Who is allowed to carry out a medical procedure in Türkiye?

The condition for treating patients in Türkiye is set out in a single sentence. Article 1 of Law No. 1219 says: “To practise medicine within the Republic of Türkiye, or to treat patients in any way whatsoever, holding a diploma from a faculty of medicine is required.”

The words “in any way whatsoever” matter here. The law does not look at the name of the procedure, how long it lasts, or who it is done on. It requires that the person treating you holds a medical diploma.

The penalty for treating patients without a diploma is written in the same law. Article 25: “A person who, without holding a diploma, treats patients or takes the title of physician, even where this is not aimed at gaining a benefit, is punished with imprisonment from two to five years and a judicial fine of up to one thousand days.”

The sentence includes the part “even where this is not aimed at gaining a benefit”. So it does not change the outcome that no money was taken or that it was done in good faith.

This rule exists to protect the patient. A procedure may look simple to you; knowing what will happen as a result, and being able to step in if a complication arises, takes medical training.

Which procedures count as medical is defined in separate regulations. If you are not sure, the easiest thing is to ask: is the person carrying out this procedure a doctor?