Discover Pleven and the Affordable Six Year Medical Education in Europe
Pleven is located in the very heart of Miziya, in an agricultural region, surrounded by low limestone hills. Its central location in Northern Bulgaria defines its importance as a large administrative, economic, political, cultural, and transport centre. Pleven has a rich history. It became widely known for the five-month battles during the Russian-Turkish war 1877-78 as a result of which Bulgaria was liberated from the 500 years of Ottoman domination. Of interest to the visitors is the Kailak fortress, the tumulus in the Skobelev Park, the Pleven Epopee Panoramic Exhibition, the old bridge on the Vit River, and many monuments.
Today there are only 33 ‘Panorama Monuments’ in the world. One of one of the largest is in Pleven. Pleven became internationally famous for the five-month battles during the Russian-Turkish war 1877-78 as a result of which Bulgaria was liberated from the 500 years of Ottoman rule. Although smaller than Sofia, Pleven has much to offer students who attend the university there. The city center is lined with boutiques, cafes and restaurants – it is constantly bustling with activity. Surrounding the city is the beautiful nature of the country with easy access to hiking, biking, camping and other outdoor activities. Life in Pleven moves at a more relaxed pace than life in Sofia. The people in Pleven are generally attentive and friendly – and they are familiar with English-speaking students since they have been coming to school in Pleven for almost a decade.
Close to Pleven is a city called Velico Turnovo
Veliko Turnovo, one of the most ancient Bulgarian towns, is situated amphitheatrically on 4 hills - Tsarevets, Trapezitsa, Momina Krepost and Sveta Gora, the ridges of which were indeed the deeply inclined steep banks of the meanders of the river Yantra. Tsarevets was the capital of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom in the 12th century AD. Ancient travellers wrote about the town of Turnovo as "the second after Constantinople" in its beauty and might. The fateful events from the 13 centuries old Bulgarian State are related to this town, such as the Second Bulgarian Kingdom's apogee in the 12th and 13th centuries AD and the adoption of the First Bulgarian Constitution in 1874.
Now the old town quarters are preserved with their Bulgarian Renaissance houses and their dislocated terraces, with their fine interior, handicraft workshops and cafes. Today's travellers describe it as the most beautiful Bulgarian town. Now the town of Veliko Turnovo is an administrative, economic and cultural centre. The audiovisual performance "Sound and Light" is the best attraction for visitors to the town.
ABOUT PLEVEN UNIVERSITY
The Pleven Medical University, one of the five medical Universities in Bulgaria, was established in 1974, expanding the horizons, size and reputation of the City Hospital, founded in 1865. Today, combining traditions of the past with the present possibilities, it incorporates educational and therapeutic facilities, contemporary pre-clinical base, Institute Hospital with more than 1000 beds with clinics in all major medical fields, as well as a large number of specialized clinics and research units with modern diagnostic and therapeutic equipment. These are efficiently used to treat patients, train students, trainee doctors, post-graduates and for research work.
The instruction courses in the Pleven Medical University are carried out in 2 faculties and one college:
1. FACULTY OF MEDICINE with the specialty of MEDICINE
2. FACULTY OF PUBLIC HEALTH with the following specialties:
• MANAGEMENT OF HEALTH CARE;
• MEDICAL REHABILITATION AND OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY;
• HEALTH MANAGEMENT;
• NURSIN;
• MIDWIFERY.
3. MEDICAL COLLEGE – PLEVEN with the following specialties:
• MEDICAL LABORATORY ASSISTANT;
• RADIOLOGY LABORATORY ASSISTANT;
• SOCIAL WORKER.
The University has all theoretic, pre-clinical and clinical departments required for the higher medical education. Up to date, more than 6000 Bulgarian and foreign students from over 30 countries have graduated from the University.
The current number of students is 2044. 275 of them are foreign students, including 78 of Indian nationality – the biggest community of foreign students at the university. Other international students are coming from the following countries: Macedonia, Serbia, Ukraine, Moldova, Greece, Turkey, Nigeria, Albania, Cyprus, Congo, Syria, Algeria, USA, Japan, Great Britain and France.
835 young doctors from Bulgaria and abroad are taking postgraduate courses at the different specialized clinics of the University Hospital. The current number of PhD students is 53.
Highly qualified lecturers with comprehensive academic experience are employed. The course of instruction is carried out in 24 departments by more than 60 professors and around 300 assistant professors. Most of them are members of national and international scientific and medical societies and authors of research studies.
For International students, because of the long terms necessary for processing of documents /especially visas/ of international candidates, the academic year for international students, English-language course of training, starts in the middle of February and end in the end of December.
Various modern teaching methods are applied in the academic process. These include theoretical lectures, small group practical tutorials and seminars. Additionally, the students may join extracurricular teaching courses and scientific circles functioning at the departments. Training groups are composed of maximum 6 students.
Current monitoring and assessment of the students' knowledge in each subject is done by assistant professors, who are responsible for the students' group instruction during the semester. Examinations are conducted in all required subjects of instruction after each semester within the examination session, which lasts 45 days. Final assessment of knowledge acquired by the students after accomplishment of their full course of study is given by the State Examination Board at a comprehensive theoretical and practical examination.
The University has two students hostels with over 400 beds. The hostel rooms are double- and triple- bed rooms, centrally heated, each having a bathroom. Students are not required to live in hostels and may go into private accommodation if they wish. Meals are provided at the students' canteen at a discount.
The sports facilities at the University enable the students to have regular physical training in different sport disciplines. There is an indoor multipurpose sports center, basketball and volleyball fields and tennis courts.
The students can freely join students' unions and societies. Foreign students can establish their own national, ethnic and religious communities the functioning of which has to be in compliance with the laws of the Republic of Bulgaria. According to their interests and individual capabilities, students can become members of different scientific circles, culture and sports clubs.
In accordance with the principles of non-discrimination the University does not have any different attitude to students in connection to their nationality, sex, age, religion, sexual orientation, ethnical and political affiliations, financial and health status.
The full-time course in the specialty of Medicine for acquiring the qualification degree "Doctor of Medicine" lasts 6 years. It is realized in three consequent modules: pre-clinical training - 2 years, clinical training - 3 years, and pre-graduation clinical practice - 1 year. Pre-graduation clinical practice is meant to provide the trainee doctors with highly qualified knowledge in the field of medicine and further developing their practical skills, thus enabling them to enter the medical profession and be ready to approach problems such as organization, prophylactics, diagnosing, treatment, etc. in their future practice. Pre-graduation clinical practice is conducted at the University Hospital. It is carried out in the following disciplines: internal diseases, surgery, obstetrics & gynecology, pediatrics, hygiene and infectious diseases including epidemiology, parasitology and tropical diseases. After completing each course in clinical practice, students sit for their state final examination in the respective discipline. Students who pass their state examinations successfully are awarded a diploma of completed higher medical education with a degree "Doctor of Medicine" (master's degree) with the right to practice general medicine.
The Pleven Medical University offers also a course of instruction in Bulgarian language, which lasts 7 years. During the first academic year, international students take an intensive course in Bulgarian language: general and specific for medical purposes, including a ground course in the terminology of biology, physics and chemistry. The students, who pass the examination at the end of year, are enlisted for the six-year training course in medicine.
Postgraduate specialization courses
The graduates from the Medical University obtain the professional qualification Physician. After an additional training in the corresponding specialty they can obtain a qualification of "doctor specialist in..." . These are three- to five-year courses and can be taken by graduates of higher medical schools in Bulgaria and abroad. The working language is Bulgarian, and applicants who have not graduated from a Bulgarian medical higher school are offered an intensive course in Bulgarian at the Medical University, which takes six to eight months and is planned to suit both parties. Successful applicants are then allowed to follow the program designed by the respective tutor.
Pleven is a modern city, the academic, economic, cultural and indeed medical center of Central and West-North Bulgaria, situated in the heart of the Danube plane, just two hours from the capital Sofia.
Pleven boasts cultural, leisure and sporting facilities of the highest order. Pleven at night is never dull. There is a vast array of things to do and places to go, with pubs and cafes to cater for every conceivable taste. Entertainment is especially strong - music, drama, opera, and dance plus dozens of galleries and cinemas to ensure that free evenings are full evenings.
Pleven enjoys excellent road and rail links. It is situated at important crossroads. Here pass the roads to Sofia, Varna, Rousse, Plovdiv, Veliko Turnovo and Lovetch. It is also a railway junction on the railroad from Sofia to Varna and the international railroads from Sofia to Berlin, Bucharest, Moscow and Sankt Petersburg.
The climate in Pleven is continental, with four clearly differentiated seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter. Annual temperatures fall within the range of minus 15°C to plus 35°C.
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