Safiye Ali

  • Safiye Ali's Birth.

    She was born in Istanbul in 1894. Her father was Sultan Abdülaziz and II. Ali Kırat Pasha, one of Abdulhamid's aides, and her mother was Emine Hasene Hanım, the daughter of Şeyhülharem Hacı Emin Pasha. Safiye Ali was the youngest of four sisters.
  • Education

    She studied at the American College for Girls in Istanbul. She graduated from college in January 1916. She went to Germany and studied at the University of Würzburg. Safiye Ali received a state scholarship with the help of the Minister of Education of the period, Ahmet Şükrü Bey. The Bavarian Ministry of National Education, which caused difficulties because she was a graduate of the American College, gave Safiye Ali the title of "doctor candidate."
  • Profession

    In June 1923, she received her license as Turkey's first female doctor and opened a clinic with her husband. At first, no one came to her clinic and there were even people who wanted to pay a low visit fee because she was a woman. She worked as a doctor in Istanbul for five years. During this period, she also made history as the first female faculty member to provide medical education to girls at the first women's medical school opened within the American College.
  • Work

    Safiye Ali also founded the Hilal-i Ahmer Ladies' Center Young Children's Clinic to care for sick and weak children after the age of 1 year. She represented the Himaye-i Etfal Society at congresses held in London, Vienna and Bologna.
  • Death

    After being diagnosed with cancer, she left Turkey and settled in Germany. II. She continued her career as long as her health allowed during the World War II. She died in Dortmund on July 5, 1952, at the age of 58.