Medical University Sofia

Studying medicine at Medical University Sofia

Studying Medicine in the Land of Roses. Doesn’t that sound nice?

Bulgaria, the land of roses, gives you this opportunity! The Medical University Sofia issituated in the capital of Bulgaria, close to the city centre, presenting students theoption of being close to the cultural hub of Sofia. The campus is huge, witha few hospitals and university buildings on it. The dentistry building is close too. Thecampus can be entered from various entrances, each of them close to different forms ofpublic transport. Be it Bus, Tram or Metro,everything will take you there.

Despite being in Bulgaria, the language of study is English. The medical degree is 6years long, the first two being the preclinical years, the third year a bridge to theclinical years and the next 3 years are the clinical years. Applying to this universitycan be a bit tricky and confusing due to the language-barrier (Bulgarian is the officiallanguage here). But there are various organizations available that will take theapplication process off your hands, along with thetranslation of documents and provision of accommodation.

Year 1: In the first year the students are easedinto the process of studying anatomy. I personally loved the step-wise slow exposure tothe different levels of studying anatomy. Westarted with being taught basic terminology. Once we had that in, we were exposed tobones and then moved on to study muscles and nerves in the anatomy lab. Cytology taughtus the proper usage of a microscope to study cells.We had Biology too, which included Parasitology. That subject left its mark! Other thanthat we studied Chemistry, Physics and Latin. Since we would need to know Bulgarian tolive in Bulgaria, Bulgarian was a subject too.

Year 2: Anatomy and Bulgarian were continued insecond year. Cytology turned into Histology, with more focus on tissues and organs. Allseminars had a heavy focus on practical parts,with biochemistry regularly asking students to create presentations to explain thetopics and biophysics and physiology conducting all experiments in their labs.

Year 3: 3rd year introduces students to theclinics for the first time, through the subject Internal medicine. Students learn thebasics of the physical exam and the importance of historytaking. Pharmacology is a heavy focus, along with Pathophysiology. The studies from nowon are more clinics-based and more revolving around the human body. Microbiology andpathology are introduced too.

After 3rd year, the learning system changes. Exams are not conducted just at thesemester-ends anymore and subjects are not studied throughout the whole semester. From4th year on students go through a cycle-system; one speciality is studied for 30 daysand then followed by an exam.

Year 4 & 5: Students find themselves in theclinics, accompanying doctors and visiting patients. They can read through reports,witness medical procedures and learn to develop treatmentplans. Various specialities are covered in this way.

Year 6: The final year follows the cycle-systemtoo, for a short time though. After that state exams are conducted. Once the state examsare done, It’s time for GRADUATION !

• Before coming into the medicine you need be sure that it is the right path for you.Concepts will be taught to you by the professors and doctors, but Self-study will bewhat you’ll be doing the most. There is no way pastthat. You’ll be spending a lot of time preparing your notes.
• Since you’ll be studying in Bulgaria, a country where English is not the primarylanguage, you will have to learn Bulgarian
• Manchester is unique as they no longer use personal statements in the applicationprocess, opting instead to ask applicants to complete a non-academic form. This formdiscusses topics such as motivation for medicine, hobbiesand interest, team working, and experience in a role of care. It is crucial to havesomeform of volunteering experience or work experience completed as the universityplaceslots of emphasis on this aspect of the application.It is also important to not just copy and paste your personal statement into thisformand create structured and insightful answers that show what you have learned fromyourexperiences.