Betul Oktay

Position: Founder of Useb

Expertise: Editor, Author, Content Creator, Web Designer of Useb

Contact: betuloktay267@gmail.com / Inst: @betuloktay267

Betul Oktay, from Turkey, is the founder of USEB, an organization focused on providing educational support to students. With a background in both education and medicine, she has made notable contributions to these fields.

Her academic journey began in high school when she won a bronze medal in the National Biology Olympiad in Turkey, which led to a TÜBİTAK scholarship, supported by the Directorate for Supporting Scientists, providing specialized training from top university professors. Her talent in education was recognized early on while she was still in high school, and she legally started working as a Biology Olympiad teacher at a specialized science high school at the age of 17. She pursued her degree in Biology at Ege University, graduating with top honors and obtaining a Pedagogical Formation Certificate for teaching.

After graduating from university, she passed the Public Personnel Selection Examination (KPSS) with a top score among 30,000 candidates, ranking 9th in Turkey. This achievement allowed her to start her career as a state teacher in Antalya, one of Turkey's most beautiful places. She received multiple job offers from various schools over the years and held courses in schools with teacher shortages, significantly contributing to students' education. Throughout her teaching career, she taught hundreds of students.

Over the years, she became a highly sought-after teacher, working in around 15 different institutions across various places. Her name quickly became well-known in every places she worked in, and she continuously advanced in her career. Eventually, she applied to the central organization of the Turkish Ministry of National Education to contribute to students nationwide and was recognized as the first person in her department to be granted the right to work on special assignments outside the capital city.

While working at the central organization of the Ministry of National Education, she contributed to the development of digital education materials for the "OGM material" website, a platform dedicated to offering educational resources for schools throughout Turkey. She also played a role in the founding of EBA TV, the national education channel, which was established by the government during the pandemic to support students' education. During the establishment of the channel, she was involved in the selection of teachers, creation of lesson content, and the design of the channel. Her lessons were broadcast nationwide, and her videos are still being aired on the channel today.

She was recognized with a certificate of appreciation from the Director General of Secondary Education, received a plaque from Deputy Minister Nazif Yılmaz, and was awarded a special achievement certificate from the Minister of National Education, Ziya Selçuk.

Throughout her teaching career, she focused on developing her students not only academically but also personally, serving as a role model. She always prioritized student motivation and worked tirelessly to increase it. She never gave up on students who were academically struggling, socioeconomically disadvantaged, or dealing with psychological trauma or physical disabilities. Over time, she realized that every mind has the potential to learn in its own way. This realization led her to notice similarities between how the mind processes academic knowledge and psychological trauma, sparking her interest in human psychology.

As her interest in psychology grew, she made numerous observations and began developing her own psychoanalytic and psychotherapeutic methods. This ultimately led her to make the decision to leave her teaching career and pursue psychiatry. She applied to several medical schools and was accepted into all of them without having to take an entrance exam.

She is currently studying General Medicine at Semmelweis University, where she was accepted without an entrance exam. At the same time, she is pursuing a master’s degree in Medical Biology and Genetics at Gazi University. During her time at Semmelweis, she also became involved in Erasmus projects, broadening her academic and professional experience on an international level.

During her studies, she observed how students struggled with understanding difficult subjects and often felt helpless. This, combined with her passion for education, led her to establish USEB, an educational platform. The high demand for her lecture notes and the positive feedback she received encouraged her to move forward with the idea.

In USEB's first year, she authored six books. She then expanded her team by introducing writing programs, and USEB quickly gained a following. The platform received significant support from both sponsors and followers, enabling it to grow rapidly. In its second year, USEB became a legal entity with international publishing rights.

The USEB team has continued to expand, now including writers, medical illustrators, reviewers, editors, videographers, and photographers, offering a variety of career opportunities. USEB books are highly regarded by students at Semmelweis University and other medical schools in Hungary. Moreover, master's and PhD students have also shown interest in USEB books related to their fields of study.

In addition to her work in education and medicine, she is involved in several social responsibility projects. She organizes Perfect Date Nights, events designed to help people embark on a journey of self-discovery, explore their inner world, and gain a deeper understanding of themselves. Through these events, she aims to raise awareness of how family structure patterns influence personal life choices by sharing stories that encourage self-reflection.

Furthermore, she initiated the Eyes of Stars project, which focuses on supporting visually impaired individuals, particularly young children and their families. As someone born with microphthalmia, Betul Oktay maintains a positive outlook and strives to raise awareness about how this condition is perfectly normal. She also provides a space where people can feel valued and free from judgment through her involvement in these social responsibility initiatives.

With her diverse background, relentless passion, and commitment to both education and medicine, Betul Oktay continues to inspire and positively impact countless lives. Her work not only empowers students and professionals but also contributes to the broader community through innovative educational platforms and social responsibility projects. Through her leadership and vision, she has created lasting change, making a profound difference in the fields she is passionate about.