Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Occupational Therapy, organized the "Interdisciplinary Approach in Occupational Therapy" International Congress, specifically for its 10th anniversary. The congress holds significance as it brought together pioneering Occupational Therapists from 8 different countries internationally for the first time in the Occupational Therapy community. During the online congress, participants were presented with an extensive perspective on the unknown aspects of an interdisciplinary approach in occupational therapy.
The opening speeches of the two-day congress were delivered by Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, Founding Rector and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Üsküdar Üniversitesi, Prof. Dr. Nazife Güngör, Rector of Üsküdar Üniversitesi, Prof. Dr. Hikmet Koçak, Vice Rector, Prof. Dr. Arif Aktuğ Ertekin, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, and Prof. Dr. Sevda Asqarova, Head of the Occupational Therapy Department. The congress garnered significant interest.
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: "A Significant Transformation Has Begun in the Healthcare Sector in Turkey"
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, speaking about the process of opening the Occupational Therapy department, stated; "We made a new start in occupational therapy ten years ago. Its establishment dates back even further. Our hospital was founded in 2006. We opened an Occupational Therapy department. There were trainings there. We were conducting activities under various occupational endeavors. A serious transformation has begun in the healthcare sector in Turkey. There is a need for trained professionals in this field. Regarding this need, I took steps to open the department, thinking, 'there is such a department, there is such a need, and there are such scientific references.' I also encountered some serious difficulties. First, physiotherapists objected, saying, 'We already do this, what's the point?' Since I adopted the principle of proceeding with scientific references, I followed this path. I said, 'Look, what physiotherapy does is just one leg of Occupational Therapy.' It's a work done for a person's healthy life related to rehabilitation, but the other leg is psychiatric rehabilitation. It's called tertiary prevention. There is tertiary prevention done to prevent recurrence after a person becomes ill,' I said…"
Prof. Dr. Nazife Güngör: "Üsküdar is the First University to Open Both Undergraduate and Graduate Programs in Occupational Therapy"
Prof. Dr. Nazife Güngör, Rector of Üsküdar Üniversitesi, emphasized that Üsküdar Üniversitesi is the first university in Turkey to open both undergraduate and graduate departments in Occupational Therapy, stating, "This number is very significant because it indicates that something has reached a certain point, a certain level of maturity, and at this maturity point, the process has proven itself and demonstrated its academic success. In this context, I thank our Head of the Occupational Therapy Department and our Occupational Therapy lecturers. I congratulate them. They work patiently; establishing, developing, and gaining acceptance for interdisciplinary and disciplinary fields is not easy. Because single disciplines are easier. They are not very controversial, but some fields, and Occupational Therapy is one of them, are very ambitious. Starting is ambitious, continuing is ambitious. It is difficult, it requires struggle. Therefore, as our Üsküdar Üniversitesi lecturers mentioned, the university achieved a first by opening both undergraduate and graduate programs."
Prof. Dr. Hikmet Koçak: "Occupational Therapy is also a Multidisciplinary, Interdisciplinary Structure"
Prof. Dr. Hikmet Koçak, Vice Rector of Üsküdar Üniversitesi, underlined that Occupational Therapy is one of the departments that serve life. Koçak stated; "Üsküdar Üniversitesi is a university that pioneers firsts. Occupational Therapy has been established for ten years. If departments that serve life remain isolated, their services remain incomplete. Occupational Therapy is also a multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary structure. It is a department that conducts multidisciplinary studies needed by everyone, from newborns to the oldest people. This is not just a service to the patient. The services received from this department also provide familial comfort. It provides a superior service that makes several people happy at once," he said.
Prof. Dr. Arif Aktuğ Ertekin: "They Have Truly Achieved Very Important Things in a Short Time"
Prof. Dr. Arif Aktuğ Ertekin, Dean of Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Health Sciences, underlined that Occupational Therapy is a multidisciplinary field. Ertekin stated; "Indeed, as my professor emphasized, ten years have passed very quickly. In ten years, our school has pioneered many things, and we have reached very important positions. I would like to thank all the speakers, my colleagues who took part, the technical group that supported the organization of the congress, especially our lecturer Sevda Asqarova. Occupational Therapy is truly progressing towards becoming a highly needed profession in the multidisciplinary field. While its history in the world is not extensive, in our country, they have truly achieved very important things in a short time. I believe that with the start of our school's graduate program in this field and its provision of education, highly valuable faculty members trained in this area within our own country will make even more valuable contributions," he said.
Prof. Dr. Sevda Asqarova: "We Are Rightfully Proud to Be the First University to Open an Occupational Therapy Department"
Prof. Dr. Sevda Asqarova, Head of the Occupational Therapy Department at Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Health Sciences, mentioned that there were participants from many countries at the congress. Asqarova, emphasizing that such a congress was held for the first time internationally, stated; "Ten years ago, under the leadership of our Founding Rector Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, we had the rightful pride of being the first among Turkish Foundation Universities to open an Occupational Therapy department, and even the first to open a graduate department. Today, we will experience another first. We will witness a congress where pioneering Occupational Therapists from eight different countries in Europe and America will gather internationally within the Turkish Occupational Therapy community. While explaining the field of Occupational Therapy, we adapted the mottos from our university's logo – 'criticizability, liberality, pluralism, participation' – to our department, creating our department's mottos. These concepts – activity and independence, active participation in life, the art of healing, and positive therapy – fully represent the field of occupational therapy. We will thoroughly examine the concept, characteristics, and approaches of interdisciplinarity in Occupational Therapy from an Occupational Therapy perspective. A rich congress awaits us, spanning two days, where these concepts will be substantiated with the participation of our esteemed lecturers and valuable guests. I extend my thanks to everyone who has supported us and contributed to our department, which is celebrating its tenth anniversary, from its establishment to the present day,' she said.
Experts in the Field Gathered within the Scope of the Congress
The first session of the congress, which addressed many approaches to occupational therapy, was chaired by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Barış Yılmaz, Chief Physician of Fatih Sultan Mehmet Training and Research Hospital. Yılmaz delivered a presentation titled 'Contributions of Occupational Therapy in the Field of Orthopedics'. Following in the session:
-CF Manager Berna Pınar Tunç, 'How to Focus in a Distracting World?',
- Üsküdar Üniversitesi Spec. Occ. Ther. Mustafa Sağlıyan, delivered a presentation titled 'Ideational Praxis in Evidence-Based Occupational Therapy Practices'.
The second session was chaired by Prof. Dr. Esra Akı, faculty member of Hacettepe University Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Occupational Therapy. Akı delivered a presentation titled 'The History and Development of Occupational Therapy in Turkey'. Following in the session:
-Dr. Bülent Madi, 'Neuroscience-Based Occupational Therapy',
-Spec. Occ. Ther. Leyla Ak, delivered a presentation titled 'Family Attitude and Participation in Occupational Therapy Interventions in Evidence-Based Occupational Therapy Practices'.
The third session was chaired by Prof. Dr. Gönül Acar, faculty member of Marmara University, Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation. Acar delivered a presentation titled 'Current Physiotherapy and Orthotic Approaches in Children with Congenital Brachial Plexus Palsy'. Following in the session:
-Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nalan Çapan, 'Congenital Muscular Torticollis'
-Spec. Occ. Ther. Zeynep Ender, delivered a presentation titled 'Data-Driven Decision Making in Occupational Therapy Practices'.
The fourth session was chaired by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Serkan Pekçetin, Head of the Occupational Therapy Department at Sağlık Bilimleri Üniversitesi Gülhane Faculty of Health Sciences. Following in the session:
-Assoc. Prof. Dr. Barkın Köse, Deputy Head of the Occupational Therapy Department at Sağlık Bilimleri Üniversitesi Gülhane Faculty of Health Sciences, 'Occupational Balance and Occupational Therapy in Learning Difficulties',
-Dr. Lecturer Çiğdem Çekmece, Head of the Department of Occupational and Activity Therapy at Kocaeli University, 'Current Occupational Therapy Approaches in Cerebral Palsy',
-Galip Yetimoğlu, Member of Üsküdar Musiki Cemiyeti - Üsküdar Musiki Cemiyeti, and Musicologist Hilal Özdemir delivered presentations titled 'The Effect of Music in Human Life' and 'Music is the Foreword of Medicine - Music Therapy'.
The fifth session was chaired by Dr. Lecturer Aymen Balıkçı. Balıkçı delivered a presentation titled 'A National Early Intervention Program Based on an Enriched Environment: H.E.P'. Following in the session:
-Spec. Occ. Ther. Ege Temizkan, 'The Vocational Rehabilitation Process for Occupational Therapists',
-Spec. Occ. Ther. Zeynep Özdemir, 'EASI and SIPT in Evidence-Based Occupational Therapy Practices'
-Spec. Occ. Ther. Furkan Cangi, delivered a presentation titled 'Evidence-Based Sensory-Based Interventions'.
The Sessions Garnered Significant Interest…
On the second day of the congress, where interest grew, in the morning sessions:
Child Neurologist - Founder of Zatay Health Clinic Assoc. Prof. Dr. Barış Ekici, 'Sensory Issues in Autism Spectrum Disorder'; Founder of Sensory Academy Exp. PT. Ebru Albayrak, 'Sensory Integration in Occupational Therapy'; Spec. Occ. Ther. Özlem Yalçın, 'Occupational Therapy Practices in Severe Mental Disorders'; Founder of Special Education Turkey Prof. Dr. Ümit Davaslıgil, 'Special Education in Turkey'; Spec. Occ. Ther. Lecturer Shahram Mohseni, 'The Effect of Occupational Therapy Interventions on Learning and Stabilization of Functional Motor Skills'; Prof. Dr. Mehmet Aydın, 'Biorezonans and its Usability in Occupational Therapy', 'Collaboration Between Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy'; Occ. Ther. Menekşe Yüksel, 'Using the PLISSIT Model in Sexual Daily Life Interventions'; Emotional Muscle Turkey Team and Spec. Occ. Ther. Melike Mai Arslan, delivered presentations on 'Emotional Muscle'.
In the afternoon sessions:
Prof. Dr. Ümit Uğurlu, Head of the Occupational Therapy Department at Bezm-i Alem Vakıf Üniversitesi Faculty of Health Sciences, 'Occupational Problems and Rehabilitation Process in Rheumatic Diseases'; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Selma Ercan, 'Psychosocial Approach in East Evidence-Based Occupational Therapy Practices'; Occ. Ther. Psych. İremnur Soylu, 'The Effect of Snoezelen Therapy in Autistic Children Producing Visual Stereotypies'; Dr. Lecturer İbrahim Yavuz Tatlı from Kütahya Sağlık Bilimleri Üniversitesi Occupational Therapy Department, 'Time Management and Temporal Adaptation'; Suna Varol Cörüt, Member of the Ministry of Health YSH Commission - Consultant for the Dyslexia Families Diagnosis Education and Solidarity Association, 'The Importance of Occupational Therapy in the Preschool Period for Families and the Legal Dimension of Occupational Therapy Practices in Turkey and Europe'; Zeynep Örgeler, President of the Dyslexia Families - Diagnosis Education and Solidarity Association, 'The Place and Importance of Occupational Therapy in Dyslexic Families'; Spec. Occ. Ther. Yasin Çelik, 'Evidence-Based Occupational Therapy Interventions in Tendon Rehabilitation'; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sedef Şahin, 'Occupational Therapy Perspective and the Future of the Profession in Turkey'; Special Education Teacher Semire Emektaş, 'Sustainable Living Activity of the Rehabilitation Center for Individuals with Special Needs in the Hatay Earthquake Zone'; Dr. Lecturer Neriman Kilit, Head of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Director of the Child-Adolescent Development and Autism Application and Research Center at Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Medicine, and Spec. Occ. Ther. and Clinical Psychologist Burak Çebi, Deputy Director of NP Feneryolu Clinic - Child-Adolescent Development and Autism Application and Research Center, ÇEGOMER Coordinator, 'The Role and Impact of Occupational Therapy in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and ÇEGOMER'; Occ. Ther. Alin Zekiye Tüz, 'Evidence-Based Occupational Therapy Practices in Visually Impaired Children'; Spec. Occ. Ther. Emre Erdoğan, delivered a presentation titled 'Evidence-Based Occupational Therapy Interventions in Brugada Syndrome'.
The highly anticipated congress concluded with the presentation of certificates of appreciation.