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AUA CHS and AAMA Launch New Professional Development Opportunity for Health Providers

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YEREVAN, Armenia — The American University of Armenia’s (AUA) Turpanjian College of Health Sciences (CHS) has collaborated with the Armenian American Medical Association (AAMA) to organize a series of educational events for health providers. The purpose of this collaboration is to provide an educational and experience exchange platform for health providers of Armenian origin living and working in the United States and those living and working in Armenia. Educational events are conducted in the format of lectures and clinical case discussions and focus on common chronic health problems, specifically current approaches to their management and prevention. The topics are selected according to the expressed interest of health providers working in Armenia.

The first webinar took place on September 7, on the topic of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and primary care management. The event drew the attention of the health community in Armenia and abroad, with around 100 participants. During the webinar, Dr. Ara Ajemian, primary care physician and medical director of primary and urgent care at Valley Medical Group in Montvale, New Jersey, presented a clinical case on the topic of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), more commonly known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Following the clinical case presentation, Dr. Raffi Karagozian, assistant professor of medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine and attending physician in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts, presented the criteria for the diagnosis of MASLD, the indications for liver imaging/FibroScan, and proper evaluation in the setting of mild to moderate elevation of aminotransferase, as well as modern treatment approaches. Dr. Ajemian then offered suggestions on management from the primary care perspective, covering lifestyle modifications. A question-and-answer session followed the presentations. The event provided one Professional Development credit approved by the Ministry of Health of Armenia.

The recording of the first webinar is publicly available on the AUA CHS YouTube Channel. CHS will continue to organize similar events in collaboration with AAMA, covering important health topics.

The Armenian American Medical Association (AAMA) is a non-profit organization founded in 1972 that represents Armenian-American physicians in the Greater Boston area. AAMA’s mission is to promote excellence in healthcare in Armenian communities and support the professional development of healthcare professionals. Through collaboration with partners in the U.S. and abroad, the organization works to improve the delivery of healthcare, medical education, and research in Armenia. AAMA continuously cooperates with various governmental and non-governmental organizations in Armenia, aiming to support the healthcare and professional needs of Armenian communities.

The AUA Turpanjian College of Health Sciences works actively to improve population health and health services in Armenia and the region through interdisciplinary education and development of health professionals to be leaders in public health, nursing, health services research and evaluation, and health care delivery and management.