Ivailo Tournev, a leading neurologist based in Sofia, currently heads the program and plays a pivotal role in guiding these young students. He has been working closely with the Roma community for over two decades, organizing prep courses and training health mediators.“We knew it was crucial to train medical professionals from the Roma community, which was plagued by high child mortality, chronic diseases, and poor access to healthcare,” said Tournev.
Most of the students attending the TSA course succeed in completing their degrees and becoming medical professionals in leading hospitals in Sofia and across the country. In the last two editions of the course, 15 out of 17 of its secondary school graduates were accepted into a medical university.
These young doctors and nurses are reshaping perceptions both in the wider society and the Roma community: Not only do they ensure that Roma patients receive compassionate, dignified care from doctors who understand their unique challenges, but they also demonstrate talent and leadership, redefining the narrative of what it means to be Roma in Europe.
For many of the students, the program is the only opportunity they would have to pursue their dreams of a career in medicine. “Even if I could afford it there are no teachers in my town to prepare me,” said Gabriela Tsotsarova, who commutes nine hours from her hometown on the Black Sea to Sofia.
Some of the first graduates are now practicing professionals.
Angelov, for example, now mentors younger Roma students and believes the program serves as a practical model for Roma integration. “This program proves that when given the opportunity, Roma children can succeed,” he said.