SLAYT

Veterinary Doctor Candidates Wore White Coat

‘White Coat Wearing Ceremony’ was organised for the first year students of our faculty.

AKU Rector Prof. Dr. Mehmet Karakaş, Afyonkarahisar Deputy Governor Ali Uysal, Afyonkarahisar Deputy Mayor Cem Kasapoğlu, Provincial Gendarmerie Commander Kd. Colonel Tolga Yağan, Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Prof. Dr. Turan Civelek, Vice Dean Prof. Dr. Zeki Gürler, Assistant Dean Prof. Dr. Durmuş Fatih Başer, President of Afyonkarahisar Chamber of Veterinary Physicians Prof. Dr. Mehmet Uçar, Afyonkarahisar Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry Animal Health Branch Manager Mahmut Tat, students and their families attended the ceremony held in Atatürk Congress Centre.

Afyonkarahisar Chamber of Veterinary Surgeons President Prof. Dr. Mehmet Uçar, who made the opening speech of the ceremony, which started with a moment of silence and the reading of the National Anthem, said that the profession of veterinary medicine is one of the important professions with which they are destined to work together. Noting that important years await the students during the education process, Uçar said, ‘We are proud that you are joining us. I believe that the valuable academic staff of our faculty will make very important contributions to you professionally. In the lines of our colleague and famous poet Mehmet Akif Ersoy, who penned our National Anthem, he describes us as ‘Because if you have an experience, it lies in your mind, we need more than human physicians’. İsmet İnönü Pasha, on the other hand, said: ‘It can be said that human medicine is like an inland sea against the ocean compared to veterinary medicine. Human medicine is for human beings, whereas veterinary medicine is for humanity‘’ defines the profession of veterinary medicine.’

Noting that the veterinary medicine profession has a very effective field in issues such as animal health, care, nutrition, disease protection, which covers many important events, as well as food control, zoonotic diseases and friendly creatures fed at home, Uçar said, ‘Veterinary medicine, milk and dairy products, red and white meat products and eggs are at the forefront in areas such as breeding, vaccination, diagnosis and treatment, care and nutrition, sustainable business management and management. All these efforts are the work of an intelligent and well-equipped person. While providing these services, we have to reveal the condition of the animal with the knowledge of medicine. This is actually one of the elements that glorify our profession.’

‘Veterinary faculty education is not easy, it is difficult’

Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Prof. Dr. Turan Civelek stated that the students took the first step to become a member of a very important profession by choosing the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. Civelek said, ‘I see you as a member of this profession and I want to see you. Veterinary Faculty education is not easy, it is difficult. Be aware of this, but be confident in yourself. You are a member of the noble Turkish nation. You are sure to be a valuable and valuable member of this community. I see this light in the eyes of each of you.’

‘Animal and food-based epidemics and endemics are at the door’

Noting that the profession of veterinary medicine is very important, Civelek said

‘Our profession is not only related to animal health, but also directly related to human health. The recent corona outbreak, which led to a global pandemic transmitted from animals to humans, is the most obvious example of this. Animal and food-based epidemics and endemics caused by different factors are very likely in the coming decades. For this reason, veterinarians serve for the benefit of the whole society during their professional life. Again, when we evaluate within the framework of history, this profession has raised important and exemplary personalities. Our National Poet Mehmet Akif Ersoy, Ziya Gökalp, the important name of our literary history, and many scientists, politicians, bureaucrats, and colleagues working in the private sector have come out of us. Take them as an example. Make success your main goal. Have a plan and a road map in advance for the actions you will take when given the opportunity. Never stand back, don’t be cowardly and be at the forefront. Remember, science has no up or down, north or south, left or right. Science is universal. Make an effort, try harder. Do not upset both your families and us, your teachers. The way to do this is to study and read a lot.’

‘We will get international accreditation’

Civelek, who gave information about the works in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, said, ‘In the last 5.5 years, we, under the administration of our Rector, have built excellence and ideal for you in our faculty. As a result of the new Animal Hospital, renewed farm, laboratories, Wildlife Centre, accreditation and progress in international relations, we are now very assertive and far ahead. We are the best in Turkey in many fields. We will hopefully receive international accreditation very soon. Be sure of this too. So, your duty is to do justice to this investment. Work hard and learn. Walk into the future by following the path opened by St Atatürk and protecting national and moral values. May your path be open to good fortune. As a son worthy of this great nation; achieve success by owning your mind and idea without leaving it to anyone’s will.’

More than 180 thousand graduates

In his speech, AKU Rector Prof. Dr. Mehmet Karakaş expressed his pleasure to share the first excitement of veterinary medicine candidates. Karakaş said, ‘Afyon Kocatepe University, which is one of the important values of Afyonkarahisar, is a university that has served Turkey by graduating more than 180 thousand veterinary doctors since its establishment. He prepared this army, which he has put into the service of Turkey, through a strong and well-equipped education and training, and made it ready for service in a well-equipped and strong way by offering all the opportunities he could at a level that would meet the expectations of the family and society.’

‘Our Faculty of Veterinary Medicine is at the forefront’

Stating that they updated the strategic plan as of 2019 in order to build the future vision of AKU, which has two universities, and that they determined the priority areas in this context, Karakaş said the following:

‘By making various evaluations, we have highlighted three areas by taking into account the potentials of our region, our province and our university. In this direction, we have determined the fields of veterinary-animal husbandry, engineering and tourism as priority areas. We have strengthened our Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, which is the central unit of our veterinary-animal husbandry priority area, in line with our new policies. In the 5.5 years we have been in office, our Faculty of Veterinary Medicine has started to rise with the investments we have made and started to be at the forefront among the veterinary faculties of our country in many aspects. During this period, we made many investments in our faculty. We will continue to make new investments in our veterinary faculty by taking all necessary steps for our students to receive education in the best conditions. Our faculty has become a strong academic unit in terms of its physical infrastructure, equipment, academic and administrative staff.’

‘Our Faculty of Veterinary Medicine was accredited by VEDEK’

In 2019, while renewing the strategic plan, Karakaş stated that one of his goals was to start the accreditation process and continued his speech as follows:

‘Because when we took office, we did not have any accredited academic units. At the point we have reached today, YÖK does not allow universities to open new units in some issues. For a qualified education, we started accreditation activities at our university and we have made significant progress in this regard. In this direction, while our academic units are accredited to different accreditation bodies, our university has managed to receive full accreditation for 5 years from the Higher Education Quality Board. Our Faculty of Veterinary Medicine was also entitled to be accredited to VEDEK, the Association for Evaluation and Accreditation of Veterinary Medicine Education Institutions and Programmes, on 28 September 2022. Our faculty continues its international accreditation studies rapidly. As the management, we will continue to support our faculty in this regard, and I both support and congratulate the activities of our faculty management and colleagues in this direction.’

‘Our Animal Hospital is one of the most equipped and modern animal hospitals in Turkey’

Stating that the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine has become a faculty with a high competitive capacity both nationally and internationally with the new investments and support provided, Karakaş said, ‘Our new Animal Hospital, which we recently put into service, has become one of the most equipped and modern animal hospitals in Turkey in terms of machinery, equipment and human resources. We have made and continue to make new investments in our Veterinary Practice and Research Farm, where we have received a research title from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, by starting revision works. Our Dairy Unit, Meat Unit, Wildlife Rescue Rehabilitation Training, Application and Research Centre, Veterinary Diagnosis and Analysis Laboratory and other related units strengthen our Veterinary field.’

‘Never deviate from professional ethics’

Addressing the students in his speech, Rector Prof. Dr. Karakaş gave the following advice to the students

‘In this ceremony, we will dress you in your white coats, which is an important symbol of medicine. By wearing your aprons, you will take your first step into the profession of Veterinary Medicine. With this awareness, it is very important for you to work devotedly and regularly throughout your education life in order to prepare you for life. First of all, try not to leave any missing process in your education life. Be sure to follow your lessons, do not fall behind in the applications. Do not see university life as consisting only of lectures. Try to improve yourself socially and culturally along with the information learning processes. Along with this individual development, be loyal to our homeland, our nation, the interests, beliefs and values of our nation. Also, never deviate from professional ethics. Work devotedly for your state and nation.’

‘Veterinary medicine is the most logical, the most lucrative and the most free profession in Turkey’

Ali Uysal, Deputy Governor of Afyonkarahisar, said that the profession of veterinary medicine has a special place for him. Stating that veterinary medicine is a very important and respected profession, Uysal said:

‘Veterinary medicine is a special profession for me. It has many memories for me. I was born in 1973. In my childhood in the early 1980s, we had 10-15 animals like every family in Anatolia. We grew up in such an environment. Each animal had a special name for us. Nowadays, we call even a person with 3 animals a private enterprise. At that time, there was no business literature, each animal had a name. In Anatolia, Turkish farmers identify with animals. The animal is not actually an animal. It is a member of the family because it has a name. I still have very emotional moments. I still get emotional. I want my child to be a veterinarian because it is the most logical, the most profitable and the most free profession in Turkey. It is a profession intertwined with nature. In Turkey, as a country with increasing individualisation like Europe, there is not only cattle and sheep but also a cat and dog in every house in terms of pets. I really congratulate our Rector and Dean for creating such a faculty. I was not expecting such a faculty. Veterinary medicine is a very important and respected profession.’

After the first year students of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine put on their white coats, the ceremony ended with a collective photo shoot.