Significance and opportunities for professional realization of physician assistants in Bulgarian health system
General Medicine, 2026, 28(1), 3-12.
G. Stoilchev1, B. Parashkevova1, M. Baev2
1Trakia University – Stara Zagora,
2New Bulgarian University – Sofia
Abstract. The importance and opportunities for professional realization of physician assistants in the Bulgarian healthcare system have not yet been fully assessed. Normative restrictions on qualification are a prerequisite for the limited functions that these specialists have in their work. The changes that occurred in 2024, with the establishment of an independent professional organization – the Bulgarian Union of Physician Assistants and Feldshers, are grounds for optimism for the future of the community. The uncertainty characteristic of the system and directly related to the lack of staffing can be overcome with an investment in the development of physician assistants, as the connecting link between medical doctors and nurses. The differences within the group, predetermined by generational reasons, can serve as a more complex and accurate justification when making decisions to change the regulations of the profession.
Key words: physician assistant, feldsher, health system, professional qualification, professional organization
Address for correspondence: Dr. Georgi Stoilchev, e-mail: georgi.stoilchev@gmail.com