Abstract

Aim: This study is conducted to retrospectively evaluate dissertation studies, which were done in the Department of Pediatric Surgery, Cerrahpaşa Medical Faculty.

Material and Methods: A questionnaire is send to the writers and a preliminary study is done. All the theses were retrieved from the library of the department and faculty and investigated with respect to subject of the thesis, type of investigation, time to completion of theses, financial support, whether or not they are accepted for presentation or publication.

Results: 47 of total 49 theses, which were completed between 1978-2010 at the Department of Pediatric Surgery Cerrahpaşa Medical Faculty were evaluated retrospectively. Thirtyone theses were related to gastrointestinal (GI) and 16 to urologic (URO) subjects. Twenty-one theses (8 URO, 16 GI) were related to experimental, 23 (8 URO, 15 GI) to clinical investigations. -Among URO theses, bladder and hypospadias (n:5), and GI theses Hirschsprung, GER and Anal Atresia (n:3) were the most common subjects. 2 theses were financially supported. These theses were submitted at an average 3.7 year of the residency program. Pathology was the most common co-working department (n=10). During the dissertation studies, the workload of residency program was the most common difficulty reported. Fourteen theses (% 29.7) were presented at national, 12 of them (% 25.5) at international congresses, 4 theses were published (% 8.5) in national, 10 (% 21.2) in international journals.

Conclusion: The subject of the thesis should be given earlier in the residency program, it should be financially supported, and the conditions for a multidisiplinary participation should be encouraged in order to increase the quality of the thesis and enhance their contribution to the medical science.