An Expert on the Genetics of Melanoma

Dr. Julide Tok Celebi, who graduated in 1990 from Istanbul University’s Cerrahpasa Medical Center, completed her dermatological assistantship in 1992. Celebi then decided to come to the United States in order to do clinical research and then conducted research for the next two years at Washington Georgetown University Medical School’s Dermatological Department. Dr. Celebi next did her internship between the years 1994-95 at Florida University and afterwards started her specialization training at Columbia University. Dr. Julide Tok Celebi, who finished her three-year specialization training in dermatology in 1998, also has an advanced specialization in cancer genetics.

WORKING ON THE GENETICS OF MELANOMA
Dr. Julide Tok Celebi works primarily on skin moles and does research on melanoma, which is a type of skin cancer. Dr. Celebi states that she does research on the genetics of melanoma and she is also an expert on the follow up on patients with a high risk of developing melanoma. Dr. Celebi does follow-ups and body scans for moles on patients’ bodies since they can change over time, grow in size or can change shape or color. Dr. Julide Tok Celebi also performs certain cosmetic procedures such as botox, filling and laser treatments.

Dr. Julide Tok Celebi, who has a heavy patient load, can examine an average of 250 patients per month. Most patients come due to the moles on their bodies. Dr. Celebi’s patients are usually between 35-60 years old and American.

Dr. Celebi’s Turkish patients make up about ten percent of her patient load. Turkish patients usually come to her with wart and eczema problems. Turkish patients reach Dr. Celebi on referral from New York Presbyterian Hospital, through their insurance companies or through the Internet. At times Dr. Celebi also has patients who come directly from Turkey.

Dr. Julide Tok Celebi points out that there are some differences between the medical training in Turkey and in the United States, and that one of these differences is that the process in the United States is more formalistic: “Here after having a year of training in internal medicine or surgery you then do a specialization in dermatology for the next three years. After that you take a national general exam. You graduate with the score that you receive from that exam.” Dr. Celebi also states that one must repeat this exam every ten years to retain the “American Board of Dermatology” diploma. In Turkey each medical school has their own exam and that is the way they graduate their assistants.

Dr. Julide Tok Celebi is very happy to be in New York, and to be living and working in this city. In the future she plans to continue her research. Dr. Celebi hopes to sign off on medical discoveries by keeping melanoma the objective.
Dr. Celebi says that a stressful city like New York can tire a person out so she tries to get rid of her stress by working out. Dr. Celebi runs and exercises three times per week and also likes to go to the opera with her 8-year-old son.