Abstract

The story of the clinic began in 1909 with the chairperson Prof. Dr. Cemil Topuzlu as 1st Surgical Clinic (1. Seririyat-i Hariciye) and continued with Prof. Dr. Kerim Sebati at the same place. In 1933, subsequent to so-called “University Reform” the clinic was moved to Cerrahpasa Hospital and chaired by Ord. Prof. Dr. Rudolf Nissen from Germany, with the name “Istanbul University Medical Faculty the 1st Surgical Clinic” until 1940. The department was then directed by Prof. Dr. Burhaneddin Toker between 1940 and 1951. The clinic was transferred into a new building and the directors paid attention to specialization in surgery. In 1951, a new organization was made and 1st Surgery Clinic (chair: Prof. Dr. Kazım İsmail Gürkan) and 2nd Surgery Clinic (chair: Prof. Dr. Fahri Arel) were established. These two separate clinics were re-united again in 1963. The clinic was named as ”Cerrahpasa Department of Surgery” between 1963 and 1967, and since Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty was founded in 1967, it was named as the Department of Surgery in this new faculty. Thereafter, the department was chaired by Prof. Dr. Fahri Arel (1963 - 1972) and Prof. Dr. Adnan Salepcioglu (1972-1982). According to the new laws established in 1982, the Department had a new name in Turkish (Genel Cerrahi Anabilim Dalı) which was defining General Surgery as a “main scientific branch”. The following directors of the department were Prof. Dr. Kemal Alemdaroglu (1982-1983) and Prof. Dr. Selcuk Aybar (1983-1990). The clinic was moved to its current location in 1988. Afterwards, the department was chaired by Prof. Dr. Hürol Insel (1990 – 1999) and Prof. Dr. Umit Balcısoy (1999 – 2007) Prof. Dr. Ertugrul Göksoy is the current director of the department since 2007.