The Department of Occupational Therapy of Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Health Sciences organized an online event via Zoom on the occasion of ‘World Occupational Therapy Day’ on October 27. At the event, led by Prof. Dr. Sevda Asqarova, Head of the Occupational Therapy Department, occupational therapy was introduced to students in all its aspects, and various presentations were given. Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector and Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, also attended the program. Tarhan stated that they were the first foundation university in Turkey to open an Occupational Therapy department.
The “Welcome” speech of the event was delivered by Occupational Therapist Berkay Karpuz, a bachelor’s graduate of the Üsküdar Üniversitesi Occupational Therapy Department, and Specialist Occupational Therapist Hilalnur Efe, a bachelor’s and master’s graduate of the Üsküdar Üniversitesi Occupational Therapy Department.
Prof. Dr. Sevda Asqarova: “It has gained even more meaning with the coming of the 100th anniversary of our Republic”
Prof. Dr. Sevda Asqarova, Head of the Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Health Sciences Occupational Therapy Department, who delivered the opening speech, stated that Üsküdar Üniversitesi has achieved many firsts in Turkey and was the first foundation university to open a Bachelor's and Master's program in Occupational Therapy. Asqarova emphasized that interest in the field of occupational therapy has increased in the 21st century and will continue to grow; “As every year, World Occupational Therapy Day, which coincides with the October 29 Republic Day celebrations this year, has gained even more significance on the occasion of the 100th Anniversary of our Republic.” she said.
Prof. Dr. Arif Aktuğ Ertekin: “Occupational therapy has started to become a field of science from which we receive support in many areas”
Prof. Dr. Arif Aktuğ Ertekin, Dean of the Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Health Sciences; “It is very valuable and a source of pride for us to be together with our graduates and to witness their professional advancement. Occupational therapy has today become a field of science from which we receive support in many areas as a multidisciplinary profession. It was excellent that we planned this event two days before the 100th Anniversary of our Republic,” he said.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Barış Yılmaz: “We have much more to do in this field”
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Barış Yılmaz, Chief Physician of Fatih Sultan Mehmet Training and Research Hospital, drew attention to the connection between occupational therapy and orthopedics, stating that the field is a vast ocean. Yılmaz, who gave a presentation titled ‘The Role and Importance of Occupational Therapy in Health Sciences’; “I would like to start my words by congratulating you on World Occupational Therapist Day. In the field of orthopedics, we can already observe the importance of occupational therapy through scientific studies, our published books, and in the academic environment and on our patients. We will continue to prove this further with our studies,” he said.
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “If the aim of humanity is justice, then this method is democracy”
Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, who emphasized the 100th Anniversary of the Republic in his speech, stated that a very important period of sociological changes in human history is being experienced. Tarhan; “I congratulate all occupational therapy volunteers for coming together in such a program, and I wish the program to be beneficial. It was a wonderful coincidence that such a program coincided with the 100th anniversary of our Republic. The 100th anniversary of the Republic truly carries historical significance. We have a republic that has lasted for 100 years. We are experiencing a very important period of sociological changes in human history. For us, what is particularly important is that the highest limit of self-governance is democracy, and an improvement over a single-party republic is for it to be a multi-party and democratic republic. If the aim of humanity is justice, then this method is democracy. A republic gains its true meaning when adorned with democracy. In an environment where so much violence is discussed, and many Eastern countries are governed by dictatorships, having a form of governance that can be managed by the will of the people is actually a sign of our society's maturity. I think it is very beneficial that these are also mentioned together on Occupational Therapy Day,” he said.
“We were the first foundation university to open an Occupational Therapy department in Turkey”
Tarhan also pointed out that Üsküdar Üniversitesi pioneered in establishing the first academic infrastructure for sensory integration therapy in Turkey; “We were the first foundation university to open an Occupational Therapy department in Turkey. People didn’t know what occupational therapy was. We specifically opened an occupational therapy department at the hospital. There, we initiated therapy with music, art, ebru (marbling), and many other areas of occupational therapy. Music therapy is still actively ongoing at NPİSTANBUL Hastanesi. Most importantly, we also started using sensory integration therapy, pioneered by my professors Sevda and Shahram, in addition to classical occupational therapy. Üsküdar Üniversitesi also pioneered in establishing the first academic infrastructure for occupational therapy and sensory integration therapy in its neurobiological, neurophysiological, and neuropsychiatric dimensions in Turkey. The level of evidence for sensory integration therapy has significantly increased in Turkey. While the level of evidence was previously lower, we can now confidently say that through disciplined, large-scale, and observational studies, the neurobiological aspect of sensory integration therapy, where every part of the human brain can be activated, has been largely proven. In autistic spectrum disorder, we identify potential differences in social-emotional, fine motor, gross motor, and sensory skills, and we work on the areas where the individual is weak. We are achieving very significant and positive successes at the hospital. Especially when combined with magnetic stimulation therapy, we also increase the brain's learnability. For this reason, I thank all sensory integration and occupational therapy practitioners and pioneers, and I wish them continued success,” he said.
Within the scope of the event, Uzm. Psk. Hüma Çolakoğlu Zengin from Potkal Psychology Counseling Center presented ‘Psychological Assessment in Fibromyalgia and Pain Management’; Neurologist Dr. Bülent Madi, Founder of Madi Neurological Clinic, presented ‘The Neuroscience Light of Touch in Occupational Therapy’; ICF, International Leader Coach Dr. Berna Pınar Tunç, presented ‘A Different Perspective on Occupational Therapy’; Dr. Aymen Balıkçı, Faculty Member of Fenerbahçe University Occupational Therapy Department, presented ‘Enriched Environment-Based Interventions’; Sensory Integration Therapist Ebru Sidar, Founder of Sensory Academy, presented ‘Secrets of Sensory Integration’; Specialist Physiotherapist Onur Aşkar, Founder of Duyu Çocuk Clinic, presented ‘Interdisciplinary Work and Boundaries in Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy Fields’; Üsküdar Üniversitesi Master's Student İremnur Soylu presented ‘Occupational Therapy Visual Sensory System’; and Lecturer Şahram Mohseni from Üsküdar Üniversitesi Occupational Therapy Department, presented "Analysis of Occupational Therapy Services Table and Cost".
The event concluded with a speech by Storyteller Emine Çakır Çavdar titled "Approaching the Window Opening from Within Me with the Voice of the Story".
