Ministry of Health: Medical Residents' Salaries Should Not Be Linked to the Minimum Wage

Medical residents’ salaries should not be linked to the minimum wage. This is proposed by the Ministry of Health in the draft amendments to Ordinance No. 1 on the acquisition of specialties in the healthcare system, published for public consultation. The consultation period will last one month, the Ministry of Health announced.

The changes were drafted by a working group established by the Minister of Health, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Silvi Kirilov. It includes representatives from the “Future in Bulgaria” Initiative Committee. The goal is to ensure greater transparency in residency competitions, protect the rights of young doctors, and provide better oversight of medical training.

Among the primary proposals is the removal of the text in Article 15, Paragraph 3, which had raised concerns that residents must be hired at the minimum wage. This amendment will eliminate the possibility of such an interpretation.

It is further proposed that a representative of the Ministry of Health from the respective Regional Health Inspectorate participate in all residency competitions. This will ensure equality and impartiality. Consensus was not reached regarding the introduction of centralized competitions. The reason: according to higher education institutions and employer organizations, this approach would create staffing deficits in hospitals.

The criteria for residency supervisors will also be tightened—the required professional experience will increase from 3 to 5 years.

Furthermore, an online form will be created for reporting irregularities in training, and the whistleblowers’ data will not be shared with the healthcare facilities.

The results of annual surveys among residents will be sent to the Ministry and published on its website. Residency logbooks may also be issued in electronic format, and at a later stage, a central electronic register of medical residents will be established through amendments to the Health Act.

Changes are also planned for two other ordinances—each hospital will have a physician serving as an administrative officer for residents, and at the regional level, methodological supervisors from higher education institutions will be appointed.

You can review the draft ordinance here.