Development of Public Health Education in Bulgaria

Public health education in Bulgaria has developed strong traditions since the introduction of medical education in the country at the beginning of the 20th century. In the periods before and during the socialist regime, public health training suffered from a lack of integration and comprehensive epidemiological studies, insufficient training in management, and limited involvement of non-medical professionals. During the transition to a market economy after 1989, changes in the national context and the acceptance of modern European trends in health and educational policy became a solid base for further reform of public health education on all levels: undergraduate, postgraduate, and continuing education. Four new academic entities (faculties) for public health training were created in Bulgarian medical universities. The new faculties offering bachelors’, masters’ and doctoral degree programmes provided the basis for further expansion of public health education and research advancement.