Spec. MD. Selma Oktay Ergin

Our 72-year-old grandmother, Ayşe, was admitted to Medical Park Bahçelievler with what we thought was severe fatigue. Dr. Selma Oktay Ergin discovered a complex congenital heart defect that had gone undiagnosed her entire life, a ventricular septal defect with Eisenmenger syndrome. She handled this pediatric condition in an elderly patient with breathtaking expertise, coordinating with pulmonology to create a palliative care plan that improved her quality of life dramatically. Her ability to bridge pediatric cardiology with geriatric care is something I've never witnessed before.

During a routine kindergarten checkup, a murmur was detected in our 5-year-old son, Ali. Dr. Ergin didn't just listen with her stethoscope; she performed a fascinating, game-like echocardiogram where she called his heart 'a secret rocket engine.' She diagnosed a tiny, hemodynamically insignificant ASD that requires only monitoring. Her report included hand-drawn illustrations for Ali showing how his 'rocket heart' works, turning potential anxiety into excitement. We leave each annual follow-up feeling educated, not worried.

A midnight emergency with our newborn daughter, Zeynep, who turned blue during feeding. The ER team called Dr. Ergin, who arrived within 20 minutes, still in casual clothes, and immediately identified Tetralogy of Fallot with a severe 'tet spell.' What followed was the most calmly executed crisis I've ever seen. She stabilized Zeynep with precise medications, explained the urgent surgery pathway in three clear sentences, and held my wife's hand while giving orders. Her surgery was a success, and Dr. Ergin's pre-dawn emergency presence felt like a guardian angel materializing.

We're expats from Germany, and our teenage daughter, Elif, required ongoing care for a repaired pulmonary valve. Dr. Ergin conducted her follow-up not as a simple checkup, but as a 'cardiac transition clinic.' She spent an hour teaching 16-year-old Elif to recognize her own arrhythmia symptoms, explained how her condition might interact with future pregnancy (in private, at Elif's request), and provided a bilingual cardiac passport for travel. She treats the whole life span, not just the childhood phase. Her approach made Elif feel like the CEO of her own heart health.