History

Gazi University School of Medicine Department of Pulmonary Medicine was founded in 1983 by the late Prof. Dr. Özay Sezer’s commence as the head of department.

Department of Pulmonary Medicine was a part of the School of Medicine Internal Medicine Clinic which continued its studies under the Emergency Aid and Traumatology Hospital. After the addition of Dr. Numan N. Ekim as an Assistant Professor in March 1984, the department continued schooling theoretical and practical education for approzimately over two years. With the efforts of  Dr. Özay Sezer, then the chief physician of the Gölbaşı Campus, and the decision of the faculty administration, the department gained a two story, 70 bed clinic in the Gölbaşı Campus on  August 13^th 1985. The first laboratory was founded inside the clinic and especially with the personal contributions of the academic members. The research assistants personally carried out the full blood count, sedimentation and full urine analysis of the patients.

Two research assistants joined our clinic in 1984 and the need for these academic staff was tried to be fulfilled by four practioners who arrived via conscription.

The first EKG device was greatly appreciated by the staff. Later, with the efforts of Dr. Numan Ekim and with the contributions of Prof. Dr. İnanç Ayas, an academic member of the department of Orthopedics and Traumatology who was also the president of the Turkish Aeronautical Association (THK), the first liquid spirometer was added to our clinic as a donation from Ziraat Bank.  This device performed tens of thousands of tests and was used until recently. In 1988 the first rigid fiberoptic bronchoscopy was put in service and the department’s diagnostic and treatment abilities were increased. In the same period, X-Ray, Biyochemistry and microbiology laboratories were established in campus.

After Dr. Numan Ekim becoming Associate Professor in 1987, Dr. Haluk Türktaş joined our staff as Assistant Professor in May 1988 becoming the third academic member of our department. At the end of the same year Dr. Özay  Sezer became Professor.

In 1989 Prof. Dr. Türkan Tatlıcıoğlu,started duty as the fourth academic member.  At the end of the same year Dr. H. Türktaş was entitled Associate Professor thus being the first specialist out of our department.

The sudden passing of Prof. Dr. Özay Sezer, head of department, on April 29^th 1990, caused great grief in our department just as it did in the faculty. Prof. Dr. T. Tatlıcıoğlu was appointed as head of department. In May, the same year Dr. Can Öztürk started duty as an instructor and became Associate Professor in October.

The Department of Pulmonary Medicine, which continued to function in Gölbaşı Campus with many inconveniences and hardships until 1994, was moved to it’s first hospital building in Beşevler. With all it’s academic members wishes and efforts in June 1994. In 1997, the department moved to it’s current place, the 11^th floor of the main hospital building.

Dr. Numan Ekim who was titled Professor in April 1994  was chosen head of department in September. Dr. Oğuz Köktürk who had started duty in 1995 as the first academic member that our department had schooled, became Associate professor in 1996 and Professor in 2002. Then Dr. Gül Gürsel,  Dr. İ.Kıvılcım Oğuzülgen and Dr. Nurdan Köktürk, Dr.Tansu Ulukavak Çiftçi, Dr.Ahmet Selim Yurdakul and Dr. Müge Aydoğdu joined our academic staff. We currently have six professors, four associate professors and one assistant professor in our department.

Between the years 1994-2000 and 2006-2009 Dr. Numan Ekim, 2000-2003 Dr. Haluk Türktaş and 2003-2006 Dr. Can Öztürk were the head of departments. Dr. Oğuz Köktürk has been the head of department since October 2009.

Our department which has given 32 specialties by June 2009, serves with it’s 27 bed inpatient service, 4 bed sleep deprivation center, six bed intensive care unit, bronchoscopy unit, pulmonary function test laboratory, 2 polyclinics and smoking cessation unit.