This article is the third part of the series "60 years of the Medical University of Varna". The period under review begins in 1977 with the inauguration of the new leadership of the Medical Faculty of Varna, with Dean Prof. Dr Garabed Husebikyan Kaprelyan. From 10.01.1979, the Medical Faculty of Varna was reorganized into a Higher Medical Institute, within the Medical Academy (MA) of Sofia, and prof. Dr Garabed Kaprelian was elected Rector (1979 - 1983). During his terms of office, the construction of a series of new units was completed: the first modern hospital complex in Bulgaria, built specifically for the treatment of mentally ill patients, with five wards and 350 beds, new diagnostic-treatment and hygiene-epidemiological structures, with their own buildings. New laboratories and sectors were opened as well. The joint work between the Varna Мedical Institute and the Varna Primary District Hospital was expanded.
An afiliated faculty of the Varna Medical Institute was opened in the town of Tolbukhin (today Dobrich), for the training of medical students from the third to the sixth year, thus increasing the contribution of Varna Medical Institute (VMI) to raising the level of health care in North-Eastern Bulgaria. From 20.VI.1983 to 27.IV.1987 the Rector of VMI was Prof. Dr. Vanko Nachev Vankov. During his term of office the construction of the surgical corpus in Dobrich town was completed which were the structures of the surgical departments of the affiliated faculty, thus increasing the level of surgical care in the Dobrudja region and improving the conditions for students education.
On 29.X.1986, the most modern of its time hospital structure of the Varna Medical Institute was officially opened with 733 beds and a training campus, adjacent to the previously built hospital complex for the treatment of mentally ill. This created a powerful treatment and diagnostic complex with 1290 beds and 103 places for short hospital stay. VMI Varna established itself as an authoritative center of medical education, with a decisive impact on the improvement of healthcare in North-Eastern Bulgaria, receiving public recognition for its 25 years contribution to medical science, practice and education.
