The International Medical Student Congress, which brings together future physicians who receive medical education in the world in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, was held in the Great Hall of the Near East University Atatürk Culture and Congress Center in cooperation with the Near East University Faculty of Medicine and the Dean of Students. President Ersin Tatar and his wife First Lady Sibel Tatar also attended the opening of the first International Medical Student Congress.

In the congress, which was held under the title of “New Horizons in Medicine” and continued for three days; Many topics such as microbiota, artificial intelligence, ethics in medicine, robotic surgery procedures, new discoveries in cancer drugs were discussed. Following the topics covered in 12 sessions, workshops were held on experimental animals, recessive hands and basic coding. More than 500 students and more than 50 academicians attended the congress. In the congress, 51 students presented papers and 10 students made presentations.

The organization process and presidency of the event of “1. International Medical Student Congress” have been carried out by Dr. Asu Yüksel, Assist. Dr. Okan Erdemsiz, Assist. Dr. Süleyman Gündüz.

The opening speeches of the congress were made by President Ersin Tatar, Acting Rector Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ, Founding Dean of Faculty of Medicine Prof. Dr. Gamze Mocan, Dean of Students Prof. Dr. Dudu Özkum Yavuz and Intern Doctor Asu Yüksel, one of the presidents of the International Medical Student Congress. The closing speech of the congress was made by one of the presidents of the International Medical Student Congress, Assist. Dr. Süleyman Gündüz.

President Ersin Tatar: “You have the ability to achieve great success in health, science, technology and many other fields.”
Speaking at the opening of the 1st International Medical Student Congress, President Ersin Tatar said, “Medicine has always been a deeply rooted and prestigious profession. It is a great pleasure for me to participate in this event, which is organized to offer people a cure, hope and a future with innovations and new technologies.”

Referring to the pandemic period, President Tatar said, “As the world, we have gone through a difficult pandemic period. Now, we hope to return to our normal life by defeating the last variant, Omicron,” Talking about the projects developed by the Near East University during the pandemic period, President Tatar said, “We did not know how to proceed during the pandemic period. As a result of the scientific studies carried out by the Near East University in this process, the production of the domestic PCR kit of our country and the start of domestic vaccine studies were very important steps. When we look back, it is obvious that we have successfully overcome this difficult process with the point we have reached and the results we have achieved.”

President Ersin Tatar said, “As you are full of energy and life, you will shape the future in unity. You have the ability to achieve great success in health, science, technology and many other fields,”. He further said, “All the scientific and technological studies carried out by the Near East University Faculty of Medicine give new hopes to the future and people. As the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, it is a great source of pride for us to be hosting all these.”

Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ, “The 1st International Medical Student Congress is a very important step towards change, innovation, speed of access to information, and adaptation.”
In his speech at the opening, Near East University Acting Rector Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ said, “While diagnosis and treatment methods in the field of health change rapidly with the developing technology, on the other hand, the speed of access to information makes physicians an important part of a continuous learning and development process”. Emphasized that it is a very important step towards change, innovation and speed of access to information, and adaptation,

Prof. Dr. Şanlıdağ addressed the candidates and said, “Dear physician candidates, you should know that your education life, which you continue to receive the title of doctor today, will never end on the way to become a full doctor, even after you receive this title. A future where you will walk in pursuit of knowledge and never stop learning will await you. You will participate in many congresses, prepare papers, learn new things from every case you treat, and share your knowledge with the scientific world. The experience and vision you gain from this congress will guide you throughout your professional life.”.

Prof. Şanlıdağ describing the 1st International Medical Student Congress, on which the Near East University rises above the top 250 in Europe, as one of the most beautiful symbols of the vision and courage that made Near East University one of the best 500 universities in the world, wished that the congress would leave an significant experience for all medical school students in their future professional lives.

Prof. Dr. Gamze Mocan, “You, physicians of future, health professionals, our dear students; We must follow the path of our Great Leader Atatürk, because this is the only path that will lead to enlightenment!”
Near East University Faculty of Medicine Founding Dean Prof. Dr. Gamze Mocan said that the slogan of the 1st International Medical Student Congress was “with strength, confidence and the future” and said, “Future means a strong youth that we can trust. We see this in our well-trained, investigative and questioning young people who are physically and mentally dedicated. I congratulate each and every one of them for all their efforts that brought the congress to life, I am proud of them. They studied hard, they gave a lot of effort. And, you, physicians of future, healthcare professionals, our dear students; we must follow the path of our Great Leader Atatürk, because this is the only path that will lead to enlightenment!”

Prof. Dr. Dudu Özkum Yavuz: “We are happy to host you, the esteemed participants of our congress, at the Near East University.”
Near East University Dean of Students Prof. Dr. Dudu Özkum Yavuz, in her speech that started by greeting the participants, thanked all the students and faculty members who contributed to the organization of the 1st International Medical Student Congress and defined the Members of the Student Organizing Committee as “the real heroes of the Congress”.

Prof. Dr. Dudu Özkum Yavuz said, “We are happy to host you, the esteemed participants of our congress, at the Near East University.”

Asu Yüksel: “The Student Congress will enable students to gain knowledge and skills in conducting and presenting scientific research.”
Stating that the 1st International Student Congress of the Near East University Faculty of Medicine was organized by the students of the Near East University Faculty of Medicine, under the supervision of faculty members, Congress President Assist. Physician Asu Yüksel said, “Our aim is to enable students to gain knowledge, skills and experience in conducting and presenting scientific research.”

Stating that the congress, which was held for the first time this year, was realized in a hybrid way, online and face-to-face, Yüksel said, “We will organize our congress every year by making it traditional, where students from the Faculties of Medicine, Dentistry, Health Sciences, Nursing and Pharmacy are invited from the TRNC and from the world.”

Regarding the content of the 1st International Student Congress, Asu Yüksel said, “The reflections of the developing technology in the field of health will be discussed and innovations in medicine will be reviewed. In the congress, where the studies carried out by the students under the supervision and control of the faculty members will be presented, it is planned to provide benefit and contribution to our country and universal medicine; We aim for students to take their first steps towards becoming scientists of the future.”

Thanking Gamze Mocan and all the teaching staff, Yüksel,said ; “We would like to thank all our teachers who gave us a great perspective on life. If you were not on our side, we would not be holding this congress here right now. Your efforts are great, I am glad to have you”.

Assist. Dr. Süleyman Gündüz: “I think our invaluable experience will make a great contribution to our professional life.”
The closing speech of the congress was made by one of the presidents of the Congress, Assist. Dr. Süleyman Gündüz. Saying that they are proud and happy to finish the congress, which they have been preparing for a long time devotedly in an educational, instructive and successful way, Gündüz said, “I think that our invaluable experience will make a great contribution to our professional life. We would like to thank everyone who contributed to the organization of this important congress.”

A certificate of appreciation was presented to the organizations that contributed to the congress.
After the opening speeches, certificates of appreciation were presented to the representatives of the Cyprus Turkish Medical Association, Near East Hayat, CardPlus, Güven Insurance and Deniz Plaza, sponsor organizations that contributed to the organization of the 1st International Medical Student Congress, by the Faculty of Medicine Chief Coordinator Prof. Dr. Sezgin İlgi.