Medical Residency Training in the Context of Academic Freedom AKADEMİK ÖZGÜRLÜK BAĞLAMINDA TIPTA UZMANLIK EĞİTİMİ
Community and Physician, vol.41, no.3, pp.165-176, 2026 (Scopus, TRDizin)
- Publication Type: Article / Article
- Volume: 41 Issue: 3
- Publication Date: 2026
- Journal Name: Community and Physician
- Journal Indexes: Scopus, TR DİZİN (ULAKBİM)
- Page Numbers: pp.165-176
- Keywords: Academic freedom, graduate education, marketization in healthcare, medical residency training
- Dokuz Eylül University Affiliated: Yes
Abstract
One of the fundamental functions of universities—knowledge production and the related graduate education—cannot be sustained without academic freedom. Academic freedom is a fundamental principle that encompasses the freedoms of research, teaching, and expression of thought, and it has both individual and institutional dimensions. This study first examines the historical development of the concept of academic freedom and discusses its institutionalization from medieval universities to the Humboldtian university model and international conventions. Subsequently, the scope of academic freedom, the functions of the university, and its relationship with graduate education are discussed. In this context, medical residency training is directly related to academic freedom, as it is considered a doctoral-level education in terms of legal and academic regulations. Moreover, residents occupy a triple position as students, prospective academics, and healthcare workers providing medical services, which creates various tensions during the training process. Factors such as the marketization of the healthcare system, increasing clinical workload, performance-oriented practices, and research sponsorship are observed to limit academic freedom and the quality of education. Consequently, training qualified specialist physicians depends not only on the acquisition of clinical skills but also on the development of critical thinking, scientific production, and professional autonomy. Therefore, medical residency training should not be conceived solely as a process focused on professional practice. Rather, it should be designed as an academic structure that provides the training for physicians who possess the capacity for scientific thinking, critical inquiry, and original knowledge production.