Anesthesiology and intensive care

Founded in 1999
For many years students of Yerevan State Medical University would study “Anesthesiology and Reanimatology” within subject “Surgery”. In 1975-1998 at the department of “Surgical Diseases” there was an “Anesthesiology and Reanimatology” course under the guidance of PhD assоciate professor Georgi Oganesovich Anzhelov. The studies of the subject were held at the Republican hospital named after V.I.Lenin (now Medical Center Armenia). In 1972 the first intensive care unit of the republic was opened there. Furthermore, from 1981 the only toxicological center of the republic was operated there under G.O. Anzhelov’s guidance.

In 1999 PhD prof Gagik Gnunovich Mkhoyan founded the department of “Anesthesiology, Reanimatology and Intensive Care” at the Yerevan State Medical University based at the medical center “Erebuni”, that was not only getting the students of the Medical University  acquainted with the basics of the subject, but was also providing postgraduate training of the personnel, capable of working in all four areas of critical care medicine – anesthesiology, intensive care (i.e. reanimatology), emergency medicine and disaster medicine.

Prof. G.G.Mkhoyan’s contribution to the development of anesthesiology and reanimatology in our republic is huge. For many years he was also the leading specialist of the Ministry of Health of the RA and the president of the Armenian Association of Anesthesiologists and Reanimatologists. 1 doctorate and 8 PhD degrees were earned under his supervision, and more than 150 scientific works were published. In 2008 he was also nominated as a Honorary Doctor of Armenia.

Prof. G.G.Mkhoyan was he head of the department until February 2009, afterwards, for a year the head was associate professor M.I.Yeghiazaryan. Since 2011 and up till now PhD Prof. Irina Eduardovna Malkhasyan is the head of the department, who was standing together with professor G.G.Mkhoyan at the beginning of the foundation of the department. The department is mainly at University Hospital “Heratsi” N1.

Clinical base of the department

• “Heratsi” University Hospital Complex № 1
• Mikaelyan Instutute of Surgery
• “Muracan” University Hospital Complex № 1
• Hematology Center after prof. R. Yeolyan
• “St. Grigor Lusavorich” Medical Center
• Ophthalmological center after S.V. Malayan
• “St.Astvazamayr” Medical Center
• “Erebuni” Medical Center
• “Arabkir” Medical Center

Simulation center of YSMU  (within the complex of Mikaelyan Instutute of Surgery)

Following subjects are taught at the department:

• “Anesthesiology and Intensive Care” on the 6^th year of the Faculty of General Medicine, for two weeks.
• “Emergency Medicine” on the 5^th year of Stomatological Faculty, for one week.
• “Emergency Medicine” on the 4^th year of Pharmacological Faculty, for two weeks.

The objective of “Intensive Care” part of the module is to introduce students the impairments of the major aspects of human homeostasis (electrolyte, acid-base balance etc.) and their correction principles (infusion-transfusion therapy, artificial respiration principles, etc.), as well as life-threatening conditions (cardiac arrest, acute respiratory and cardiac failure, coma, shock etc.), the basics of which are vital to any medical profession.

The objective of “Anesthesiology” part of the module is to introduce students’ modern methods of anesthesia, which are used in surgery, therapy and instrumental diagnostic interventions. Knowledge of pain physiology and introduction to modern anesthetic methods will allow physicians/doctors of any medical profession to make treatment process more effective and efficient.

The provided material for the program is taught to students in the form of lectures, practical and cycle classes. It also provides for independent work on mannequins in the simulation center of YSMU and the direct acquisition of clinical skills when working with patients in the clinical bases of the department.

In all subjects for English-speaking students published the relevant textbooks.

Postgraduate education at the department is carried out in the form of three modules:

• clinical residency in the specialty “Anesthesiology and Intensive Care” (training period – 3 years),
• postgraduate studies in the specialty “Anesthesiology and Intensive Care” (duration of study – 3 years),
• at the department since November 2022 was created a course in the specialty “Pediatric Anesthesiology and Intensive Care” (term of study – 3 years) under the guidance of the head of the intensive care clinic of the “Muratsan” University Medical Complex N2 Grant Kalenteryan.

  Theoretical knowledge and practical skills are acquired by clinical residents of the department in accordance with the requirements of European universities. In addition to practical work, clinical residents in the learning process are engaged in research work, actively use simulation simulators and library funds of the University and the department.

     Since the day of foundation more than 360 clinical residents have studied and received special education at the department.

Scientific researches carried out by the staff of the department are aimed at studying and development of the methods of treatment patients in critical conditions (with severe polytraumas, cerebrovascular accidents, acute respiratory pathologies, etc.), carrying prolonged mechanical lung ventilation and hemodialysis etc.

The staff of the department is involved in the research program funded by YSMU on the topic “Early diagnosis and optimization of the treatment of multiple organ failure syndrome in critically ill patients.”

All the results of the researches have constantly been presented at many local and international scientific conferences and have been implemented in the clinical practice of national health care.

• European Society of Anesthesiology (ESA),
• Foundation for European Education in Anesthesiology (FEEA)
• Russian-Germany Societies of Anaesthesiology (ADRA)
• New York State Society of Anesthesiology (NYSSA)
• European Training Foundation, Tempus program
• World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiology (WFSA),
• Committee for European Education in Anaesthesiology (CEEA).