My name is Franceska Hristova, and I’m from the “Nadezhda” neighborhood in Sliven — a place that feels like a separate town with around 30,000 residents. Most people here run their own businesses, but almost no one has a university degree. I know only three people with higher education; one of them graduated from the American University and now works in Journalism and Politics.
My father has a degree in Pedagogy. Until recently, he worked for an NGO, but he is currently unemployed. My mother has a high school education and works as a health mediator. I have a younger sister. We live entirely on my parents’ salaries, and we often face financial difficulties.
As a child, I dreamed of a musical career — I played several instruments from the age of five. Later, I decided to keep music as a hobby and focus on the natural sciences so I could one day study Medicine.
I applied for the preparatory course* because I knew that without it, private lessons would be necessary — something my family couldn’t afford. This was my chance. I was happy to be accepted, but I worried about the long commute from Sliven to Sofia. Sometimes I had to leave at 4 a.m. to arrive on time.
I received support from everywhere — my family, friends, teachers, and the course organizers. The material sometimes seemed overwhelming, but together with the other students, we studied, tested each other, and motivated one another.
The moment I learned I had been accepted was filled with tears and joy. My family celebrated by treating the neighbors, and people in the neighborhood were proud, saying that one day I would treat them.
Today, my dream is clear — to finish medical school and one day work at the hospital in Sliven. At first, I thought I would specialize in Endocrinology, but now I am still exploring different options and haven’t chosen a specific specialty yet. I have fears — about being away from my family, about studying, and about financial difficulties — but I believe I can succeed.
To me, a good doctor is above all a good person. I want to be exactly that kind of doctor — dedicated to people.
A year later
My first year went wonderfully. From the very beginning, I was motivated to dive deeper into Medical Sciences and enjoyed being able to understand the same material, but now in much greater detail. For fun, I also learned to play bass guitar in the medical faculty’s music group.
Every new day in the first year was a challenge for me. At first, I felt confident that I could handle the study material without difficulty, but over time I realized how much harder it became rather than easier. Despite that, I managed to adapt to the pace and the volume of material that needed to be memorized.
I am very proud that I passed all my exams on the first attempt. If I had to summarize what I learned in one sentence — no matter how much you study, you always feel like you haven’t learned enough. There is always more to add, and there is no limit to knowledge.
Franceska is a participant in preparatory courses in Biology, Chemistry, and Bulgarian Language & Literature, part of the project “Candidate-student courses for young people of Roma origin for admission to medical universities in Bulgaria”—funded by TSA and implemented by the Health Problems of Minorities Foundation (HPMF).
In the 2024/2025 academic year, all 6 participants in the course were admitted to study Medicine or Pharmacy – their top choice.
Over the past 20 years, more than 100 young Roma girls and boys have taken part in the Biology and Chemistry preparatory courses organized by Prof. Ivaylo Tarnev and his HPMF team.
Over 60 of them have gone on to study Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, and other health-related fields. Today, most are working as doctors in leading Bulgarian hospitals, in smaller municipal hospitals, and in emergency medical centers.
The project seeks to help overcome barriers to preparation and admission for Roma students aspiring to study Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmacy. We provide highly motivated young people with free access to life-changing preparatory courses. Despite these efforts, many youth still face difficulties, as they come from working poor families and towns with limited opportunities.
Support young people like Francheska - the future doctors, pharmacists, and dentists of Bulgaria—you can make a donation to:
Bulgarian Postbank
IBAN: BG88BPBI79401064780501
BIC: BPBIBGSF
Reference: “Medical students”
The account belongs to the National Network of Health Mediators.