Assoc. Prof. Iliya Valkov graduated in medicine at Medical University - Pleven in 1980. He has a professional qualification in histochemical methods from Medical University - Sofia (1985) and in 1986 acquired a specialty in anatomy. In 1991, he specialized in the neurosurgery clinic of Medical University - Sofia and acquired a second specialty in neurosurgery. He specialized in the "Gamma Knife" methodology in the USA, Virginia in 1993. Defended a dissertation in the field of brain injuries and cognitive potentials for outcome assessment and obtained a scientific degree of "Ph.D." in 2014.

Specialist in health management since 2015. In 2017, he was elected associate professor of neurosurgery at Medical University - Pleven, and since 2017, head of the neurosurgery clinic of University Hospital "G. Stranski" - Pleven.

Assoc. Prof. Valkov has more than 60 publications in authoritative scientific journals in the country and abroad, one monograph and a chapter of a textbook on neurology.

Republican consultant in neurosurgery for Northern Bulgaria.

Main professional interests in the field of surgical and conservative treatment of disc herniation, carpal tunnel syndrome, consequences of traumatic brain injuries, interventional treatment of chronic neuropathic pain.