INFO-FLASH INFO-FLASH
INFO-FLASH INFO-FLASH INFO-FLASH
CURRENT AND PAST ISSUES
OF THE INFO-FLASH NEWSLETTER ARE AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE: www.amic.ca
Ž
Ž Ž
Ž Ž
No1 No1 No1 No1 Ü
Ü Ü Ü Ü
March 2010
THE
AMIC NEWSLETTER
I-
Dr. Mariam Manoukian’s lecture on "Gimmick
Or Science? Weight Loss and Maintenance"
All those who live in North America
hear, listen and see programs, 24 hours a day, on radio or TV, on the topic
that Dr. Mariam Manoukian’s lecture treated during the Tenth Armenian Medical
World Congress (New York) in July 2009. Advertisement and special programs
praise and advise about diet books or "new perfected" exercise equipments,
etc...
Yet, in a scientific/medical
presentation, Dr. Manoukian’s lecture (and 83 slides) showed how serious is the
epidemic of obesity in the United States: just by comparing the situation (with
maps) between 2000 and 2007, one can see that in 2007, 26 states 25% to 29% of
their population was obese and in 3 states, the proportion was equal or superior
to 30%, while in 2000 the highest proportion was "still" between 20%
to 24% in "only" 23 states. "Every fifth child and every third
adult are obese in USA. A child’s weight increases with the number of hours he
or she spends watching television each day."
What are the medical complications of
obesity? Pulmonary disease, non alcoholic fatty liver disease, gall bladder disease,
gynaecologic abnormalities, osteoarthritis, gout, phlebitis, severe
pancreatitis, cancer (breast, uterus, colon, kidney...), diabetes,
hypertension, coronary heart disease, cataracts, stroke, etc...
Explaining different prescribed diets,
Dr. Manoukian concludes that "reduced calorie diets result in
clinically meaningful weight loss regardless of which macronutrients they
emphasize. Portion control is the most important variable..., adding to it the
benefits of regular physical activity in obese persons. In fact considerable
physical activity is necessary for weight loss maintenance."
II-
An interesting lecture taking place in
London
Dr. Seda Boghossian, the president, of
our member association of Great Britain sent the following announcement to Info-Flash.
It might interest all those who will be in London on May 3, 2010.
Honorary
President
Professor Lord Darzi of Denham, PC,
KBE, Hon FREng FMedSci Paul Hamlyn Chair of Surgery Imperial College London Hon
Consultant St Mary’s and Royal Marsden Hositals NHS trust
Dear
Colleague
You are
cordially invited to attend the dual event on
Monday 3rd
May 2010
1- AMA- AGM
(Annual general Meeting)
(agenda
will be circulated soon)
2- The AMA
Spring Lecture
by
Professor Robert S. H. Istepanian
Professor of Data Communications
Director- Mobile Information and Network Technologies
Research Centre (MINT),
Kingston University, London
Visiting Professor, St. George's- University of London
Title
The Role of
e-health and m-health technologies for
enhanced
healthcare services
Registration
2:00pm
Annual General
Meeting 2:30pm
Break and
Refreshments 4:00 pm
The lecture
4:30pm –5:30pm
Buffet Dinner
6:00-8:00 pm
Venue
The Armenian
House, 25 Cheniston Gardens, London W8 6TG
RSVP Tel.
07939908894 or 01932230162
Chair: Dr.
Seda Boghossian-Tighe; setchrn@tiscali.co.uk
V. Chair: Mr
Vahan Kaplan; dpj100@hotmail.co.uk - Dr. Sonia Vartoukian: sonia.vartoukian@kcl.ac.uk
Secretary: Dr. Erman Melikyan; emelikyan@yahoo.com - Miss Ovsanna
Atanosian ; ovsanna_ga@yahoo.co.uk
Treasurer:
Dr. Sonia Wartan; sonia.wartan@btinternet.com ; Mrs Sossy bartram;
s_bartram@talktalk.net
III-
Yerevan
State Medical University is celebrating its 90th anniversary
YSMU 90th Anniversary
Congress
We highlight October as the target month of 90th
Anniversary Congress events. Conferences and symposiums in various areas of
medicine are to be held. Participants will enjoy the amiable and warm
atmosphere in the University and take part in festive events and social
program including city tour, visiting Armenian picturesque places and
sights.
Thematic conferences will be on:
Rare diseases, Orphan Drugs
Internal
Diseases Osteoporosis,
Surgery Cerebrovascular
pathology Dentistry and
Maxillofacial Surgery (Neurology,
Neurosurgery)
Pharmacology,
Pharmacy Gynaecology
Paediatrics
Urogynaecology and Female
Urology
Sexology
Public
Health
Radiology
Human Right
Those interested
to be keynote speakers in any of the above mentioned
sessions, please contact us by March
31, 2010.
Why attend?
·
This is a CME event.
·
There is no registration fee.
·
You will be a part of historical and memorable events.
·
You will meet old friends and make acquaintances.
·
You will visit ancient Armenia.
·
And much more...
Abstract/Article submission deadline: August
15, 2010
Early registration deadline: August
15, 2010
Late registration deadline: September
20, 2010
We cordially welcome anyone
interested to attend the events which can be safely characterised as
unforgettable and full of vivid memories.
For more information please
refer to
Address: Yerevan State Medical
University, Koryun 2 st., Yerevan 0025, Armenia
Tel./fax: (0037410) 547 263
E-mail: info@ysmu.am
URL: www.ysmu.am/90
Being founded in October 2009, the fund
"For Life" is a non-profit research, educational, medical-biological
and philanthropic organization. It brings forward a comprehensive support and
patronage in the spheres of research, education, disease prevention and
treatment.More information at www.forlife.am
IV- Another
important anniversary celebration: a message from our member association of
California
AAMSC
25th Year Anniversary Gala
Honouring its
Founding Fathers and Past Presidents
In October of 1985, a group of
Armenian-American physicians founded the Armenian American Medical Society of
California. Their mission was to cultivate professional relationships and
contribute toward the improvement of health services rendered to their
communities in Armenia and the Diaspora. Since then, the organization and its
members have been on the forefront of their allied healthcare
specialties—dedicating their careers to improving the lives of their patients,
and to ensuring that their communities in California and the homeland have the
opportunities to receive the highest quality healthcare. This year marks the 25
year anniversary of the AAMSC.
The AAMSC was founded by Drs. Misak G.
Barsamian; Artin Sagherian, and Jean Momjian. The organization's past
presidents include, from its most recent: Drs. Varoosh Alaverdian; Boris
Bagdasarian; Armen J. Cherik; David Davtyan; Misak H. Abdulian; Silva
Karchikian; Bedros Kojian and T. Gregory Kirianoff.
Dr. Misak Abdulian has been the backbone
of the AAMSC since its inception, and continues to be an integral part of the
organization's leadership and advisory board. During his tenure, Dr. David
Davtyan was a driving force in raising awareness about breast cancer. Dr.
Davtyan is a pioneer in the bariatric "Lap-Band" procedure in the
United States, and remains one of the premier weight loss surgeons in America.
In 1988, Drs. T. Gregory Kirianoff and Bedros Kojian spearheaded the first
AAMSC Telethon, raising over $ US 100,000 in aid in the aftermath of the
devastating earthquake in Armenia.
In
the past two decades, the AAMSC has established a strong tradition of
undertaking important projects to advance healthcare in Armenia, Artsakh and
California. These include the Shenkavid Maternity Hospital Project in
Armenia, which was inspired by Dr. Bedros Kojian, the Juvenile Diabetes Center
in Armenia established under the leadership of Dr. Silva Karchikian, the
Pediatric Epilepsy Center in Armenia, conceived under the direction of Dr.
Armen Cherik. The AAMSC has also built and currently runs multiple clinics in
remote villages that border with Karabagh and Azerbaijan to help these war-torn
regions become more habitable. These clinics, located in Aregouni, Pokr
Mazrik, and Tsapatagh were built during the tenures of Drs. Boris Bagdasarian
and Armen Cherik. Recently, under the leadership of Dr. Varoosh Alaverdian, a
mobile diagnostic and therapeutic clinic was established in Artsakh.
The
AAMSC is accredited from the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical
Education (ACCME), which ensures that CME activities meet accepted standards of
education. Continuing Medical Education (CME) allows practitioners to maintain
their competence, while incorporating new medical knowledge in order to improve
quality medical care for patients and their communities.
In
recognition of the tremendous contributions made by the organization's founding
fathers and past presidents, the AAMSC will be honoring them during the 25th
Anniversary Celebration on Saturday, May 1 at the Glendale Hilton. The proceeds
from this event will benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Project in Armenia.
Life
can be incredibly difficult and painful for children with juvenile diabetes.
These young lives are often cut short because of complications due to juvenile
diabetes. Insulin remains a high-priority medication that is in short supply in
Armenia. Through the support of the AAMSC, the medical community and
pharmaceutical companies, the incidences of these life-threatening
complications have dramatically declined. The AAMSC has also been working
through a government-sponsored program in Armenia to ensure that all supplies
and medicines are provided to all diabetic children free of charge.
The
AAMSC is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization and presently has over 350 members
from around California whose areas of practice cover the entire spectrum of
allied healthcare. The AAMSC is the largest Armenian medical society in the
Diaspora and its directory of practitioners is a vital resource for patients
seeking care in various health related disciplines and specialties.
Contact:
Hasmik Keyribarian, info@aamsc.com,
Ph:
818-980-7777
www.aamsc.com
AMIC’s President and Executive
members send to the AAMSC founders, and past and current presidents, and
members, all their heartfelt congratulations. AAMSC is one of AMIC’s earliest
and major members. In fact members from California were among AMIC’s founding
members.
V-
"Tobacco or
Health"
Conference
in Yerevan, Armenia, on May 31, 2010
|
Smoking
epidemic is a number one public health problem in Armenia. Smoking rates
among Armenian men are among the highest in Europe ranging from 59% to 70% in
various age and social groups. Poorly controlled, the smoking epidemic leads
to thousands of premature deaths and enormous human suffering from heart
disease, cancer and other tobacco related diseases.
Smoking problem
touches every men and women in Armenia, smoker and non-smoker or children at
home and schools and physicians and patients at hospitals. Smoking and its
inevitable consequences are putting every family as well as the whole society
under heavy pressure and challenges its security and wellbeing.
In recent years,
significant efforts were made to confront the smoking epidemic in Armenia;
those efforts were made by the civil society (http://www.tobaccofreearmenia.am)
as well as professional and academic organizations and supported by the
government and international donor organizations.
However, the momentum
can be lost since the government cut public funds for tobacco control in
2009.
Several months ago, a
group of physicians and other health professionals at the Armenian Medical
World congress signed a petition to Armenian top officials calling for the
implementation of effective tobacco control measures in Armenia. In response
to the petition, the Yerevan State Medical University, in partnership with
the College of Health Sciences of the American University of Armenia will be
organizing the First National "Tobacco or Health" Conference in
Yerevan, Armenia on May 31, 2010.
This event is planned
within the framework of the Yerevan State Medical University 90th
anniversary events.
More
information please go to the web site www.ysmu.am
The Conference’s
objectives are to bring together medical and public health students, faculty,
clinicians, public health professionals from Armenia and Diaspora to discuss
the mounting evidence on health effects of smoking, health professional’s
responsibility in countering the smoking epidemic in Armenia and the
strategies to reduce the burden of smoking on the society.
We envision that the
one-day conference will cover medical and public health aspects of tobacco
use and will outline future strategies for a greater role for health
professionals in preventing tobacco-related diseases, disability and death in
Armenia.
Dr. Gevorg Yaghjyan
Vice Dean of Postgraduate
Education and CME
Heratsi Yerevan State Medical University
www.ysmu.am
Associate Professor, Department of Plastic Reconstructive Microsurgery, www.plasticsurgery.am
2 Koruin St ,Yerevan0010, Armenia
Phone.
(374-10) 52 17 85, (374-10) 56 06 36
Fax. (374-10) 58 25 32
Email: micro@netsys.am
VI-
VII-
VIII- VI-
A new message from MedicalVibe Scholarship Fund
MedicalVibe
Scholarship Fund
1) $1,000 MedicalVibe Scientific Grant
The MedicalVibe Scientific Grant is funded by the MedicalVibe Foundation and
helps qualified MedicalVibe users in their pursuit to fulfill their
investigational endeavors. The MedicalVibe Scientific Grant will provide
$1,000 towards a researcher’s investigations anywhere in the world.
Scholarships awarded are to be used for administrative fees, laboratory and
animal supplies, statistical analysis, and evaluative studies.
We request that the
Letter of Intent (LOI), with structure included below, be sent to scholarships@medicalvibe.com.
Submitted LOI will be reviewed by Scholarships Committee for determination of
more detailed protocol submission.
Distribution of funds
is contingent upon institutional review board committee approval for
investigation (IRB or IACUC or equivalent). An official letter must be
supplied from the respective institution emailed to scholarships@medicalvibe.com.
Letters must be scanned and sent to scholarships@medicalvibe.com.
Please complete the Letter of Intent below directly on this word document and
send to scholarships@medicalvibe.com.
Applicant must be registered on MedicalVibe.com.
Apply at: http://www.medicalvibe.com/V2/scholarship.php
2) The MedicalVibe Educational Scholarship Fund helps qualified MedicalVibe
users in their pursuit to reach both educational and professional goals. The
MedicalVibe Scholarship Fund will provide $1,000 towards a student's
education in any health care related field to be used for tuition, books, or
living expenses (room and board) at
any technical school, college, or university. MedicalVibe users eligibility
criteria include education history, academic achievement and professional
successes. Any country is eligible!
Upon free registration for the website, please complete the application
questions on the Scholarship link and upload directly via website portal.
Please visit www.medicalvibe.com/V2
to register. To apply for the scholarship, please visit http://www.medicalvibe.com/V2/scholarship.php
Distribution of funds is contingent on acceptance or matriculation in a
school with a degree or qualification in a health care field. An official
letter must be supplied from the respective school noting acceptance to a
school or being in good standing at a program. Letters must be scanned and
sent to scholarships@medicalvibe.com.
Please
complete the application questions and send to upload directly via
website portal.
ESSAY
In less than 300
words tell us why you want to pursue a career in
healthcare. Please email document to scholarships@medicalvibe.com
with
your name at the top of the essay.
VII- What is AMIC?
The Armenian Medical
International Committee (AMIC) was created 20 years ago. It is an umbrella
organization that unites and promotes Armenian medical associations
throughout the Diaspora, creating thus a large network through which
information and data are exchanged.
AMIC organizes Armenian Medical Congresses.
So far ten have been held in different cities of the Diaspora, the latest
being the one held in New York from July 1 to July 4, 2009.
In 2007, the "Second
International Medical Congress of Armenia" organized by Armenia, was
held in Yerevan (June 28 to June 30). The third one will be organized in
2011.
Since 1998 AMIC has
published an online newsletter which is sent free of charge to all Armenian
Health Care Professionals. If you are a health care professional and are
interested in receiving Info-Flash, please send us your email
address (aida@amic.ca). To all those who
already receive the Info, please do not forget to send us your
new e-mail address when you change it. Info-Flash is posted on GROONG,
but with a different format, and often with less data and graphics, due
to GROONG’s rules. To receive it individually in full size and
content, please contact AMIC office (aida@amic.ca).
For further information, visit our website: www.amic.ca
As of 2005, AMIC in
collaboration with Regimedia, publishes a scientific journal, the "Armenian
Medical Review". The fourth issue is out. To subscribe please
contact aida@amic.ca or visit www.amic-review.com
Useful information to
remember: You can send free of charge from
wherever you are located, medical equipment/medicine through the services of
the United Armenian Fund: Contact: U.A.F. President Mr. Harout
Sassounian (sassoun@pacbell.net)
Armenian
Medical International Committee
(AMIC)
2340 Chemin Lucerne, Suite
30
Ville Mont-Royal, Qc., Canada H3R
2J8
Ph: 514-
739-8950
Email: amic@amic.ca
Skype: amic112
|
|
|