Department of Dermatology and Venereology at Medical University Pleven was created in 1977 on the basis of the regional Dispensary on Dermatology and Venereology. The first head of the Department was Assoc.Prof. Belizar Bajdekov, who has been replaced by Prof. Jeljo Chechmedjiev because of severely illness in the same year. After his retirement, from 1982 till 2003, the Department was managed by Assoc.Prof. Mariana Traschlieva. Since 2003 the Department of Dermatology and Venereology have been guided by Assoc. Prof. Dimitar Gospodinov. The Department became a part of an integrated Department of “Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Dermatology and Venereology” at the Medical Faculty, Medical University Pleven, in 2008.
The scientific and teaching staff of the Department of Dermatology and Venereology includes an assoc. professor – Assoc. Prof. D-r Dimitar Gospodinov, MD, PhD and three assistant professors as follows: D-r Verka Pavlova, D-r Maja Alexieva and D-r Ivelina Yordanova, MD, PhD. Al of them have been acquired speciality Dermatology and Venereology, at present.
From the beginning till this moment in the Department of Dermatology and Venereology 5 disertation papers have been defended and 5 scientific degrees “Doctor” have been acquired as follows: D-r Alexander Dubnishki: “Skin diseases morbidity and necessity from ambulatory-polyclinic assistance in Gabrovo region”/1981/; Assoc. Prof. Petranka Trojanova: “Incidence of Malignant melanoma and possibilities for its early diagnosis and prevention in Bulgaria” /1999/; Assoc. Prof Dimitar Gospodinov: “Еxamination of certain immunological parameters in patients with systemic Lupus erythematosus and Sclerodermia” /2004/; Assoc. Prof. Sonya Valkova: “ UV Phototherapy of certain dermatoses”/2000/; D-r Ivelina Yordanova: Epidermolysis bullosa hereditaria – epidemiology, diagnosis, complications, prognosis and medical management” /2003/. At present three new dissertations are developing as follows: D-r Valentina Dimitrova:” Clinical significance of the immunological changes in metabolism of collagen and elastin in the patients with different forms of Psoriasis Vulgaris”, D-r Valentin Valtchev: “Current aspects in the diagnosis and treatment of dermatomycoses”; D-r Daniela Grozeva: “Etiology and pathogenesis, clinics and current therapeutic approach for Atopic dermatitis”. In the Department of Dermatology and Venereology 7 post-graduated students are teaching.
There is teaching of Dermatology and Venereology in Bulgarian and English for medical students from IV and V courses with modern and attractive training methods. The exercises are richly illustrated. There are conditions for work with hospitalized patients and out-patients. General practitioners are educated in module “Dermatology and Venereology” in the Department of Dermatology and Venereology. Two-term educational programme have been initiated since 1993.
Department of “Dermatology and Venereology” is a unique university diagnostic, scientific and research center in Central Northern and Northwest Bulgaria, which gives the opportunities to do the most contemporary diagnostic methods and treatment possibilities for dermatological and venereological diseases.
Scientific and research activities of the Department are highly various and consistent with actual tendency to medical development in 21 century. They include: new therapeutic methods of approach to Psoriasis vulgaris and Atopic dermatitis; immunological investigations of the autoimmune skin diseases; incidence, causes and treatment of different forms of alopecia; prevention of early cancer genesis; epidemiology and mutagen analysis of certain hereditary skin diseases and syndromes; phototherapy in the treatment of dermatological diseases.
International contacts of the Department of Dermatology and Venereology Pleven are various and they dated from its foundation with University clinics of Dermatology in Philadelphia, Moscow, Sankt Peterburg, Freiburg, Jena, Zurich, Paris, Zagreb, St. John’s Institute of Dermatology, London.
The Department of Dermatology and Venereology is organizer and host of an annual national scientific dermatological conferences, IV Congress of Dermatology and Venereology with international participation /1995/, junior school of practical dermatology /1987 and 1995/.
At the Department of Dermatology and Venereology Pleven three associations were created and legal registrated: Association Epidermolysis Bullosa Bulgaria /1994/ with founder Assoc. Prof. Mariana Trachlieva and organizing secretary D-r Ivelina Yordanova; the first in the country association “Psoriatic” to the Disability Union /1996/ with a president Assoc. Prof. Dimitar Gospodinov. They function and enrich their own activity every year. In 2007 Association “Dermatology and Venerology – Pleven” was created with a president Assoc. Prof. Dimitar Gospodinov.
