Acibadem University History of Medicine & Ethics Department (HME) started to operate with the establishment of the Acibadem University in 2009. The focus of studies are Ethics, Bioethics, Medical Ethics, Social Ethics, Research and Publication Ethics, Ethics Committees, Moral Case Deliberation, Clinical Ethics Consultation, Ethics in Professionalism, Vulnerable Groups; the main issues of bioethics, ethical dimension of emerging technologies, neuroethics, neuropsychiatry and ethics; history of medicine, history of modernization in medical education, history of psychiatry, mental health policy.
Bioethics Department: The HME Department enlarged in 2015 by the start of Bioethics Department connected to the multidisciplinary Bioethics MSc Programme under Acibadem University Health Sciences Institute. Acibadem University History of Medicine & Ethics Department and Bioethics Master Programme under Bioethics Department was accepted as a member to EACME (European Association of Centres of Medical Ethics) on July, 2nd, 2018
Faculty: Members of the HME Department are Prof. Yesim Isil Ulman, Ph.D. and Assoc. Prof. Fatih Artvinli, Ph.D. Late Prof. Yaman Ors, Dr. Muhtar Cokar collaborated with the faculty between 2009-2012.
EACME Member: Acıbadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University School of Medicine History of Medicine and Ethics Department/ACU Health Sciences Institute Bioethics Department was accepted as member to EACME – European Association for Centres of Medical Ethics on July 2nd, 2018. EACME
International Research: SHAER (Storytelling for Health: Acknowledgment, Expression and Recovery) is an internationally collaborated project focusing on Gender Based Violence. SHAER Team got together in Acibadem University, Istanbul, on May 28 - 30, 2018. The aim of the partnership is to explore the potential of using narrative storytelling as a culturally-relevant approach to responding to the mental health challenge and psychological trauma related to gender-based violence (GBV) against women in ‘extreme’ settings. The Team members held an Inaugural Meeting in Istanbul Acibadem University on May 28-30, 2018 at the Department of History of Medicine and Ethics. The Group decided collectively on the theory of change that means, intervention, indicators, (short, medium and long term) outcomes, evaluation and impact. The Istanbul phase of the Project has been published as Mwaba et al (2021). “My story is like a magic wand”, Global Health Action, 2021.
Cambridge Consortium of Bioethics Education: HME Department is the centre of Cambridge Consortium of Bioethics Education Turkey Working Group that was established for developing the bioethics education and curriculum through local and international collaboration. For more information please see the link of the Cambridge Network.
Undergraduate Level: HME is one of the main components of "Clinical Medicine and Professional Skills" (CMPS) program by the tract of Medical Ethics and Humanities that elaborates professional values, ethical theories and principles, issues of bioethics and history of medicine. Professional Ethics courses are given to all programmes in the Faculty of Health Sciences, Molecular Biology, Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation and Vocational Schools of Health Care departments.
Postgraduate Level / Bioethics MSc Programme: In 2014 HME initiated Bioethics Master Programme, under Acibadem Univ. Institute of Health Sciences Bioethics Department coordinated by Yesim Isil Ulman. The Department also provides other postgraduate programmes with courses of ethics, bioethics and professional ethics.
The Faculty of Bioethics Department constitute of Prof. Yesim Isil Ulman, PhD, Assoc. Prof. Fatih Artvinli, PhD, and other collaborating colleagues: Prof Nadi Bakirci, MD, Associate Prof. Figen Demir, (Public Health); Prof. Pinar Topsever, MD (Family Medicine); Prof. Isil Pakis, MD (Forensic Medicine), Prof. Inci User, Assistant Prof. Ceren Ilikan Rasimoglu (Sociology).
Residency Training & Moral Case Deliberation: The Department places a significant importance to learning, training and practising Moral Case Deliberation under the leadership and guidance of Amsterdam UMC Universitair Medische Centra. Moral Case Deliberation was inserted into the residency training at Acibadem University School of Medicine from April 6th, 2018 on. Dr. Yesim Isil Ulman has been facilitating MCD at Acibadem University as a certified trainer by Amsterdam UMC in Jan. 2018. Euro MCD https://euro-mcd.com/en
Ethics Rounds: Ethics Rounds (ER) which are introduced first time in the Acibadem University School of Medicine by HME Department are applied during clinical clerkship years in order to consolidate and enhance the ethical knowledge, attitude and decision making on part of medical students from 2014 on. ER also aim collaboration of clinicians and ethicists by an innovative and pluralistic reasoning methodology.
Ethics Consultation: HME / Bioethics Departments provide consultancy for researchers, applicants, students and for all the parties concerned regarding ethical values, conflicts and reasoning. The ethical bodies such as Acıbadem University Clinical Research Ethics Committee, Hospital Ethics Committee, Laboratory Animals Ethics Committee are main bodies for providing ethical consultation in line with professional values, ethical principles and guiding ethical dilemmas.
Collaboration with the Council of Europe Bioethics Committee (DH-BIO): The History of Medicine and Bioethics Departments are pleased to serve as ethics expert to the Council of Europe’s question sheets and questionnaires regarding the bioethics issues in Turkey. Two Guides of the Council of Europe were translated into Turkish by Dr. Yesim Isil Ulman in this respect.
(1) The Council of Europe’s Guide for Research Ethics Committee Members (2011)
(2) The Council of Europe’s Guide on the Decision-Making Process regarding medical treatment in End-of-Life Situations (2014)
The Council of Europe organized a symposium in collaboration with the Acibadem University History of Medicine and Ethics Department. The End of Life Symposium took place in the Acibadem University School of Medicine, Kerem Aydınlar Campus, Istanbul, on 25 October 2016. The working language was English. The Symposium Report is accessible here.
Continuing Medical Education: HME has organized Health Law Certificate Programmes in collaboration with the disciplines of ethics, law and forensic medicine under the auspices of Acibadem University Continuing Education Centre (ASEGEM), led by the trainers, Yesim Isil Ulman, Muhtar Cokar, Gulsum Onal, Isil Pakis and Fatih Artvinli. This programme provides learning environment and knowledge for professionals from medicine, health law, other health sciences and the allied disciplines.
Academic Scientific Meetings: In collaboration with other disciplines, HME organized scientific meetings such as "Organ Transplantation and Ethics Panel" (21 May 2012), "Human Rights and Violence Symposium" (29 May 2013). HME Department also leads the Istanbul History of Medicine Exhibition on 14 March Physicians' Day in cooperation with medical students. The Book of Exhibition was published in 2013. The HME Dept. organizes interdisciplinary meetings on bioethics issues
Bioethics Days 1: “Artificial Intelligence as a Game Changer”, Acibadem University on 3 October 2019.
Bioethics Days 2: “Bioethics in Pandemics”, Acibadem University on 24 December 2020.
Turkish Bioethics Association organized its local and international conferences hosted by the HME Department, respectively VI. Congress on Medical Ethics: New Horizons in Bioethics (25-26 November 2010), European Association of Centres of Medical Ethics (EACME 2011) (15-17 September 2011), VII. Congress: Bioethics in a Changing World (12-13 October 2012). HME provided scientific and infrastructural support to the Turkish Bioethics Association during 2007-2012 by TBA's books Bioethics Studies (September 2012), Bioethics in a Changing World (Istanbul, November 2012).
Embassy of Good Science Horizon 2020 VIRT²UE Research Integrity Programme
Embassy of Good Science, Horizon 2020 The VIRT²UE Research Integrity Train the Trainer program provides participants with the knowledge and skills to conduct a research integrity course. Trainers are taught how to foster reflection on scientific virtues in researchers, and how to promote understanding of the European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity. This free training program is offered at different locations across Europe and worldwide. As a train-the-trainer program, VIRT²UE supports trainers and provides them with adaptable exercises and tools that can be used in their own teaching. Acibadem University School of Medicine, History of Medicine and Ethics Department supports this international research ethics programme and works in collaboration with the Embassy of Good Science and the VIRT²UE Programme. Dr. Yesim Isil Ulman and Dr. Ceren Ilikan Rasimoglu serve as trainers for volunteers at post-graduate level from multidisciplinary disciplines of health sciences, natural sciences and social sciences. https://embassy.science/wiki/Main_Page
