Before You Book Surgery Abroad, Ask This: Are You a Responsible Medical Traveller?

When people talk about medical tourism, the focus is almost always on the hospitals, the surgeons and the “industry.”

Are they good enough?

Are they qualified?

Are they regulated?

And fair enough.

Those questions matter.

At Oceanscape Group, we spend a huge amount of time vetting surgeons, hospitals and medical teams.

We check qualifications, accreditations, complication protocols, hospital licences, operating theatre standards… the list goes on.

But here is a truth that often gets ignored in the wider conversation:

Clients need to vet themselves too.

Not everyone is a responsible traveller. Not everyone is a responsible surgical candidate. And not everyone is ready for what it really means to have a major medical procedure in a foreign country.

Let’s talk about that.

1. If you are entering another country, start with respect

Türkiye is beautiful, complex, ancient and deeply cultural.It deserves respect.

Before you step into any hospital or hotel, ask yourself:

• Have I taken time to learn about the culture?

• Do I understand basic etiquette?

• Am I arriving with humility, or entitlement?

• Am I open to learning how things work here, rather than assuming everything should work the way it does back home?

  
  

Immersing yourself in the culture, even a little, creates smoother experiences, better communication and genuine connection.It also ensures you walk through the process with awareness rather than assumptions.

2. A country is not obliged to operate on you

This is the part many people forget.

Just because you want surgery does not mean you are automatically approved for it.

Medical teams assess you.Surgeons review you.They decide whether you are safe for surgery. They turn people away all the time — including people from New Zealand and Australia.

That is why honesty and transparency matter.

Tell the truth on your forms.

Declare your medications.

Declare your conditions.

Declare your history.

You are not just protecting yourself.

You are protecting everyone who will look after you.

3. You must prepare yourself physically AND mentally

Being “surgery fit” is not just a phrase.It is a responsibility.

That means:

• Following your pre-op instructions

• Completing the medical testing

• Taking your medication correctly

• Changing your diet when asked

• Drinking water

• Stopping smoking or vaping when required

• Not deciding the rules don’t apply to you

Surgeons, nurses, coordinators and support teams work hard to set you up for a safe surgery day. But they cannot follow you around 24/7. At some point, you must choose to back yourself and follow what you were told.

4. Post-op care is not optional

The medical experts know what they are talking about.

If you are given guidelines:

• Follow them

• Read them

• Ask if you don’t understand

• Do not decide you know better because you saw a TikTok

The clients with the safest outcomes are the ones who simply follow the process.

5. And finally… don’t be “that person”

You know the one.

The one who:

• Ignores instructions

• Complains about cultural differences

• Disrespects staff

• Lies on forms

• Takes risks

• Doesn’t follow post-op guidelines

• Then blames the country, the surgeon, or the entire medical tourism industry

  
  

Or, simply put:

Don’t be a dick.

Medical tourism can be incredibly safe, transformative and life-changing — but only when everyone involved plays their part.

We vet our surgeons and hospitals. We vet our systems and our partners. We vet the safety standards every step of the way.

But clients must vet themselves too.

Be respectful.

Be prepared.

Be honest.

Be open.

Be responsible.

And treat the process like the serious medical journey that it is.

If you do that, the experience can be nothing short of life-changing.