site.btaHealth Minister: There Has Been Strong Interest in Projects Supporting Medical Residents

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Bulgaria’s Health Minister Silvi Kirilov said that there has been strong interest in the projects supporting medical residents. He noted that within three days, 55 out of 111 medical residents on a waiting list for specialty trainings had confirmed their participation. “These young people are showing active interest in the programme, and we expect the rest to confirm by the end of the week,” Kirilov said. Last week, the Health Ministry reported on two projects supporting young medical professionals.

One of the projects focuses on promoting training in specialties and regions experiencing a shortage of specialists. The project was launched in 2024 with an initial budget of BGN 15 million. Due to high demand, the budget was increased by BGN 26 million, and the project’s duration was extended by one year, project coordinator Mariana Vasileva said. Under the project, medical residents receive a gross monthly salary of BGN 2,692 as a financial incentive in addition to their regular pay. This amount increases in line with the national minimum wage, Vasileva added.

The project will run until 2029. Since the start dates of some residency programmes do not align with the project’s timeline, new application rounds will be held for each available spot to ensure that the funds are absorbed and more young people can benefit, Minister Kirilov said. He added that the project supports residents in state-funded training programmes.