ASJ Welcomes Our Newest Partner: The Turkish Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons

It is my pleasure as Editor in Chief of Aesthetic Surgery Journal to welcome the Turkish Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (TSAPS) as our newest international affiliate.

Turkey is a modern nation with deep historical roots. This description applies not only to the country's culture, but also to the history of plastic surgery in the region. The first surgical text in the Turkish language, Imperial Surgery, was published by Şerafeddin Sabuncuoğlu of Amasra in the 14th century.1 While this text contained descriptions of many procedures that are now part of every plastic surgeon's practice, it wasn't until the early 20th century that our specialty really took root in Turkey. During the early to mid-1900s, Dr. Halid Ziya Konuralp—who is considered to be the father of Turkish plastic surgery and whom I had the distinct pleasure of meeting during my first trip to Turkey—worked to train “countless plastic surgeons” and began publishing in earnest.2 He also helped found the Turkish Society of Plastic Surgeons. Plastic surgeons in Turkey still faced an uphill battle in terms of specialized training, but that battle was won in 1968 when the first formal training unit was established at Hacettepe University. In 1972, the first resident fully trained in Turkey received his certificate.

TSAPS was the second professional plastic surgery organization to be formed in the country. It was founded in 1991 and currently has more than 400 members, making it one of the largest in the world. Research, education, training, and patient safety are all central to the mission of TSAPS, just as they are central to our mission at ASJ. We are proud to be working with Nazim Cerkes, president of TSAPS, and the entire membership of this distinguished society. We look forward to highlighting the exciting clinical research from their members in future issues of ASJ, as we do with all of our international affiliates.