Hulusi Behçet’s Contributions to Medicine

Hulusi Behçet (1889–1948), a pioneering Turkish dermatologist and scientist, is globally renowned for identifying Behçet’s Disease, a systemic vasculitis that now bears his name. Beyond this landmark discovery, Behçet made significant contributions to dermatology, venereology, and infectious diseases through extensive clinical observations and over 200 scholarly publications. He advocated a multidisciplinary approach to diagnosis and was among the earliest proponents of integrating laboratory medicine into dermatological practice in Türkiye. His influence extended to medical education, where he played a key role in modernizing curricula and promoting research-based clinical training. This paper aims to provide a historical overview of Behçet’s contributions, contextualizing his work within both national and international developments in early 20th-century medicine. By examining his publications and institutional legacy, we argue that Hulusi Behçet not only discovered a disease but also reshaped medical thinking in his region and era.