No doctors will be left to look after the children
the growing shortage of doctors in the field of paediatrics has deepened the crisis in the healthcare system. the results of the subspecialty examination have laid bare the crisis in paediatrics. of the 253 posts advertised in neonatology, only 22 were filled, whilst of the 118 posts in paediatric intensive care, only 5 were filled. experts have warned that ‘children will pay the price’.
the growing shortage of doctors in the field of paediatrics has deepened the crisis in the healthcare system. the results of the subspecialty examination have laid bare the crisis in paediatrics. of the 253 posts advertised in neonatology, only 22 were filled, whilst of the 118 posts in paediatric intensive care, only 5 were filled. experts have warned that ‘children will pay the price’.
Paediatric health and diseases: the shortage of doctors in this field is growing year on year. The 2026 Subspecialty Exam (YDUS) placement results have once again highlighted the staffing crisis in critical areas such as paediatric intensive care and neonatology.
According to the results, only 5 of the 118 posts advertised in paediatric intensive care were filled, leaving the occupancy rate at around 4%. In the neonatology subspecialty, 22 out of 253 posts – approximately 8.5% – were filled. A significant number of positions in other paediatric subspecialties, such as paediatric emergency medicine and paediatric infectious diseases, also remained unfilled.
Experts noted that young doctors are not opting for paediatrics or its critical sub-specialities due to the heaviest on-call workload, high risk of medical malpractice and poor employment conditions, and warned that this situation will place an even greater strain on child health services in the coming years: “It is the children who will pay the price for this situation.”
The issues facing paediatrics were also discussed at the launch meeting of the Paediatric Research Association, established under the chairmanship of Prof. Dr. Mehmet Vural. Paediatric and neonatal specialists emphasised that the healthcare system is facing serious problems in many areas, whilst warning that the shortage of staff in paediatric sub-specialities will place an even greater strain on healthcare services in the future. Vural stated that the decline in the popularity of paediatrics has now reached a critical level. Recalling that paediatrics used to be one of the departments with the highest entry scores in the Turkish Medical Specialisation Exam (TUS), Vural noted that today, even with very low scores, places remain unfilled. “Young doctors are not choosing paediatrics due to harsh working conditions and inadequate employment rights,” said Vural, adding, “If we cannot train neonatal and paediatric intensive care specialists today, tomorrow’s children will pay the price.” Vural emphasised that the fact that the majority of posts in life-saving fields such as paediatric intensive care and neonatology remain unfilled poses a risk to the healthcare system.
ENTERED BASED ON RANKING
Paediatric specialist Dr Ersin Ulu said, “Four of us chose the Paediatrics Department at Cerrahpaşa after achieving high rankings in the TUS. I don’t think a doctor with the same ranking today would choose paediatrics. The department is no longer a popular choice.” Ulu stated that unless working conditions are improved, the shortage of specialists in child health will continue to grow.
RESEARCH MUST BE EXPANDED
The meeting addressed not only the shortage of doctors but also shortcomings in scientific research relating to child health, as well as issues such as the inclusion of meningitis vaccines in the national immunisation programme. Prof. Dr Vural, highlighting the need in Turkey for a structure within paediatrics that focuses exclusively on scientific research, invests in it, and prioritises supporting the development of young researchers, said: “We possess a very strong clinical body of knowledge in paediatrics. However, it is of great importance that this expertise is supported by more systematic research, that the production of evidence-based knowledge is increased, and that young doctors are involved in the research process at an earlier stage,” he said.
Note: This article is translated from the original article titled Çocuklara bakacak doktor kalmayacak, published in BirGün newspaper on July 1, 2026.