Department of urology and andrology

The creation of the urology and andrology department of the Heratsi State Medical University is connected with the urology course attached to the Department of Surgical Diseases No. 2 of the Yerevan Medical Institute in 1954. The founder of the course, and of urology in Armenia in general, was associate professor Avetik Midoyan, who led it until 1991. Since 1991, Assoc. was appointed head of the course. Yuri Zohrabyan, who led until 2003. In 1978, in parallel with the urology course attached to the Department of Surgical Diseases of the Yerevan Medical Institute #2, a urology department was established at the Doctor’s Improvement Institute (for the purpose of training doctors), the head of which was appointed Assoc. Ivan Gerasimi Aghajanyan. These years were special for the development of urology in the republic in terms of personnel, science, and technology. During this period, more than 2 dozen scientific works were published. In 2003, Yerevan M. At Heratsi State Medical University, with the direct efforts of Armen Muradyan, a chair of urology was established. The staff of the department were mainly young professionals, thanks to their selfless work, modern educational programs were created for both students and clinical residents. Thanks to the energetic work of the department’s employees, an unprecedented interest in the subject of urology arose among students, which was evidenced by the fact that the department was twice recognized as the best by the students’ assessment, as well as the fact that the number of clinical residents admitted to the department increased every year. Prof. A. A. Muradyan headed the chair until 2011. In 2011 the chair of the S. K. H. Avdalbekyan National Institute for the Improvement of Doctors, which was engaged in post-graduate education, was united with Yerevan M. Chair of Heratsi State Medical University. As a result of disagreement between urology and andrology chair headed by prof. A. Muradyan and the management of the YSMU, decision was made to close the chair and assign postgraduate questions to I. Aghajanyan, who headed the chair until 2014. In 2014, the Department of Urology was reorganized into the Department of Urology and Andrology, including the Andrology course. prof. A. A. Muradyan   was appointed head of the chair, who heads the chair to this day.

In the chair is teaching the subject of urology and andrology. The training is conducted for the 4th year students of the faculties of general medicine, military medicine, and foreign affairs in the form of cyclical classes, lasting two weeks. Training is conducted in the form of practical classes, lectures, interactive discussions. The educational material is presented in Armenian, English and Russian versions, both in electronic and printed version. At the end of the cycle classes, students pass a centralized computer exam. From 2003 until now, about 8,000 students from the faculties of general medicine, military medicine and foreign language students studied at the department. Post-graduate training in the department is represented by clinical residency in urology for three years. The educational process of clinical residents includes the acquisition of theoretical knowledge based on modern, evidence-based medicine through the current medical literature, the acquisition and strengthening of practical skills through patient management, direct participation in operations and hospital duties. The knowledge of clinical residents is checked by the methods of annual examinations and final state certification. From 2003 until now, the department has graduated 97 clinical residents. Post-graduate education in the form of training courses for medical specialists and mid-level medical staff is also conducted at the department. Training programs are developed and regularly updated, making them conform to modern international requirements.

Since 2003, the department has published 8 methodological books, one textbook for students, clinical residents, medical specialists, about 320 scientific articles, of which 27 articles have an impact factor. From 2003 until now, the chair has had 5 PhD students. n the initial stages of the formation of the chair, the scope of scientific interests included the study of urodynamic studies and their changes during various urological diseases and during their treatment, the study of the clinico-biological basis of improving the methods of treatment of advanced prostate cancer, the study of non-invasive methods of treatment of urolithiasis. In later regions, research works were carried out in the direction of improving the surgical treatment methods of varicocele, comparing the use of the latest methods of treating benign prostatic hyperplasia, morphofunctional changes of the detrusor during infravesical obstruction, remote stone crushing in case of urolithiasis, and evaluating the effectiveness of new treatment methods. Recently, taking into account the emergence of the morbidity of various diseases caused by the co-epidemic of COVID-19 and the changes in their clinical course, research works have also started to be carried out in the direction of studying the peculiarities of the course of urological diseases caused by COVID-19.

All employees of the Department of Urology and Andrology are involved in clinical work. The chair is located in 6 clinical bases. The main base is “Heratsi” No. 1 hospital complex. The employees of all the bases are also the heads of these clinics. Clinical works include both conservative and surgical treatment methods. Conservative treatment of non-specific inflammatory diseases of the genitourinary system, lower urinary tract symptoms, infertility, sexual dysfunction is carried out. The clinics are equipped with modern equipment and provide the latest technological solutions. In the clinical bases of the clinic, surgeries are performed in connection with benign and malignant tumor diseases of all organs of the urinary system, all surgical interventions for the treatment of urolithiasis, including surgical interventions using modern endoscopic technologies, endoscopic interventions of various volumes using laser equipment, surgical interventions in connection with male infertility, plastic-reconstructive surgeries. All clinic bases work on a 24-hour schedule, making it possible to organize urgent urological care and provide emergency services.