Three pioneer academics from the field of veterinary surgery in Turkey

The first examples of biography studies carried out within the scope of research on the history of veterinary medicine in Turkey were given by Muzaffer Bekman, and these studies were continued with the efforts of Prof. Nihal Erk and Prof. Ferruh Dinçer. These studies, which are also given importance by later academicians in the field of veterinary medicine, are carried out both in the style of necrology and in the style of scientific biography, after the retirement or death of the professionals serving their profession. In this study, the scientific life stories of Ord. Prof. Salih Zeki Berker, Prof. M. Tevfik Başer and Prof. Burhanettin Öktem are discussed. The main material of the study consisted of the personnel files in the Archives of the Dean's Office of the Ankara University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, and the first-hand sources obtained from the Biography Archive of the History of Veterinary Medicine and Deontology Department. In addition, various books and journals in the Library of the Department were also used. The data obtained were evaluated within the methodology of history and transferred to the text in chronological order. Ord. Prof. Salih Zeki Berker, Prof. M. Tevfik Başer and Prof. Burhanettin Öktem’s academic stages, contributions to education, professional services, publishing activities and the traces they left on their colleagues are revealed. Thus, it is aimed both to contribute to the veterinary medicine biography archive and to introduce these valuable professionals to new generations.