Is it even worth going to Bulgaria?

I have been considering medicine in Eastern Europe as a backup if I do not receive any offers for studying in the UK.

Though after hearing some people say it’s very difficult to come back to the UK, I have been having doubts.

What do opportunities look like for Eastern European graduates? Are UK students much preferred?

I would also like to clear up the whole FY1 or stand alone FY2 thing. I have heard many people say different things about it. Which one is more usual and is there one which holds significantly more opportunity over the other?

Last I heard, the majority of international students in Sofia and Plovdiv are British citizens. They wouldn’t be there if they thought they were gonna have problems returning to work in the NHS. My best guess is that British students are still going to Bulgaria even after Brexit because these universities are the most established in sending graduates to the NHS every year.

If you’re still worried about it, I recommend you take a trip to Bulgaria, meet some of the international students for yourself, visit the universities you’re interested in, and ask the students all your questions. I’m sure any of them would be happy to help you.

Well I was hoping there'd be international students on here so I didn't have to take the trip to Bulgaria lol

Well I was hoping there'd be international students on here so I didn't have to take the trip to Bulgaria lol

There aren’t many international students on here tbh. Most of the responses will come from people who studied at British universities. See if you can connect with international students over social media or LinkedIn?

If making a short trip to Bulgaria is something you'd like to avoid, are you really going to be happy to live and work there for several years?

(I'm not getting at you, I just think it's a question you should be asking yourself. Your subconscious may be trying to tell you something.)

@ecolier, Hi, do you think in the future UK grads will be preferred over international grads for foundation year places? I have heard someone say that for dentistry foundation training, UK grads are given priority and this is likely to happen in the future for medical students as well.

Hey I’ve done further research since I’ve asked this question.

You skip FY1 completely due to your internship.

There are 2 types of jobs for FY2, training and non-training. The training jobs are the standard foundation year positions.

The usual training positions are usually taken up by UK graduates, who are usually prioritised, so you probably won’t get into one of those.

The usual route for international graduates is to get a NON-TRAINING FY2 post. This means you won’t be trained during your time there, but you will be working as an FY2 if that makes sense.

FY2 non training positions are very easy to find for IMGs and you shouldn’t have a problem.

You can do this for a few months and get your competencies signed I believe, which will allow you to continue to further training as usual just like someone who finished the usual foundation years.

This is just what I’ve got from my own research. I’m now no longer considering this path for other reasons.

Hey I’ve done further research since I’ve asked this question.

You skip FY1 completely due to your internship.

There are 2 types of jobs for FY2, training and non-training. The training jobs are the standard foundation year positions.

The usual training positions are usually taken up by UK graduates, who are usually prioritised, so you probably won’t get into one of those.

The usual route for international graduates is to get a NON-TRAINING FY2 post. This means you won’t be trained during your time there, but you will be working as an FY2 if that makes sense.

FY2 non training positions are very easy to find for IMGs and you shouldn’t have a problem.

You can do this for a few months and get your competencies signed I believe, which will allow you to continue to further training as usual just like someone who finished the usual foundation years.

This is just what I’ve got from my own research. I’m now no longer considering this path for other reasons.

I have been considering medicine in Eastern Europe as a backup if I do not receive any offers for studying in the UK.

Though after hearing some people say it’s very difficult to come back to the UK, I have been having doubts.

What do opportunities look like for Eastern European graduates? Are UK students much preferred?

I would also like to clear up the whole FY1 or stand alone FY2 thing. I have heard many people say different things about it. Which one is more usual and is there one which holds significantly more opportunity over the other?

Hey, I am studying at Sofia Medical University and I can tell you that is amazing. Go for it, with an agency, but be careful which one will you choose, there are a lot of fake ones

What A Levels/GCSEs did you get?

What is your plan when you get back to the UK, and is what I said in this thread 5 days ago true? Or do you have another route in mind?

I got 2C in my A levels.
After 2025 no matter if you graduate in the UK or anywhere in the world you will still need to pass the UKMLA.
For sure I will get back to the UK and continue studying and working.
Still, I will highly recommend to everyone who is facing problems getting to medical universities in the UK to apply for Bulgaria. But all of you must use an agency, otherwise, the application is impossible. Also, be very careful which agency will you use. I got lied twice till I found the best one ever.

im planning to study dentistry in plovdiv this year. im applying through an agency. do you know if admission for dentistry is competitive cause i didnt get the best Leaving cert/A level grades

I got 2C in my A levels.
After 2025 no matter if you graduate in the UK or anywhere in the world you will still need to pass the UKMLA.
For sure I will get back to the UK and continue studying and working.
Still, I will highly recommend to everyone who is facing problems getting to medical universities in the UK to apply for Bulgaria. But all of you must use an agency, otherwise, the application is impossible. Also, be very careful which agency will you use. I got lied twice till I found the best one ever.

Well I was hoping there'd be international students on here so I didn't have to take the trip to Bulgaria lol