Maria Ivanova Dimitrova

Assoc. Prof. Maria Ivanova Dimitrova serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Care at the Faculty of Public Health, Medical University - Sofia. Appointed in 2015 with a doctoral degree earned in 2014, she maintains active roles in teaching, research supervision, and national healthcare projects.

Her educational background includes:

• 1983: Nursing degree (public profile) from Medical College - Sofia
• Bachelor's in Health Care from Faculty of Public Health - Sofia
• 2002: Master's in Adult Education from Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski"
• 2010: Master's in Public Health and Health Management from Faculty of Public Health - Sofia
• Specialties in Medical Pedagogy and Public Health

Research focuses on nursing care foundations, complications prevention in specialized nursing contexts, innovative nursing education methodologies, and healthcare management systems. Her work bridges theoretical frameworks with practical healthcare delivery challenges, emphasizing organizational efficiency in medical teams.

Prof. Dimitrova supervises 5 doctoral students (4 successfully defended) and 35 master's students. Her project leadership spans the UNICEF "Baby-Friendly Hospitals" initiative, development of Bulgaria's "Breastfeeding Consultant" curriculum, Bulgarian-Swiss Hospital Hygiene Program training, Bulgarian-Dutch Palliative Care project, and 5 Medical University-funded research grants.

She teaches core nursing curricula including Philosophy and Introduction to Nursing Care, Surgical and Oncological Patient Care, and Palliative Nursing to Bachelor's students, shaping Bulgaria's next-generation nursing professionals through evidence-based pedagogy.