Childhood, family and education.
He was born in 1981 at Çorlu Military Hospital. His early childhood was spent in Samsun, where his father, a military physician, was stationed. His first teacher was Hayriye Hoşgör at Çorum Bahçelievler Kindergarten, and his primary school teacher was the late Hikmet Coşkun. His only ambition was to become a doctor, like his older brothers; he achieved this by winning a place at Samsun Ondokuz Mayıs University Faculty of Medicine. His choice of medicine was shaped not only by his father's guidance but also by his mother, who left her career in economics, returned home, and raised three sons born a year apart, steering them all toward medicine. He graduated with honours from medical school in 2004. Following his passion, he chose ophthalmology and completed his specialty training between 2004 and 2009, spending four months of his residency in Germany.
Compulsory service and early career.
He completed his compulsory service in Başkale district of Van and at Van Regional Training and Research Hospital. Between 2012 and 2013 he worked as a specialist physician at Çanakkale State Hospital.
Hitit University years (2013–2022).
At the end of 2013 he was appointed Assistant Professor at the Ophthalmology Clinic of Çorum Hitit University Training and Research Hospital, playing a founding role in establishing the department. In 2014 he founded the hospital's Retina Clinic and performed the university's first intravitreal injection treatment. During his eight years there he carried out intraocular injections and eye surgeries, and followed and treated registered retina patients from Çorum and the surrounding provinces. In 2016 he established the vitreoretinal surgery unit and introduced vitreoretinal surgery in Çorum. He was awarded the title of Associate Professor in 2017. In 2019 he secured accreditation for resident training, contributing greatly to transforming the department into a fully recognised training clinic.
International training and certifications.
In 2008 he spent four months at the Eye Hospital of Eberhard Karls University in Tübingen, Germany, conducting research on intravitreal injections for age-related macular disease and diabetic retinopathy alongside Prof. Dr. Bartz-Schmidt, one of the first academics in Europe to apply this treatment. In 2009 he worked as a rotational fellow in the oculoplastics clinic at Ankara Hospital. Between 2012 and 2013 he worked as an observer at Royal Victorian Eye & Ear Hospital, University of Melbourne, Australia, in lamellar and endothelial keratoplasty (corneal transplantation) and oculoplastics. In 2014 he was an observer in the medical and surgical retina unit at Ulucanlar Eye Training and Research Hospital. In 2016 he worked in the vitreoretinal surgery unit at Gülhane Military Medical Academy. In 2017 he passed the European Board of Ophthalmology examination and was awarded the FEBO title.
Academic and administrative roles.
In 2019 he founded the Faculty of Medicine journal at Hitit University and served as editor-in-chief until his departure. He also held positions including chairmanship of the Clinical Research Ethics Committee, 5th-year coordinator of the Faculty of Medicine, Head of the Department of Ophthalmology, Head of the Eye Clinic, and membership of the faculty management board, faculty council, and pre- and post-graduation education boards. He served a term as President of the Çorum Medical Chamber, and for two years as president of the Young Ophthalmologists Group of the Turkish Ophthalmological Association.
Maltepe University and today.
In 2022 he joined the Department of Ophthalmology at Maltepe University Faculty of Medicine. As of February 2023 he holds the title of Professor and currently serves as Head of the Department of Ophthalmology at this university.
Memberships, publications and personal.
He is a member of the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons, the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the Turkic Republics Ophthalmology Society, and the Turkish Ophthalmological Association. He has more than 60 international scientific articles and conference presentations, more than 100 national scientific articles and domestic conference presentations, authorship of more than 10 scientific book chapters and book editorship, and hundreds of citations to his work. He speaks English. He is married with two children.
