pratisyenler

Pratisyenler is a Turkish term that generally refers to practitioners, and in medical contexts it denotes general practitioners or non-specialist physicians. The word pratisyen derives from Turkish adaptation of the French praticien, meaning a person who practices a profession. In Turkish healthcare, pratisyen hekim or pratisyenler specifically describe physicians who have completed medical school and are licensed to practice medicine but have not completed a medical specialty. They typically serve as the first point of contact in the health system, providing initial assessment, diagnosis, treatment, preventive care, and referrals to specialists.

Education and career path: Medical education in Turkey lasts about six years, culminating in the title of pratisyen hekim after graduation. Pratisyenler may work in hospitals, clinics, and community health centers, often as part of the early stage of a physician’s career. To become a specialist, they enter a residency program (uzmanlık) in a chosen field such as internal medicine, pediatrics, surgery, or other disciplines. Family medicine is a recognized specialty; those who complete family medicine training function as family physicians and may operate within a primary-care framework distinct from non-specialist pratisyenler.

Roles and scope: Pratisyenler provide primary care, manage common illnesses and chronic conditions, perform basic examinations, prescribe medications, and deliver preventive services such as immunizations and screenings. They coordinate care with specialists and refer patients when advanced evaluation or treatment is needed. They work across public and private sectors, including outpatient clinics and hospital settings, and may perform limited in-office procedures depending on training and local regulations.

Etymology and usage: The term reflects Turkish usage of a longstanding European concept of general practice. While many general practitioners in Turkey are classified as pratisyen hekimler or family physicians after further training, the plural pratisyenler is commonly used to refer to general practitioners in general discourse.