In loving memory of my grandfather, Abdülkadir Göksel, “whose name I am honored to carry”
It was the early years of the Republic of Turkey. Atatürk’s Alphabet Reform had not yet taken place when my grandfather, Abdülkadir Göksel—“whose name I am honored to carry”—graduated from the Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine in 1928. His diploma was written in Arabic script. At that time, there was a great need for doctors who were willing to work across the country to provide medical care.
He returned to his hometown of Gaziantep with extensive knowledge and experience in ophthalmology and otolaryngology, as well as his specialty in internal medicine. Shortly after receiving his radiology certificate, he brought the first X-ray machine to Gaziantep.
There is hardly anyone who lived in Gaziantep between 1940 and 1980 who did not meet him or was not received medical care. Because Gaziantep was the only developed city in the region, many patients from surrounding cities and villages to seek treatment there. In his early years in Gaziantep, my grandfather fought against the trachoma epidemic relentlessly, and prevented people from losing their eyesight as he was the only eye specialist in the region.
I have vivid memories of him from my childhood. I remember him as an authoritative and serious person. His stethoscope on the table, which he used to examine his patients, and his unique laboratory come alive before my eyes. There was no advanced technology back then. Despite the lack of technology, he was remarkably successful with his diagnoses and treatments. It is no surprise that his fame spread throughout the region.
My grandfather’s reputation and success have always felt impossible to live up to. As a third-generation doctor, following in the footsteps of my father, Dr Sermet Göksel, I have drawn strength and guidance from my grandfather’s legacy. From both him and my father, I learned that an honest, sincere doctor–patient relationship must always come first and that, in our profession, “money always comes second.” For many years, my grandfather served his patients at both the State Hospital and the American Hospital, where he also worked as chief physician.
