title: Nuclear medicine training and practice in Turkey.
abstract: Nuclear medicine applications in Turkey started in the early 1950s, grew as an independent medical discipline and finally were recognized by the Ministry of Health in 1973. Later on, the professional organization of nuclear medicine physicians and other related professionals including radiopharmacists and technologists under the Turkish Society of Nuclear Medicine were established in 1975. Recently after completing more than a half century in Turkey, nuclear medicine has proved to be a strong and evolving medical field with more than 600 physicians serving for the changing needs of clinical practice throughout these years. This article describes past and present facts in this field and attempts to provide insights into the future which hopefully will be brighter than before.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Ege University School of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey. zehra.ozcan@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Zehra
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6942-4704
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ozcan
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Hacettepe University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: M Fani
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Bozkurt
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Hacettepe University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Belkıs
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Erbas
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Dokuz Eylül University School of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hatice
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Durak
mesh_terms: D004496:Education, Continuing; D006801:Humans; D009683:Nuclear Medicine / Q000193:education* / Q000458:organization & administration; D012955:Societies, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration; D014421:Turkey
keywords: Continuing medical education; Nuclear medicine training; Turkey; Turkish Society of Nuclear Medicine