Health Ministry Proposes €1,550 Monthly Pay for State-Funded Medical Residents
The Health Ministry proposes monthly pay of €1,550 for doctors undertaking state-funded specialist training. The amount is a proposal, not an adopted rule.
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Bulgaria's Ministry of Health is proposing a monthly salary of €1,550 for doctors in state-funded specialist training. Health Minister Katya Ivkova announced the proposal on 20 October amid continuing calls from healthcare professionals for better pay and working conditions.
A proposal, not a salary already in force
The proposed amount is among the measures under discussion for doctors training to become specialists. It does not mean that all residents already receive this pay or that the change has entered into force. The scope also matters: the proposal concerns state-funded training places, not automatically all young doctors.
The debate comes as young doctors and other healthcare professionals continue to call for better pay and working conditions. The final rules, financing and implementation will determine what changes in practice.
Why this matters
Specialist training conditions affect hospitals' ability to recruit and retain doctors, including outside Bulgaria's largest cities. For now, the announced proposal should not be presented as an increase already implemented.
Image: Illustrative photograph by Online Marketing / Unsplash. It is not from the event.
Sources: Bulgarian National Radio, 20 October 2026; Bulgarian News Agency, reporting on the proposal and healthcare protests.
