Armenian Doctors Participate in Boston University Medical Education Program
More than 150 Armenian physicians began participating in a new medical education program this week, designed to modernize healthcare training in the country.
The week-long Training-of-Trainer (ToT) workshops, which commenced October 7th and concluded October 10th, were led by six Masters’ degree candidates from a hybrid program offered by Boston University in collaboration with the HENAR (Health Network for Armenia) Foundation. The program focuses on developing competencies in leadership, teaching, research, and evaluation skills for Armenian healthcare professionals. The intensive, year-long Master of Health Professions Education (MHPE) program began in September and combines online lectures from Boston University faculty with bi-weekly workshops led by the Armenian Masters’ students.
“Our goal has always been to be a driving force for change in the healthcare system,” said Arman Voskerchyan, MD, co-founder of the HENAR Foundation. The program aims to address a critical need for updated medical training methodologies in Armenia, moving away from purely theoretical knowledge towards demonstrable clinical competency. As HENAR explains, the initiative is part of a broader effort to transform Armenia’s healthcare ecosystem.
According to Aram Kaligian, MD, Director of the BU-Armenia Medical Partnership, the program represents a significant investment by the Diaspora in improving healthcare within Armenia. The curriculum, developed by Jeff Markuns, MD, EdM, of Boston University, is practicum-based, with participants redesigning their own medical curricula and developing new teaching tools. Boston University faculty will return to Armenia in January and June 2026, with the program culminating in six weeks of intensive training for the Masters’ students in Boston during the summer of 2026.
Officials stated that the Masters’ students will continue conducting ToT workshops every two weeks, and the program is expected to have a lasting impact on medical residency education and healthcare services throughout Armenia.
