Armenian American Cultural Association, Inc. AACA

Medical Exchanges

All of the Wellness Center’s medical and administrative staff have received specialized training in their respective fields, either in Armenia by specialists from the US or abroad at prestigious American medical institutions.

Since 1997, AACA has organized 12 Medical Missions (a group of American or European medical professionals traveling to Armenia) that have focused on providing training and exchange opportunities for the Wellness Center’s physicians, nurses, lab technicians and administrative staff.   It has also organized 64 Medical Exchanges between U.S. and the Wellness Center professionals. These Medical Missions and Exchanges continue to strengthen the ties that have been established with AACA’s collaborating partners, the U.S. Medical Advisory Board members and their affiliated institutions.

Wellness Center’s physicians receiving training at Washington Hospital Center in Washington DC

Wellness Center physicians receiving training at Johns Hopkins Hospital

Trainings in Armenia, conducted by members of the U.S.-based Medical Advisory Board familiarizes the Armenian physicians with the American model of health care delivery and with specific medical techniques and procedures. The repeat visits and exchanges keep the Armenian physicians updated on new developments and methodologies on a regular basis and foster on-going relationships with their American colleagues and counterparts.

Dr. Camilla Cobb, Chief Cytopathologist at University of Southern California, training the Wellness Center’s Cytopathologists on multi-headed microscope

Michelle Saylor, Specialist on SonoSite Portable Ultrasounds training the Wellness Center’s Radiologists on its use for Medical Outreach Missions

Dr. Samuel Malayan, Endocrinologist at University of Southern California, lectures to Wellness Center’s Staff on Thyroid Glands

Katherine Berberian, Cytologist at University of Southern California Medical Center training Wellness Center’s Cytologists on multi-headed microscope.

Dr. Carla Kurkjian, Oncologist at University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center training Wellness Center’s Radiologists on Breast Screening Images

Dr. Samuel Malayan, Endocrinologist at University of Southern California, training the Center’s Radiologists on Ultrasound-guided Fine Needle Aspiration of Thyroid Glands

These trainings have included 17 Armenian medical staff members, 2 Armenian biomedical engineers, and 9 clinical administrators. In addition, 23 U.S.medical professionals have traveled to Armenia, some of them 4-11 times, to establish programs and protocols and to train the Center’s medical staff.

The ongoing training activities and Continuing Medical Education program continue to emphasize clinical competency, critical thinking, population-based problem solving, and leadership development.

Dr. John Poochigian, Internist from Mountain View, California, training Wellness Center’s Family Physicians

Hologic Clinical Application Specialist from France training the Wellness Center’s Radiologists on the 3D Digital Tomosynthesis Mammography System installed in March 2012