June 2025 Medical Specialization Exam score rankings...
The most preferred are at the top...
The least preferred are at the bottom... In particular, the fact that some branches are now hardly ever preferred has sounded a new alarm bell in the healthcare community.
Why Are Some Branches Not Preferred?
Pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, general surgery, and pediatric surgery once again ranked among the least preferred specialties, as they have in recent periods.
Here are the main reasons for this situation:
Heavy workload and shift schedule: Especially in specialties such as surgery and obstetrics, night shifts, high patient volume, and the constant need for operations are challenging for young physicians.
Violence and security risks in healthcare: Incidents of violence against physicians in specialties involving direct patient contact, particularly among female physicians, are reducing interest in these fields.
Low financial compensation: The loss of appeal of these high-responsibility specialties in terms of salary and additional payments compared to other fields directly affects preferences.
Life balance: Young physicians are now seeking not only professional satisfaction but also quality of life and balance. The inability of surgical specialties to offer this balance is particularly influential in the preferences of female physicians.
Concerns About the Future Are Growing
A new generation of doctors is being trained through specialty education to keep the country's healthcare system afloat. However, the fact that some critical branches are almost empty in recent years indicates that there may be a shortage of specialist doctors in these areas in the future.
There are calls for the Ministry of Health to conduct a comprehensive analysis on this issue and offer attractive incentives for unpopular specialties. These include:
Easier transfers after mandatory service
Additional financial incentives
Support programs during education
Special arrangements for female physicians
and other recommendations.
What Do Young People Want?
Nowadays, medical students make their decisions based not only on the “prestige” or “score” of a specialty, but also on working conditions, living standards, and future plans. The reason young people who succeed in the TUS avoid surgery or pediatrics is not related to the level of knowledge required in these specialties, but rather to the conditions.
Conclusion: Time to Discuss the System
TUS 2025 was not just an exam; it was also a mirror reflecting the structural problems in Turkey's healthcare system. The specialties that young people are avoiding could become areas where patients may suffer in the future.
Medicine requires sacrifice, yes. But not constant burnout.
If preferences continue to shape up this way, in 10-15 years, there will be no doctors to deliver babies, examine children, or perform surgeries.
