11 Av. de Verdun, 94410 Saint-Maurice, France

The UMA (Union of Armenian Doctors) was founded in 1921 by Dr. Cololian with survivors of the Armenian Genocide.

After several years of existence, the UMA slowly faded away. In May 1975, a few young second-generation French doctors of Armenian descent, led by Dr. Serge Simonian and Dr. Michel Dervichian, decided to recreate an association of French doctors of Armenian descent, a name that was later renamed UMAF. Initially, this acronym stood for "Union of Armenian Doctors of France." Naturally, Dr. Serge Simonian, who initiated the project, became its first president, elected for a three-year term, like all those who succeeded him.

In 1976-77, during the Lebanese War, UMAF sent medicines to the Armenian diaspora. In 1976, the first issue of the UMAF Journal was published. In April 1978, the first meeting with the Armenian Minister of Health took place, the first of a long series. Also in 1978, Dr. Michel Dervichian succeeded Dr. Simonian. He brought together colleagues from Lyon and Marseille at the World Congress in Venice. In 1979, the UMAF welcomed the first Armenian doctors to France for postgraduate training. In October 1980, at the 2nd World Congress in Venice, the principle of organizing world congresses was established, as well as the gestation of the UMAF Rhône-Alpes, grouped with that of Paris in UMAF-France. In 1981, Dr. Pierre Der Agopian succeeded Dr. Dervichian. He developed a lexicon of Armenian medical terms and organized the 1st Congress of UMAF-France in Lyon. In 1982, UMAF-Marseille was created. At that time, UMAF changed its name but not its acronym. It became: "Armenian Medical Union of France." In 1984, Doctor Patrice Kasparian, having succeeded Doctor Der Agopian, organized the 2nd National Congress in Paris in 1985. He recalled the main objectives of UMAF: cultural, scientific, and friendly. UMAF donated an electrocardiogram to the Armenian Social Welfare Association (A..A..A.S.). In 1987, Doctor Patrice Djololian succeeded Doctor Kasparian. His presidency seemed easy, the first exchanges with Armenia were taking place, Doctor Kepenekian led a urological mission in Armenia, and the World Congress in Los Angeles was a success.