The Position of the Public Health Specialty in the Medical Specialization Education Entrance Examination (TUS): An Evaluation of the 2016–2025 Period

This study was conducted to assess the standing of the public health specialty during the Medical Specialization Education Entrance Examination (TUS) periods between 2016 and 2025. The study is a retrospective, descriptive analysis of placement results from 20 TUS periods published by the Measuring, Selection and Placement Center (OSYM). Only general quotas were included in the analysis; quotas for foreign nationals were excluded from the scope of the study. For each period, the number of institutions offering public health, the total quota, the base score, and the ranking among other specialties were determined. The pre-pandemic, pandemic, and post-pandemic periods were compared; data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0. Across the TUS application periods, the number of institutions that opened positions in public health ranged from 20 to 43. It was observed that the mean and median base scores increased significantly, particularly starting from the first period of 2023. It was determined that average base scores in the post-pandemic period were significantly higher than those in the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods (P