PhD Hayk Harutyunyan, Associate Professor of General Surgery at YSMU and Surgeon at “Astghik” Medical Center, recently completed advanced liver transplant training at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), from September 3 to September 19.
UCLA is a prestigious university, attracting tens of thousands of students and doctors worldwide who aspire to study and work there. It’s no coincidence that the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA consistently ranks among the top medical schools in the United States.
For the past 35 years, UCLA Health has been recognized as the top medical institution in Los Angeles and California. UCLA Health is known for its state-of-the-art medical facilities, advanced medical treatments, and pioneering surgical procedures. It is especially renowned in the field of deceased donor liver transplantation. With years of experience in transplants and a highly qualified surgical team, UCLA performs a large number of deceased donor liver transplantations annually, achieving excellent results. The surgical team at UCLA is considered world-class and holds an international reputation for excellence. UCLA is also actively involved in transplant research, continuously developing new methods to improve patient outcomes.
During his three-week training, Dr. Harutyunyan had the opportunity to work alongside an exceptional surgical team and observe various laparoscopic and robotic surgeries for liver and pancreatic tumors. Moreover, as a member of the transplant surgery team, Dr. Harutyunyan had the unique chance to participate in organ harvesting surgeries from deceased donors travelling across multiple states via helicopter and private jet.
Dr. Harutyunyan is the first graduate in the history of YSMU to have the opportunity to train at UCLA’s Liver Transplant Department and, even more remarkably, to participate in adult deceased donor transplantations and a multivisceral organ transplantation for a child.
He expresses special gratitude to Professor Vatche Agopian, Head of the UCLA Liver Transplant Center, an outstanding surgeon and scientist of Armenian descent. He is pleased to announce that their continued collaboration and friendship will contribute to the establishment of a deceased donor organ transplant program in Armenia.
