Department of Psychiatry

Department was founded in 1926.

The department was headed by Professor Gregory Ter-Akopian (Gro) (1930-1937), Professor AA Zaitsev (1938-1944), professor, corresponding member of the USSR Academy of Natural Sciences. H. Mehrabian (1944-1985), Professor V. H. Hovhannisyan (1991-1993), Armenia Medical Academician, member of the New York Academy of Sciences, member of “Geneva Initiative” Professor MA Melik-Pashayan (1985-1991, 1993-2008).
Since 1957 the main clinical bases of Department of Psychiatry is “Downtown” mental health center.
Since 2008 the department is headed by Prof. E. Armen Melik-Pashayan.

At the department of psychiatry applied a two-stage system of education students, including Baccalaureate and Magistracy. Department of Psychiatry provided education of students of the fifth and sixth courses of medical, dental, military-medical faculties.
Training is conducted in the form of cycles and includes lectures and workshops. At the medical and military-medical faculties lectures are 30 and workshops – 60 hours. Lectures at the dental faculty are 10 hours, practical classes – 15 hours.
Control of students’ knowledge is carried out in the form of test control.
The teaching process based on the educational literature created by the department staff. Thus, the first Armenian-language 2 textbook of Psychiatry were published (1994, 2012), manual on “Psychiatry” for students in Armenian, Russian and English languages, as well as a manual on Medical psychology (1995).

Postgraduate education includes clinical residency and PhD training as well as advanced training of doctors. Education in clinical residency conducted by specialty “Psychiatry”, “Narcology”, “Psychotherapy”, “Military Psychiatry”, “Child psychiatry”. The duration of training varies from one to three years depending on the specialty. Also the cycle of “Psychiatry” is included in the educational program for clinical residents in the specialty “Family Medicine”.
Currently, at the department trained 11 medical residents, including 1 foreign clinical resident.
The department of Psychiatry located in 4 clinics: Mental Health Center “Nork”, Avan Psychiatric Hospital, the Center Neuroses, Narcology clinic.
At the department held training courses for doctors, psychiatrists, psychotherapists, narcologists, military doctors, as well as nurses, covering issues of diagnostics, clinics, treatment and rehabilitation of mental disorders.

In recent time, at the department of psychiatry were developed such scientific topics as the problem of personality, consciousness, schizophrenia, organic brain pathology, clinical, epidemiological and transcultural aspects of mental disorders in Armenia.
Monographs, textbooks, scientific papers were published, also were defended 15 theses, including 4 doctoral dissertations.
The scientific theme of the department is the problem of affective and intellectual-mental disorders in primary care.
Currently, at the department is conducted an international research project “Genetic and clinical predictors of recurrence of depression in the Russian Federation and the Republic of Armenia: predictive cross-cultural model” with grant support from the RFBR and State Tax Committee of Armenia.
At the department work a student scientific club of Psychiatry.

Department of Psychiatry carries out international cooperation in the field of science and in education.
Since 2012, the Department of Psychiatry collaborated with the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP). Over the years more than 20 young psychiatrists have been trained at ECNP School of Neuropsychopharmacology (Oxford), ECNP School of Old Age Neuropsychopharmacology, ECNP School of Child and Adolescent Neuropsychopharmacology (Venice), and visited the ECNP Congresses. In 2014 the Professor A.E. Melik-Pashayan organized a seminar for psychiatrists and invited professors from Israel and Spain – ECNP Seminar of Neuropsychopharmacology, which was attended about 30 young professionals.
Staff of the department actively participate in the work of public and professional organizations: Head of the department Professor A.E. Melik-Pashayan is the Ambassador of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) in Armenia; Associate Professor A.F. Soghoyan is the President of Armenian Psychiatric Association and was elected Financial Secretary of the World Psychiatric Association; Professor M.G. Yeghiyan is the President of the Armenian Association of Child Psychiatrists.