture. There they can work everywhere in Turkey for the missions that the ministry requests.
As I always say to those who will choose the department, they should love animals. My second piece of advice will be this. I see that people who have been in contact with animals since childhood, who keep cats, dogs and fish at home, who know how to ride a horse in their homeland, and who care for cows, sheep, goats and cattle, are much more prone to this profession. If people who were born in a big city say that they have not dealt with these animals before and do not know how to deal with them but still have a love for animals, they can train themselves in this field. As long as they love animals, and they are willing to learn. In addition, people who will choose this job should be dexterous. In other words, people who are dexterous, make quick decisions, people who are calm, people who can instantly relieve a bleeding, people who do not panic in the face of an animal's movement, and as a result, people who are understanding, intelligent, open to learn and open to cooperation are much more successful in Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. Animals are our friends. We want our students to have this in mind in the first place. There are different veterinarians around the world. However, it seems that those who do not like animals are much more unsuccessful. Those who love animals, those who take care of cats, dogs, horses, cattle, sheep and goats in their homes at a young age, are also a bit curious, caring and hard working. They are much more successful in their profession. We tell students this: Istanbul itself is an academy. The student who comes to Istanbul also learns the fine art of living here. Here, people's tastes become much more refined. This city is a historical capital. Living in a metropolis increases cultural interaction, changes people’s outlook on life. This city was the capital of Rome, Byzantium and the Ottomans, they can spend days and hours in front of a historical monument. Apart from that, in this city of 20,000,000 people, there are over 1,000,000 animals, pets or stray. Here they can examine and treat them. There are over 700 private veterinary clinics currently in Istanbul. They all earn their living. This number will increase as time passes. Besides the academic benefits of Istanbul University - Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, we will also provide students with numerous other advantages. Therefore, I strongly recommend this faculty. Istanbul is a great city. Training and working here as a veterinarian is very prestigious. Veterinarians are wise people, at least that is the perception in the west. They are devoid of material needs. In fact, in many developed countries of the west; Students of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine are placed with higher scores than the Faculty of Medicine. Because these are few in number and they want to devote their lives to animals. Especially with the changing ecological conditions today, the number of exotic animals coming to veterinary clinics has increased in recent years. From tarantula spiders to snakes of different sizes, chameleons, iguanas, raccoons, squirrels, turtles. The profile of Veterinary Medicine is also changing slowly. I sincerely recommend Istanbul University - Cerrahpaşa, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine to students who love animals and who want to devote their lives to them. This university will provide you with a great education, great academic staff and great benefits. We are waiting for them.