Chief Physician Mustafa Behcet Efendi and the Innovative Movement on Ottoman Medical Education in 19th Century

Abstract

Head physician Mustafa Behcet Efendi (1774 to 1834) is one of the founders of modern medicine. He was born in Eyup Sultan (Eyyûb Sultan) in 1774. He is the son of Mehmed Emin Sukuhi Efendi from Hacegan. He is the grandson by daughter of Great Hayrullah Efendi, one of the head physicians of Third Mustafa Han's era. Moreover, head doctor Abdulhak Molla's older brother is the uncle of poet Abdulhak Hamid. Mustafa Behcet Efendi, graduated from Suleymaniye Medicine Medresa and becoming a physician, learned a few foreign languages and translated medicine books written in these languages. Mustafa Behcet Efendi,who was appointed to task of head physician three times in the eras of Selim III and Mahmud II, made an effort to accomplish his opinion for medical education to be given in modern medical schools instead of madrasas. Principally, with the approval of Mahmud II for the establishment of a modern medical school that would educate Muslim Turkish doctors who would serve primarily to the army and then public; the first school of medicine, by the name of Tibhane-i Amire, was founded at Sehzadebasi on 14 March 1827. Subsequently, Cerrahhane-i Amire was founded at Topkapı in 1832, Tibhane and Cerrahhane were merged in 1836 and boarding education, by the name of Mekteb-i Tibb-i Cedid, were passed at military barrack in Sarayburnu. Mekteb-i Tıbb-i Cedid relocated to the school of enderun at Galatasaray in 1838 and were named of Mekteb-i Tıbbiye-i Adliye-i Sahane in 1839. A second Turkish education provided medical education program, by the name of Mekteb-i Tibbiye-i Mulkiye (Civilian medical school), was founded within the school in 1867. The lessons were started to be given in Turkish at the military section of school in 1870 as well. Respectively the Military Medical School and the Civilian Medical School relocated to the magnificent building constructed for Medical School at Haydarpasa in 1903 and then in 1909 by being merged under the name of Darulfunun-u Osmani Faculty of Medicine, these two schools were connected to Darulfunun (The first State University).