Faculty of General Medicine

Back in 1920, 9th of October, the rector of Yerevan State University Mr. Yuri Ghambaryan sent a proposal letter to the Minister of Public Education outlining the importance of launching a medical faculty. On November 3, 1921, Yerevan School of Medical Training was founded, following the Sovietization of the Republic of Armenia.

On March 15, 1922, to ensure the systematic nature of educational processes, the Faculty of Medicine at Yerevan State University was established on the basis of Yerevan School of Medical Training. To note, the study programs and curriculum met the requirements of higher medical education. In 1922, 122 students were enrolled in the Faculty of Medicine. 

Afterwards, the Departments of General and Bioorganic Chemistry, Histology, and Human Anatomy were founded. Dr. Spandarat Kamsarakan, a skilled healthcare organizer, was appointed the first dean of the Faculty of Medicine. At the time, the academic staff of the faculty involved 6 professors, 3 associate professors and 8 teaching assistants.

In addition, the Faculty of Medicine also invited graduates of European and Russian universities, and renowned doctors Vahan Artsruni, Grigor Areshyan, Hambartsum Kechek, Grigor Mednikyan, Khachatur Arkhipyants, Artashes Melik-Adamyan and many others to join the academic community and teach at the Faculty. It is noteworthy that at the opening ceremony of the Faculty, Vahan Artsruni – one of the pillars of launching the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Yerevan – gave his inaugural lecture on human anatomy in Armenian. 

The year of 1927 marked a new stage in the history of training the medical staff in Armenia. 32 medical students graduated from State University and dedicated themselves to the cause of developing healthcare and medical science in the country. 

In 1930, the Faculty of Medicine had a remarkable progress in admission numbers – a total of 136 students. To mention, the State had not outlined any admission scheme since the inception of the Faculty, and there was actually no restriction in the enrollments. It was at the beginning of the 1930-31 academic year that the Faculty of Medicine adopted an enrollment management strategy reflecting a defined (150) number of students. The first dean of the faculty was S. Kh. Baghdasaryan (until 1937).

In 1940, the total number of students reached 1010. Between 1951 and 1955, the number of graduates was 744. In 1957, members of the Armenian Diaspora were given the opportunity to get higher medical education in Armenia. In the 1999-2000 academic year, the faculties of general medicine, pediatrics and preventive medicine merged to form the faculty of General Medicine.

Former Deans of the faculty:

A. Aghasaryan (associate professor)

G.A. Minasyan (professor)

V.G. Mkhitaryan (professor)

A.H. Beglaryan (professor)

V.Z. Grigoryan (professor)

L.A. Frangulyan (associate professor)

R.S. Mamikonyan (professor)

V.P. Hakobyan (professor)

V.A. Shekoyan (professor)

S.Kh. Grigoryan (professor)

A.G. Harutyunyan (professor)

M.M. Mirijanyan (professor)

S.A. Avetisyan (professor)

N.B. Shahverdyan (associate professor)

T. Papazyan (professor)  

Currently, the Dean of the Faculty is Dr. K. M. Baroyan, Associate Professor.

The undergraduate education is currently achieved through a six-year, integrated one-step program, followed by a four-year-long postgraduate course of study. The program is taught in Armenian, Russian and English. The Faculty of General Medicine is home to around 4000 students – of which over 1200 international students. The Department of International Students’ Academic Affairs is in charge of the coordination of overseas students’ educational process.

The curricula are designed to reflect theoretical, as well as specialized and correlated clinical subjects. Practical courses are conducted in University’s various specialized laboratories, using skills-based medical/clinical simulation and relevant instructional materials. In the academic year of 2022-23, the standardized assessment of practical clinical skills was carried out in the OSCE format (Objective Structured Clinical Skills Examination), in 25 newly renovated and equipped rooms in Mikaelyan Institute of Surgery. Starting with the 2023 academic year, the MD program is instructed in a modular format.

MD (Medical Doctor) Programme

The goal of the one-step and integrated MD programme is to educate and train qualified, competitive and skillful specialists, who possess thorough, systematized and in-depth specialist knowledge, demonstrate skills, competences and exemplify behavioral practices to the satisfaction of the faculty and the standards of the profession. The program features a modular design and is offered as a one-step and integrated program, with a statutory length of 6 years.

The program is taught and assessed over 12 semesters; with 30 ECTS credits per semester. Annual credit load is 60 ECTS credits where 1 credit is equivalent to 30 academic hours. Students are taught theoretical as well as specialized and clinical subjects. Upon program completion, qualification “MD Physician” is awarded to the programme graduates.

The instruction of theoretical subjects is carried out in the University-owned buildings (i.e., biochemical, administrative, laboratory, anatomical); clinical subjects are instructed in the University simulation centre, as well as University hospital complexes (for example, “Muratsan”, “Heratsi”, “Mikayelyan Institute of Surgery”), in the affiliated clinical diagnostic and pathological laboratories, and also in University teaching hospitals located in different healthcare institutions. The teaching faculty of the academic departments is involved in the program instruction; the lecturers in the clinical departments are practising doctors.

Program specialized courses are taught at the following academic departments:

• Internal Medicine (Rheumatology, Pulmonology and Nephrology, Gastroenterology and Hepatology),
• Abdominal surgery, emergency and abdominal surgery, thoracic surgery, endocrine surgery, cardiovascular surgery,
• Obstetrics and Gynecology N1 and N2,
• Paediatrics N1 and N2.

Annual tuition fee constitutes AMD 1.300.000.

Year I

Theoretical courses: Medical Chemistry, Medical Biology, Medical Physics, Human Anatomy (including Fundamentals of Radiology), Clinical Anatomy, Histology, Latin, General Military Readiness (for military students), History of Armenian Civilization, History of Medicine, Academic Armenian, Academic English, Physical Education.

Clinical courses: First Aid (including Clinical Skills), Practical Skills 1 (Introduction to Healthcare Institutions and Basic Clinical Procedures).

Elective courses: Presentation Skills in Medicine, Public Communication Skills in Medicine.

Year II

Theoretical courses: Human Anatomy, Histology, Normal Physiology, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Clinical Anatomy, Surgery, Medical Psychology, Philosophy, Bioethics, Civil Defense, Fundamentals of Research.

Clinical courses: Practical training (introduction to the organization and structure of the hospital and outpatient care settings).

Elective courses: Fundamentals of Sexology, Communication Skills in Medicine, Patient Safety, Physical Education (for military students), Organization, Strategy and Tactics of the Medical Services (for military students).

Year III

Theoretical courses: Pathological Anatomy, Pathophysiology, Microbiology, Pharmacology, Health Law, General Military Readiness (for military students).

Clinical courses: Propaedeutics of Internal Medicine, General Surgery, practical training (Nursing Assistant).

Elective courses: Phytotherapy in Medicine, Leadership in Medicine, Advanced Research Skills, Conflict Management in Medicine, Fundamentals of Neuroscience, Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, Developmental Psychology.

Year IV

Theoretical courses: Public Health, Hygiene, Ecology.

Clinical courses: Internal Medicine (Cardiology), Internal Medicine (Pulmonology and Nephrology), Internal Medicine (Gastroenterology), Surgical Diseases (Abdominal Surgery), Military Toxicology (for military students), Obstetrics, Gynaecology, Diagnostic Radiology, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Haematology, Medical Genetics, Paediatrics, Urology and Andrology, practical training (OB-GYN Medical Assistant, Surgical Assistant, Therapy Assistant).

Elective courses: Child Health, Clinical Sexology.

Year V

Clinical courses: Internal Medicine (Gastroenterology), Surgical Diseases, Paediatrics, Obstetrics, Gynaecology, Endocrinology, Epidemiology, Psychiatry, Oncology, Phthisiology, Infectious Diseases, Clinical Immunology and Allergology, Maxillofacial Surgery, ENT Diseases, Ophthalmology, Traumatology, Orthopaedics, Dermatovenereology, Clinical Pharmacology, Rehabilitation Medicine, Sports Medicine, practical training (Emergency Medicine Physician Assistant (EMPA), Surgical Assistant, Paediatric Medical Assistant (PMA)).

Elective courses: Sports Medicine, Gerontology, Medical Ecology, Nutritional Science, Emotional Intelligence.

Year VI

Clinical courses: Internal Medicine (Gastroenterology), Internal Medicine (Pulmonology and Nephrology), Internal Medicine (Cardiology), Surgical Diseases, Obstetrics, Gynaecology, Disaster Medicine, Paediatric Surgery, Battlefield Care, Battlefield Surgery, Clinical Pathomorphology, Sports Medicine, Rehabilitology, Proctology, Infectious Diseases, Forensic Medicine, Haematology, Transfusion Medicine, Family Medicine, Outpatient Therapy, Resuscitation, Intensive Care.

The Faculty of General Medicine is headed by the Dean. Under the Dean’s supervision, the Dean’s Office coordinates and oversees the academic, teaching and learning processes at the academic/clinical departments; organizes and runs consultations and meetings with individual students and student groups, monitors student attendance, and performs other related responsibilities. The Faculty Academic Council operates under the Dean’s Office.

The Staff of the Academic Council