Department of History of Medicine and Ethics

The Department of History of Medicine and Ethics is one of the first departments established by the Bahçeşehir University Faculty of Medicine in the process of structuring its medical education. The Department of History of Medicine and Ethics was founded on 15 October 2012.

In 2013, on the occasion of the 1000th anniversary of Ibn Sina's writing of his great work al-Qanun fi'l-Tibb (THE CANON OF MEDICINE), the "INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM OF BRIDGING CULTURES AND TIME: IBN SINA", co-organized by our Faculty and attended by speakers and guests from four continents, was held on 21-23 June 2013 at Bahçeşehir University South Campus and the Istanbul Museum of the History of Science and Technology in Islam.

At this Symposium, the Department contributed to the first international scientific event held by our Faculty in its founding year by translating into Turkish Ibn Sina's Little Canon of Medicine, a work little known in the scientific world, presenting it as a gift to the symposium delegates and making it available for sale to the public.

The Department of History of Medicine and Ethics takes part in undergraduate medical education, professional ethics training, student community activities and the work of the Clinical Research Ethics Committee.

It contributes to national and international congresses, symposia and workshops on the History of Medicine and Medical Ethics.

It holds memberships in and participates in national and international associations and institutions.

It publishes books, book chapters and articles nationally and internationally:

Books:
1) Göz Nurunun Anahtarı ve Sevinç Hazineleri (Miftah-in Nur ve Hazain-üs Sürur) [Key to the Light of the Eye and Treasures of Joy], Istanbul, Nobel Tıp Kitabevi, 2010. ISBN: 978-975-420-749-1
2) Göz Tabibi Esat Işık: Bilimde, Siyasette, Milli Mücadelede Bir Işık [Ophthalmologist Esat Işık: A Light in Science, Politics and the National Struggle], Istanbul: Bahçeşehir University Press, 2014. ISBN: 978-605-5461-57-7.
3) İbn Sina'nın Küçük Tıp Kanunu (Kitab el-Kanûn el-Sagîr fi't-Tıbb) [The Little Canon of Medicine of Ibn Sina]. Istanbul: Bahçeşehir University Press, 2013. ISBN: 978-605-5461-39-3
4) The Little Canon of Ibn Sina (Turkish, English and original Arabic) Istanbul: Bahçeşehir University Press, 2015. ISBN: 978-605-5461-76-8.
5) The Little Qanun of Ibn Sina (revised English translation with the original Arabic) Berlin: Peter Lang Publisher, 2020. ISBN: 978-3-631-79476-0
6) Revisiting Ibn Sina's Heritage. Berlin: Peter Lang Publisher, 2021. ISBN: 978-3-631-83056-7

Book Chapters:
1) Keskinbora HK. Tıpta Yeni uygulamaların Etik Boyutu [The Ethical Dimension of New Practices in Medicine]. In: Hatemi H, Doğan HÇ
(eds.). Medikal Etik 10. Tıpta Yeni Gelişmeler (Tıp Öğrencileri ve Profesyoneller için
Notlar). Chapter 7. Istanbul: Yüce reklam/yayım/dağıtım AŞ., 2012. 978-975-411-793-6
2) Keskinbora HK. Ageism - Aging - Yaşçılık - Yaşlı Ayrımcılığı [Ageism - Aging - Age Discrimination]. In: Kaptan G. (ed.).
Geriatriye Çok Yönlü Bakış. Chapter 17. Istanbul: Nobel Tıp Kitabevleri, 2017. 978-605-
335-259-4
3) Keskinbora HK. Yaşlı İstismarı ve İhmali [Elder Abuse and Neglect]. In: Kaptan G. (ed.). Geriatriye Çok
Yönlü Bakış. Chapter 19. Istanbul: Nobel Tıp Kitabevleri, 2017. 978-605-335-259-4
4) Keskinbora HK. Yaşlılık ve Etik Sorunlar [Aging and Ethical Issues]. In: Kaptan G. (ed.). Geriatriye Çok
Yönlü Bakış. Chapter 20. Istanbul: Nobel Tıp Kitabevleri, 2017. 978-605-335-259-4
5) Keskinbora KH. Malpraktis nedir? Komplikasyon nedir? Önlemek için neler bilinmelidir? [What Is Malpractice? What Is a Complication? What Should Be Known to Prevent Them?] In: Erkol ZZ, Doğramacı YG (eds.). Tıp Hukuku. 1st ed. Ankara: Türkiye Klinikleri; 2019. p.30-44
6) Keskinbora KH. Medikolegal Açıdan Sık Yapılan Hatalar ve Örnekler [Common Errors and Examples from a Medico-Legal Perspective]. In: Çıtırık M. (ed.). Oküler Travmatoloji ve Medikolegal Oftalmoloji: Güncel Tanı ve Tedavi Yaklaşımları. Turkish Ophthalmological Association Educational Publications No: 16. Ankara. p. 333-359. ISBN: 978-605-61013-5-9

Articles:
1) Keskinbora KH. Şerefeddin Sabuncuoğlu'nun Cerrahiyet-Ül Haniye Kitabında Göz Hastalıkları Konuları [Eye Diseases in Şerefeddin Sabuncuoğlu's Cerrahiyet-ül Haniye]. Lokman Hekim Journal, 2013;3(2):16-24.
2) Keskinbora K. İbn Sina'nın Kanûn-U Sagîr Kitabı [Ibn Sina's Little Canon]. Lokman Hekim Journal, 2015;5(1):9-15.
3)    Keskinbora KH, Keskinbora K. A systematic review of Ibn Sina’s (Avicenna) studies: reflections on anatomy. Eur J Anat 2016;20 (1):99-105.
4)    Keskinbora K, Keskinbora KH. History of Pain: From Avicenna to Melzack and the Future. Turkiye Klinikleri J Anest Reanim 2016;14(1):20-23.
5)    Salime Pelin Ertürküner SP, Saraç EY, Göçmez SS, Ekmekçi H, Öztürk ZB, Seçkin I, Sever Ö, Keskinbora KH. Folia Histochem Cytobiol. 2016;54(1):49–57.
6) Keskinbora KH. Savaştaki Düşmanlardan Bir Diğeri: Tüberküloz [Another Enemy in War: Tuberculosis]. Lokman Hekim Journal 2016; 6(3):174-184.
7) Keskinbora KH. Osmanlının Suriye'ye Son Hizmetlerinden Şam Tıp Fakültesi Zorunluluktan Mı Kuruldu? [Was the Damascus Faculty of Medicine, One of the Ottomans' Last Services to Syria, Founded Out of Necessity?] Lokman Hekim Journal 2017;7(2):73-81.
8)    Keskinbora KH, Keskinbora K. Ethical considerations on novel neuronal interfaces. Neurol Sci 2018;39(3):607–613.
9) Keskinbora KH, Kamer-Aras F, Yıldırır S. Yanya Cephesinde Hekim Yardımı: Dr Süleyman Numan ve Balkan Felaketinde Sağlıkçı Desteği [Medical Aid on the Ioannina Front: Dr. Süleyman Numan and Healthcare Support in the Balkan Disaster]. Lokman Hekim Journal, 2018;8(1):82-90.
10) Keskinbora KH. Savaş İstihbaratında Kadın Sağlık Mensuplarının Çalışmaları [The Work of Female Health Personnel in War Intelligence]. Turk Klin J Med Sci 2018;38(3):257-265. DOI:10.5336/medsci.2017-57718
11) Keskinbora KH. Selçuklu Darüşşifalarında Tıp Eğitimi ve Dünyaya Olan Etkileri [Medical Education in Seljuk Hospitals (Darüşşifa) and Its Impact on the World]. In: Usmanbaş Ö (ed.). İslam Tıbbı. Ankara: Türkiye Klinikleri; 2018. p.1-14.
12)    Keskinbora KH. Ethical Considerations on Brain-Machine Interface. Robot Autom Eng J. 2018; 3(3): 555615.
13) Keskinbora KH. Osmanlı Ülkesine ABD Nüfuzu Yerleştirme Aracı: Tıbbi Misyonerlik [Medical Missionary Work as a Tool for Establishing US Influence in the Ottoman Lands]. Turkish Studies History Vol. 13/16, Summer 2018, p. 151-170 DOI Number: http://dx.doi.org/10.7827/TurkishStudies.13884
14)    Keskinbora KH, Jameel MA. Nanotechnology Applications and Approaches in Medicine: A Review. J Nanosci Nanotechnol Res 2018;2:2-6.
15)    Keskinbora, Kadircan and Jameel, Muslim (April 2019) Ethical Aspects of Interventional Neuroscience: Nanoneuronal Interfaces. In: eLS. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd: Chichester. DOI: 10.1002/9780470015902.a0028647
16)    Keskinbora KH. Medical ethics considerations on artificial intelligence. Journal of Clinical Neuroscience 2019;64:277-282.
17) Keskinbora KH, Usta G. Padişah Portrelerinden Osmanlı Hanedanı Göz Hastalıklarıyla İlgili Yoruma [An Interpretation of the Eye Diseases of the Ottoman Dynasty from Sultans' Portraits]. Turkish Studies Historical Analysis 2019;14(2):289-326. DOI: 10.29228/TurkishStudies.22706
18) Keskinbora KH. Salgınların Öğrettiklerinden Biri: Sorunun Kaynağını Denetlemek [One Lesson from Epidemics: Controlling the Source of the Problem]. TİDE Academia Research 2020;1:9-32.
19)    Keskinbora KH (2020) Medical Doctors’ Perspective on Artificial Intelligence: Brief Overview. American Journal of Computer Science and Engineering Survey 2020;8:1-4.   DOI: 10.36648/computer-science-engineering-survey.08.01.04
20)    Keskinbora KH. Scrutinization of COVID-19 Pandemic in Terms of History of Medicine and Medical Ethics. Lokman Hekim Journal, 2021;11(2):340-352. DOI: 10.31020/mutftd.871944
21)    Keskinbora KH in Multicentric Research Group (Grand Challenges in Global Eye Health study group). Grand Challenges in global eye health: a global prioritisation process using Delphi method. Lancet Healthy Longev 2022;3: e31–41

RESEARCH AREAS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY OF MEDICINE AND ETHICS:

The research areas of the Department of History of Medicine and Ethics include clinical ethics, research ethics, ethics committees, ethics education and bioethics. In the History of Medicine, academic and educational activities are carried out with an analytical approach to history.

The aim of the program is to enable students to recognize the patient-centered values of traditional medicine, to prepare for respectful and humane patient care, to become aware through research and discussion of the problems that developing technology has created and may create in healthcare, and to play a role in resolving ethical conflicts in active engagement with all parties concerned. To achieve these aims, students are expected in the first year to understand, through "History of Medicine" courses, how medical values and physician identity have changed from past to present, and in the second year to learn, through "Medical Ethics" courses, the basic concepts, theories and principles of Medical Ethics and Bioethics and to recognize their impact on patient care.

In the third and fifth years, through "Clinical Ethics" courses, students are expected to identify the ethical issues and problems commonly encountered in medical practice and research at all stages of life, and to grasp the ethical values to be protected and the appropriate methods for resolving ethical dilemmas.

The elective undergraduate courses offered by the department are listed below:

• Medical Deontology,
• Medical Ethics (ethical elements in the physician-patient relationship, clinical ethics, research ethics, patient rights, ethics committees, etc.)
• Bioethics (genetic research, organ transplantation, ethical issues related to reproductive technology, euthanasia, cloning, medical research on animals, allocation of limited resources, feminist bioethics, geriatric ethics, etc.),
• Health Policies and Ethics
• History of Medicine (World History of Medicine, History of Islamic Medicine, History of Turkish Medicine) and History of Science.