FIRST STEP TO A MEDICAL CAREER IN TURKEY FOR FOREIGN DOCTORS (TUS)

Hello dear medical graduates and future doctors!

In this blog post prepared for you, esteemed foreign doctors and final year medical students who want to pursue a medical career in Turkey, you will find everything you need to know about the STS (Level Determination Exam) and TUS (Medical Specialty Education Entrance Exam) in detail.

Turkey is an attractive country for those who want to study medicine and pursue a career with its deep-rooted history of medicine, developed healthcare system, and ample opportunities offered to international students. However, foreign medical graduates who want to specialize in the field of medicine or practice their profession in Turkey need to complete some important steps for the recognition of their diplomas and acceptance to specialization training. The first of these steps are the STS and TUS exams.

In this blog post, we will explain the purpose, content, application requirements, preparation process, and frequently asked questions about these two exams in a clear, fluent, and friendly language. We will also share some tips for you to succeed in the exams. If you are ready, let's begin!

The STS is a mandatory exam for physicians who have received medical education abroad and want their diplomas to be recognized in Turkey. This exam aims to assess the compliance of your knowledge and skills with the medical standards in Turkey. If you are successful, you will be entitled to receive an equivalency certificate from the Higher Education Council (YÖK) and you can practice medicine in Turkey.

📌1. Application Process

1.1. Who Can Apply?

To apply for the STS exam, you must have graduated from a medical school abroad and hold a Doctor of Medicine diploma. You must also have applied to YÖK for diploma equivalence. Even if your equivalence application has not yet been evaluated by YÖK and an exam decision has not been made, you can participate in the current exams. If your application is concluded positively, your exam result will be considered valid.

Foreign national candidates who have graduated from the Turkish departments of medical faculties in Turkey are exempt from the STS exam.

1.2. How to Apply?

STS exam applications can be made online through the Candidate Transactions System of ÖSYM or through designated application centers between the dates determined by the Measurement, Selection and Placement Center (ÖSYM). The application fee is determined by ÖSYM and must be paid during the application. Candidates must complete the application form completely and accurately.

1.3. Exam Entrance Document

The exam entrance document is not sent to the addresses of the candidates. Candidates can obtain the exam entrance document with their TR ID/YU numbers and passwords from ÖSYM's https://ais.osym.gov.tr internet address, approximately 10 days before the exam date. It is mandatory that the candidate's photograph be on the document. If there is any writing, picture, mark, etc. on the front and back of the exam entrance document, except for the information determined by ÖSYM on the front, the candidate's exam will be deemed invalid.

📌2. Structure, Content of the Exam and Knowledge of Turkish Language

The STS exam is held in two stages on the same day.

Knowledge of Turkish Language

There is no Turkish Language Proficiency requirement for the STS (Level Determination Exam). However, since the STS exam is in Turkish, those who do not know Turkish at a certain level cannot be successful. In short, you have to know Turkish at an intermediate level to be successful in the STS exam, but you are not required to document it.

📌3. Exam Results and Evaluation

To be successful in the STS exam, it is necessary to get at least 35 points out of 100 in both stages. If the candidate fails in any stage, they can only retake the stage they failed. This situation provides convenience to the candidates during the exam process.

STS exam results are only used for diploma equivalence and cannot be used in any other appointment or placement process. Candidates who pass the STS exam can complete their process by applying to YÖK for diploma equivalence. Physicians who receive an equivalency certificate can start practicing their profession after completing other necessary documents to practice medicine in Turkey.

TUS is an exam that all medical graduates who want to receive specialty training in Turkey must take. Foreign students can also apply for specialization training by taking the TUS after receiving their equivalency certificate. TUS determines those who will be accepted for specialty training by measuring the knowledge and skills of the candidates.

📌1. Application Process

1.1. Who Can Apply?

To apply for TUS, you must have graduated from medical schools in Turkey or abroad whose equivalence is accepted by YÖK. Foreign national candidates are also required to have completed diploma registration procedures by the Ministry of Health in order to apply for TUS.

Other application requirements are as follows:

* Being within the scope of Law No. 2527 on the Right of Turkish Citizens of Foreign Origin to Work Freely in their Professions and Arts in Turkey, to Work in Public, Private Institutions or Workplaces.

* Not having a physical and mental illness that would prevent them from practicing their profession and art and working in the branch they want to specialize in.

* Being in a position to complete their compulsory service arising from the scholarship within three months from the exam date.

1.2. Language and Additional Requirements for Foreign National Candidates

Foreign national candidates are required to have completed diploma registration procedures by the Ministry of Health in order to apply for TUS. In addition, they are required to submit a document from the General Directorate of Security stating that they are allowed to reside in Turkey and a document stating that they will be granted a scholarship or that their expenses in Turkey will be covered during their specialization training. In addition to TUS, foreign national candidates are required to take the Turkish language proficiency exam at an institution determined by the Medical Specialization Board and to be successful. They are required to submit a B2 level certificate one year after starting TUS training. Otherwise their registrations will be deleted. There is also a Foreign Language Proficiency requirement when entering the TUS exam.

However; Foreign national candidates who have graduated from the Turkish departments of medical faculties in Turkey are exempt from this exam.

1.3. How to Apply?

TUS exam applications can also be made online through the Candidate Transactions System of ÖSYM or through designated application centers between the dates determined by ÖSYM. The application fee is determined by ÖSYM and must be paid during the application. Candidates must complete the application form completely and accurately.

📌2. Structure and Content of the Exam

Although TUS is a single-stage exam, it is held in two sessions on the same day, in the morning and afternoon. Each session lasts 150 minutes and consists of 120 multiple-choice questions.

📌3. Foreign Language Proficiency Requirement

Although the TUS exam is held in Turkish, foreign language proficiency is mandatory for the placement/additional placement process to be carried out according to the TUS result. Even if the placements of candidates who do not meet the foreign language proficiency are made, their appointments are not made by the relevant institution.

Conditions Required to Meet Foreign Language Proficiency

Candidates are required to fulfill one of the following conditions:

1. ÖSYM Foreign Language Exam: To get at least 50 points from a foreign language exam conducted or administered by the Ministry or YÖK, or from the Foreign Language Knowledge Level Determination Exam (YDS) conducted by ÖSYM in one of the languages of English, French or German.

2. International Foreign Language Exam: To have a document accepted as equivalent by ÖSYM and internationally valid.

- Foreign language exam results are valid for five years from the exam date.

📌4. Exam Results and Evaluation

Success in the TUS exam is determined according to the scores obtained by the candidates. Candidates who pass the base score determined each year are placed in the branches of specialization they prefer. A certain quota is allocated for foreign national candidates. Quotas may change every year depending on the needs of the Ministry of Health and universities. It is very important to follow the announcements and quotas of the universities during the application processes.

STS and TUS exams are challenging exams and require candidates to study in a planned and systematic way. Here are some tips for success:

✅Study from Up-to-Date and Reliable Sources: You can benefit from resources such as guides published by ÖSYM, books of expert publishing houses in the field, online question banks, and lecture notes of medical faculties.

✅Study Planned and Regularly: It is beneficial to prepare a regular study program, to learn the subjects systematically and to use time efficiently.

✅Solve Practice Exams: Solving practice exams appropriate to the exam format is very useful in terms of improving time management skills and identifying missing subjects.

✅Psychological Preparation: Mental preparation is as important as academic preparation for these exams, which are a long and challenging process.

STS and TUS exams are important steps for foreign doctors and medical graduates from foreign countries who want to pursue a medical career or work as clinicians in Turkey. Being well-prepared for these exams is critical to being successful in the exams and achieving your goals. Remember, the road to success goes through disciplined work, using the right resources, and perseverance. For those who want to work as a doctor in Turkey, these exams play a key role in professional and personal future planning.

Start the Journey with a Professional Guide.⭐

If you want to work or do specialization training in Turkey as a foreign doctor, you should definitely start the process with a professional consultancy agency. We are at your service with the opportunities offered by ISSA Eduinturkey, its wide working team and most importantly our Chairman Dr. Dursun Aydın, who has been a doctor for 32 years.

Blog Writer:

One of you and your colleague

Dursun Aydın (M.D)