Rethinking Mentorship: A Conversation with EQuiP 2026 Keynote Speaker Dr. Sıdıka Ece Yokuş 🩺✨

Published on 15 April 2026.

Ahead of the 68th EQuiP Conference in Kraków, Poland 🇵🇱, we spoke with keynote speaker Dr. Sıdıka Ece Yokuş, a Family Medicine Specialist from Istanbul, Türkiye 🇹🇷. In this candid discussion, she shares her vision for a digitally connected future in primary care and how virtual mentorship can act as a lifeline for family physicians globally. 🌍💻

 

1. The Concept: Your winning abstract focuses on "Rethinking Mentorship." What was the primary catalyst moment that led you to develop this specific concept for the EQuiP 2026 keynote? 💡

In 2025, I participated in a six-month virtual research mentorship program launched by the WONCA Working Party on Research and the WONCA Young Doctors Movement. During this experience, working closely with my mentor and fellow mentee to develop a project, and bringing to life a pragmatic study I had been envisioning for a long time, was both academically and personally enriching. 📈

Looking back, I believe this experience also created a pathway for my engagement in international conferences and collaborations. Conversations with colleagues around the world made me realize that many of them share a similar need and curiosity for mentorship. I felt that this keynote was the perfect opportunity to share this concept as a source of inspiration. 🌟

 

2. The Virtual Shift: How do you believe virtual mentorship specifically can bridge gaps that traditional face-to-face mentorship might miss, especially regarding accessibility and global networking? 🌐

In many countries, face-to-face mentorship is often limited to the residency period. Moreover, in some universities, the increasing number of residents without a parallel rise in lecturers creates an imbalance and may lead to communication and engagement barriers. After residency, physicians frequently begin working in different settings and locations, while mentors naturally focus on new trainees. At this point, geographical and time constraints become even more evident. 📍

In this context, I believe virtual mentorship can offer a meaningful alternative and diversity. It enables young family physicians to pursue their research interests, connect with multiple mentors, and collaborate with peers—regardless of time, place, and local resources—while also supporting global networking. 🤝

 

3. Connection to the Theme: How can a robust virtual mentorship culture "Strengthen the Heart of Primary Care" and foster greater resilience in family physicians who may feel isolated in their practice? ❤️

A robust virtual mentorship culture can ensure a sense of belonging and professional identity. It can foster continuous professional connection, shared learning, and collective growth. I remember that the time I felt proud of being a family physician was the moment I established this connection. For family medicine to gain the recognition it deserves and to become scientifically stronger, physicians need opportunities to collaborate beyond their local settings. 🧪

In today’s technologically connected world, virtual mentorship helps overcome geographical and financial barriers, enabling access to wider academic and professional networks. This reduces professional isolation—one of the key challenges in primary care—and promotes sustained engagement in research and clinical development. Ultimately, this continuous interaction and shared purpose can open space for dialogue, shared learning, and for improving both our own well-being and that of our patients. 😊

4. The Future: In what ways can these digital connections act as a buffer against burnout for the next generation of family physicians? 🛡️

At its core, this is about fostering sustainable and meaningful connections. For young family physicians especially, having access to experienced mentors and collaborative networks enhances not only scientific productivity but also the sense of purpose that keeps us going.

In my own experience, working with an international team toward a common purpose allowed me to approach my patients with a broader perspective and prompted me to seek better solutions for their well-being. Burnout in primary care is often rooted in isolation—the feeling that you are navigating complex challenges alone and feeling stuck. Digital mentorship platforms can directly counter this by building a continuous professional community where physicians share not just knowledge, but also struggles and solutions. Simply knowing that peers across different countries were facing similar challenges—and finding ways through them—was both reassuring and motivating. 🚀

 

5. The Challenge: What is the biggest barrier to implementing effective virtual mentorship in the current European primary care climate, and how does your concept address it? 🚧

The biggest barrier is the absence of a structured, sustainable digital platform—one that can grow through the active engagement of both mentors and mentees, and facilitate meaningful communication and organization. Once such a platform is established, ensuring its visibility and accessibility to family physicians worldwide will be essential for its impact. In my concept, I aim to address the potential structure, content, and opportunities such a platform could offer, as well as the value it may bring to our community. 📋

 

6. Personal Journey: How has mentorship (or the lack thereof) shaped your own professional path as a physician? 🛣️

During my residency, my professors recognized my curiosity and encouraged me to engage in research and connect with both national and international family medicine communities. This support helped shape my professional path. It was through following WONCA on social media that I discovered this virtual mentorship program. After completing the program, my understanding of leadership evolved. With my mentor’s guidance, I became more confident in communicating within international teams, leading projects, and continuing to pursue my goals—even after several rejections from doctoral programs and scholarships. 💪

More importantly, I became part of a global network. Through international conferences, I built meaningful professional relationships and began to feel a stronger sense of belonging within the family medicine community. This has positively influenced both how I practice medicine and how I approach improving my patients’ well-being. 🏥

 

7. A Teaser for 2026: Without giving too much away, what is one key takeaway you hope the EQuiP 2026 audience will leave with after hearing your keynote? 🎤

Virtual mentorship has the potential to empower young family physicians and foster collaboration across borders. Regardless of the barriers, it gives us a shared hope to build the future of family medicine together. 🌱

 

8. The Human Side: To help our readers get to know you better—what book are you currently reading, and would you recommend it to your colleagues? 📚

Recently, I have been reading Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes. I would recommend it to anyone who values pursuing their ideals and has the courage to step beyond the familiar. 🐎

About Dr. Sıdıka Ece Yokuş 👩‍⚕️

Dr. Yokuş is a Family Medicine Specialist in Istanbul, Türkiye. An active member of the WONCA Working Party on Research and recipient of the 2025 WONCA YDM Bursary and Montegut Global Scholars Program grant, her work focuses on social medicine, geriatric care, and chronic disease management.

 

Join the Conversation: EQuiP 2026 Keynote Interview Series 📢

As a network of WONCA Europe, EQuiP’s mission is to provide a collaborative platform for family physicians to improve the quality of care and patient safety. Under our 2026 theme, "Strengthening the Heart of Primary Care: Well-being and Resilience in Family Physicians," we have launched a series exploring the critical link between workforce health and patient safety. 🔗

Explore these four diverse perspectives on the future of our profession:

  • Prof. Dr. Dorien Zwart (Netherlands): EQuiP President discusses "Bridging the Gap" and the safety implications of intergenerational "twinning" between young and senior physicians. 🤝 👉 Read Interview here

  • Ulrik Bak Kirk (Denmark): Examines whether AI acts as a digital ally or a burden regarding physician cognitive load and well-being. 🤖 👉 Read Interview here

  • Dr. Andrée Rochfort (Ireland): Focuses on evidence-based physician well-being as a fundamental prerequisite for patient safety. 🧘 👉 Read Interview here

  • Dr. Anastasiya Spasibo (Ukraine): Shares insights on maintaining clinical quality and resilience during times of extreme crisis and conflict. 🕊️ 👉 Read Interview here

 

Join Us in Kraków! 🏰✨

Innovate, Connect, and Transform. Join the global patient safety community in the historic heart of Kraków as we move these discussions from "Principles to Practice." 🎓

[Register Now] Together, we are the heart of healthcare! ❤️⚕️