Op. MD. Basak Sel

At 72, I was terrified when post-menopausal bleeding started. Most doctors rushed to scary conclusions. Dr. Sel was different. She spent 45 minutes explaining the intricate vascular changes in aging endometrial tissue, drew diagrams of my specific ultrasound findings, and proposed a conservative hysteroscopic procedure instead of immediate major surgery. Her hands were remarkably steady during the procedure, and she narrated each step calmly. The biopsy came back benign, just as she predicted. She treats elderly women not as decaying bodies but as complex physiological puzzles worthy of respect.

Our 14-year-old daughter developed severe pelvic pain that baffled three pediatricians. Dr. Sel approached her like a detective solving a mystery. She didn't just examine; she interviewed her about school stress, sports, and even asked about her art projects. She diagnosed a rare presentation of endometriosis in adolescents and created a treatment plan that involved minimal hormone therapy coordinated with a pediatric pain specialist. She spoke directly to our daughter, not just to us parents, explaining how her reproductive system was simply developing a bit 'over-enthusiastically.' Six months later, our daughter is back on her soccer team. Dr. Sel didn't just treat a disease; she preserved a childhood.

I arrived at Medical Park Göztepe hemorrhaging at 18 weeks pregnant after a fall. The ER was chaotic, but the moment Dr. Sel entered, the atmosphere changed. She performed an emergency cervical cerclage while simultaneously managing a significant placental abruption, a procedure she later described as 'stitching a precious, fragile pouch.' What stunned me was how she balanced urgency with precision; her voice remained a steady murmur of instructions to her team while her eyes never left the monitor. She saved my son, who's now sleeping in my arms as I write this. In crisis, she becomes beautifully mechanical, all emotion channeled into flawless motion.

As a transgender man seeking hysterectomy, I faced judgment and ignorance everywhere. Dr. Sel reviewed international protocols for gender-affirming care, consulted with an endocrinologist about my testosterone therapy, and adapted the surgical approach to minimize abdominal scarring that would distress me. During surgery, she discovered and skillfully managed unexpected adenomyosis that would have caused future pain. At follow-up, she presented the pathology report not as 'female organ removal' but as 'completion of your specified anatomical alignment.' She created medical documents using my chosen name before it was legally changed. In her care, I wasn't a contradiction; I was simply a patient with specific anatomical needs.