Elderly woman graduates to become doctor at 74

ISTANBUL

A retired elderly woman who had to give up her doctorate in medical sciences at a young age because of her marriage has now become a doctor at the age of 74 after receiving her degree from Istanbul University’s Cerrahpaşa Medicine Faculty.

“To become a doctor was my childhood dream. Once you become determined about something, success follows,” Nimet Suner Torun said after her graduation ceremony on June 30.

She first attended the faculty in 1964 but got married when she was in her third year of education.

Due to her husband’s job, they had to move from Istanbul and spent some time in Anatolian provinces, because of which she had to discontinue her education.

“When we came back to Istanbul, I found out that I was expelled from the university as I did not participate in any of my lessons,” she noted.

After working as a bank employee for over three decades, she retired as a mother of a son and a grandmother of two grandchildren. However, the fact that she couldn’t become a doctor always bothered her.

On hearing the news on TV that old students who dropped out could again pursue their education at the university’s medicine faculty, she hurried to get herself registered in the doctoral program.

“The other students were shocked to see me. They asked, ‘What should we call you, sister or auntie?’ Even the teachers thought I was an academic at the university,” she said.

When asked if she will work as a doctor, she quickly replied, “I want to serve people in Anatolian provinces. I am ready for work. I will go anywhere the state will send me.”