CME Planning document for Madrid

 14th Armenian Medical World Congress

New model of Post-Graduate Medical Education 

and opportunities for Diaspora-Armenia Partnerships

https://amicnow.org/282

 The provider incorporates into CME activities the educational needs (knowledge, competence, or performance) that underlie the professional practice gaps of their own learners. (formerly Criterion 2)

Practice gap:   Medical education in Armenia faces some challenges.  A major challenge is that large amounts of medical graduates are produced with limited patient care during training.  Postgraduate medical training also faces similar challenges.  In many cases, residents are expected to pay for the residency, and patient contact is again limited.

Part 1 of this session presents the Pediatric Residency Program of Armenia (PReP), a collaborative initiative focused on resident training and faculty development in a competency-based education framework. The session combines structured presentation with the lived experiences of residents and faculty, offering a dynamic format that highlights both program design and real-world impact. Unlike traditional sessions, it integrates storytelling from residents, a program overview by the Program Director, and a short video of faculty and residents sharing their perspectives. The goal is to introduce participants to the core principles of PReP while emphasizing the challenges and strategies involved in implementing competency-based training. This format provides a unique and holistic view of the program that does not align neatly with existing session categories, as it blends narrative, audiovisual elements, and academic content in a single, cohesive experience.

Part 2 of this session will focus on overall health education stressing leadership skills and a competency-based program developed between HENAR and Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine (BUCASM).   Health professions education (HPE) programs drive systemic change in healthcare workforce, specifically for providers leading post-graduate medical education (PGME). PGME is the foundation of quality clinical practice and helps health systems achieve universal health coverage and global standards of care. An education system exposed to the rigors of competency-based reform, a central tenet of HPE, produces educators and ultimately doctors with experience and standards of excellence. This session will demonstrate how an HPE program fills gaps in PGME and practice, highlighting evidence from a diverse global health research space and impact on national health outcomes.

 The provider generates activities/educational interventions that are designed to change competence, performance, or patient outcomes as described in its mission statement. (formerly Criterion 3)

Objectives:  

PART 1 PReP: 

The goal is to introduce participants to the core principles of PReP while emphasizing the challenges and strategies involved in implementing competency-based training.

PReP is making a transformative impact on medical education in the country by introducing a structured, competency-based training model tailored to local realities. It is reshaping how future pediatricians are trained, ensuring they meet defined competencies while receiving ongoing mentorship and assessment. The program is also pioneering faculty development in a context where structured teaching roles have traditionally been limited. By elevating the role of educators and aligning training with international standards, PReP is building capacity within Armenia’s healthcare system and creating a sustainable model for workforce development. The program not only improves the skills and competencies of pediatric residents, but also fosters a culture of reflective teaching and continuous improvement among faculty. This session highlights how localized educational reform can strengthen clinical care delivery and professional identity in low- and middle-resource settings.

PART 2 MODEL FOR MED EDUCATION: 

The goals of this session are to introduce HPE as a concept, to illustrate its role in PGME and health systems, and to foster dialogue about its role in Armenia. The session will introduce theory, design, and the supporting evidence of an HPE program. Attendees will discuss how PGME can benefit from an HPE program. Additionally, attendees will discuss the large-scale impact HPE will have on Armenia’s healthcare system as it moves towards UHC. The session will conclude with open discussion of how such a program can be fully realized in Armenia.

 The provider chooses educational formats for activities/interventions that are appropriate for the setting, objectives, and desired results of the activity. (formerly Criterion 5)

Format:  

PART 1:  PEDIATRIC RESIDENCY PROGRAM OF ARMENIA

Speakers: PReP

• Lorky Libaridian MD This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Nare Khachatryan, R2 resident, HENAR Foundation

• Mariam Movsisyan, R2 resident, HENAR Foundation

The speakers will present a new Pediatric Residency Program of Armenia (PReP),  piloted with Hinistries of Health and Education, YSMU and NIH since 2023.  PReP is a collaborative initiative focused on resident training and faculty development in a competency-based education framework. The session combines structured presentation with the lived experiences of residents and faculty, offering a dynamic format that highlights both program design and real-world impact. Unlike traditional sessions, it integrates storytelling from residents, a program overview by the Program Director, and a short video of faculty and residents sharing their perspectives. The goal is to introduce participants to the core principles of PReP while emphasizing the challenges and strategies involved in implementing competency-based training. This format provides a unique and holistic view of the program that does not align neatly with existing session categories, as it blends narrative, audiovisual elements, and academic content in a single, cohesive experience.

This session offers a distinctive format that moves beyond traditional presentations by elevating resident and faculty perspectives as the primary narrators of the program’s evolution. By incorporating live reflections from residents and a video featuring faculty voices, the session provides an unfiltered, personal view into the realities of implementing a competency-based pediatric residency in Armenia. This approach is designed to spark meaningful discussion and engage the audience in a more immersive and relatable way. The session’s structure reflects the very principles the program promotes—shared learning, reflective practice, and authentic engagement.

PART 2:  Health Professions Education: opportunities for Diaspora-Armenia partnership

Following the Pediatric Residency session, we have a workshop/roundtable,  named “Post-graduate medical education: opportunities for Diaspora-Armenia partnership” (July 5, 11:15-13:00). We propose to renaming it to “Health Professions Education: opportunities for Diaspora-Armenia partnership”.

The HPE session will highlight the gaps and needs within the PGME space. HPE programs drive systemic improvements in healthcare by addressing workforce supply and care quality through data-driven strategies. PGME is the foundation of quality and clinical practice within a healthcare system and has been a valuable tool in helping other nations achieve universal health coverage and global standards of care. An education system exposed to the rigors of competency based reform produces educators and ultimately doctors who have learned in a PGME system that emphasizes experience and competency. With this emphasis, session will connect how an HPE program bridges the gap between education and practice, highlighting evidence from a diverse global health research space centered on HPE, extrapolating impact to national health outcomes.

 Speakers:  

• Arman Voskerchyan, MD, PhD,  HENAR Foundation
• Henry Louis, MD, HENAR Foundation
• Jeff Markuns, MD, BUCASM
• Aram Kaligian, MD, BUCASM

Session outline:

1. Introduction to Health Professions Education (10 min)

• What is HPE - Introduction and Theory
• The evidence behind HPE

2. Experiences in HPE (10 min)

• Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine (BUCASM) HPE Master’s Degree
  • Introducing the curriculum
• Expert opinions
  • Lessons from HPE in Southeast Asia

3. HPE in Armenia (20 min)

• Structure and participants of BUCASM-HENAR HPE program
• Current PGME in Armenia
• Stakeholders 
  • Roadmap of MoH, YSMU, NIH, AUA, Diaspora
• Specific areas for improvement
• Defining different avenues of engagement for target audiences

4. Roundtable discussion (35 min)

• Focus questions to help guide discussion to be provided

5. Conclusion and next steps (15 min)

• Summary of session
• Next steps for continuing communications

 The provider develops activities/educational interventions in the context of desirable physician attributes (competencies). (formerly Criterion 6)

Desirable physician attributes:  Patient care, medical education, systems approach, interdisciplinary care

 The provider analyzes changes in learners (competence, performance, or patient outcomes) achieved as a result of the overall program's activities/educational interventions. (formerly Criterion 11)

Anticipated results:   

The session aims to introduce participants to the core structure and guiding principles of the Pediatric Residency Program of Armenia (PReP), with a focus on resident training and faculty development in a competency-based framework. Through a blend of resident storytelling, program overview, and faculty reflections, the session seeks to provide a multidimensional understanding of how competency-based education is being implemented in a post-Soviet, medium-resource setting. It aims to highlight both the opportunities and challenges of introducing structured, assessment-driven training where traditional models have dominated. By elevating the voices of residents and educators, the session promotes peer learning and exchange of ideas across international audiences. Participants will leave with insights into designing and adapting residency programs in resource-constrained environments, as well as practical strategies for integrating competencies, feedback, and faculty engagement into everyday medical education.

HENAR Foundation aims at contributing to transformation of healthcare ecosystem in Armenia by creating and empowering a network of partners to deliver better value, better care, and ultimately better health for current and future generations of Armenians. The primary focus of HENAR is on transforming primary care system in Armenia, with the enhancement of talent development and digital transformation as key enablers that allows to supply healthcare system with qualified and skilled employees.

• Acting as a Project Management Office (PMO) and Co-Lead of the Primary Care Strengthening Taskforce and Working Group on reforming Post-Graduate Medical Education, both chaired by the Deputy Ministers of Health
• Implementing a pilot program to introduce a new model of residency program in Armenia, - Pediatric Residency Program (www. prep.am)
• Partnering with Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine on primary care, family medicine and health professions education
• 100+ organizations in active network, 30+ strategic partners for design and delivery of joint projects
• 30+ projects in the pipeline annually