İsmail ÇİFTER

İsmail Çifter (1928-2018) was a Turkish psychiatrist, academic and health administrator. Specializing in mental health and psychiatry, Çifter contributed to the field of psychiatry in important institutions and hospitals in Turkey and raised many generations as an educator.

Who is İsmail Çifter?

İsmail Çifter was born in Kütahya in 1928 and completed his primary, secondary and high school education here. In 1946, after graduating from Kütahya High School, he enrolled in Ankara University Faculty of Medicine and completed his medical education in 1952. On September 12, 1952, after receiving his medical doctor's degree, he started to gain experience in military medicine by doing his internship at Gülhane Military Hospital. Between 1953 and 1957, he served in the military as a military physician, and then in 1957, he started his residency training in the mental diseases clinic at Gülhane Military Medical Academy. In 1960, Çifter completed his training as a specialist in Mental and Nervous Diseases and continued his specialization in military hospitals in Kayseri and Erzurum.

İsmail Çifter won the language and professional exams of the Turkish Armed Forces and was sent to study in the USA between 1961 and 1964. Here, he increased his international experience in his field by working in the psychiatry department at Brook General Hospital, the 4th Army Hospital in the USA. After completing his education in the USA, he passed the associate professorship exam in 1965 and became a university associate professor and started to continue his contributions to Turkish medicine academically. In 1973, he was appointed as a professor of psychiatry at GATA by Ankara University, where he served as clinical chief for many years.

Influence and Legacy

After his retirement in 1983, İsmail Çifter continued his academic career and founded the Department of Psychiatry at Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, where he served as clinical chief for a long time. Çifter, who made significant contributions to the Turkish psychiatry community, also established various treatment units for sleep disorders and alcohol addiction. The two sleep centers he established at GATA and Gazi University and the 25-bed alcohol treatment unit are just a few examples of his leadership and innovative approach to healthcare. In addition to these centers, Çifter created an important infrastructure in psychiatric treatment by providing the necessary staff and equipment.

İsmail Çifter's legacy has left deep traces not only as an academic but also as a health administrator. He contributed to the training of many students and professionals through his clinical work and academic training in psychiatry. In addition, his contributions to the military health system through his services in the Turkish Armed Forces and other health institutions are admirable. Çifter's achievements in his professional career, his innovative work in the field of health and his contributions to education have made him one of the most important figures in Turkish medicine.

Even after his retirement, Çifter maintained his commitment to the health community and his love of service, and continued his participation in scientific studies. Died in 2018, İsmail Çifter left an important mark in the field of Turkish psychiatry with his clinical achievements and the students he trained.