OF MEDICINE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT SPRING 2025
PLANETARY HEALTH • SETTING THE STANDARD CARING FOR KIDS • ALL BRAINS BELONG
SPRING 2025
Published by the Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine at the University of Vermont, April 2025
Dean Richard L. Page, M.D.
Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education
Christa Zehle, M.D.
Senior Associate Dean for Research
J. Kathleen Tracy, Ph.D.
Interim Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs
Ramsey Herrington, M.D., FACEP
Senior Associate Dean for Finance and Administration
Brian L. Cote, M.B.A.
Editorial Director
John Turner
Contributing Writers
Margie Brenner, Jane Teeling Chou, Angela Ferrante, Janet Essman Franz, Stephanie Knific, Annie Seyler, John Turner
Art Director Ann Howard
Production Assistance
Lucy Gardner Carson
Contributing Photographers
Bailey Beltramo, Margie Brenner, Joshua Brown, Raj Chawla, Andy Duback, Janet Franz, Ceilidh Kehoe, Ryan Mercer, Kim Le Mezo, David Seaver, UVM Athletics
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Than Moore, M.D.’24 celebrates the UVM men’s soccer team’s historic 2024 NCAA Championship title win. Read the story on page 4.
Dean Page in conversation with retired U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy, who represented Vermont for nearly 50 years, at a recent UVM reception.
Being named among the top tier of research institutions nationwide could never have occurred without the longstanding contribution of research excellence from our college.
More
than simply an accolade, R1 status will enhance many opportunities for UVM, including even stronger recruitment of the brightest and best students, staff, and faculty.
The adage, “a picture is worth a thousand words,” is exemplified on the cover of this Vermont Medicine: Than Moore, M.D., a Larner Class of 2024 graduate, sporting Green & Gold and exuding unbridled enthusiasm for the Catamount men’s soccer team. Still in his first year of emergency medicine residency at the UVM Medical Center, Than served as the team’s sideline physician during UVM’s historic championship run. As our college, university, and state celebrated this first-ever men’s soccer NCAA championship title, Than’s personal journey provides one of countless stories of our students and graduates in pursuit of their destiny in medicine. In addition to elevating pride in UVM and the Larner contribution to the health of the team, this amazing soccer season provided a dose of fun for all of us in Burlington.
Shortly thereafter, UVM celebrated another historic milestone: the Carnegie designation of “R1.” Being named among the top tier of research institutions nationwide could not have occurred without the longstanding contribution of research excellence from our college. More than simply an accolade, R1 status will enhance many opportunities for UVM, including even stronger recruitment of the brightest and best students, staff, and faculty.
As we look forward, we pay homage to the upcoming retirement of a medical icon, Lewis First, M.D. Dr. First will remain fully engaged in his role while the search for his successor is underway, enabling us to acknowledge his amazing achievements and provide an opportunity for alumni and friends to contribute in his name. In a nod to Dr. First’s longtime influence on the health of our state, please see “Vermont’s ‘A’ Grade on the March of Dimes Report Card” (pp. 22–25).
Just as new students join us each year, we also recognize the passing of two individuals who contributed greatly to our college: Philip Ades, M.D., a pioneer in cardiac rehabilitation; and John Tampas, M.D.’54, past chair of radiology and a generous alumnus to the end of his 95 years.
Our research achievements by students, trainees, and faculty have impact that spans children to the elderly. These efforts also address important health care needs throughout our community: developing a better understanding of nicotine addiction and bringing cancer prevention and education to our region with the new UVM Cancer Center BioMobile Lab and Outreach Van.
Today, uncertainty shrouds higher education, particularly for federal funding, research, and health care. I am confident that our college and university have the talent and resilience to thrive in a changing landscape as we adhere to our values and missions of excellence in education, scientific discovery, and high-quality patient care. Our accomplishments were made possible in part by the generosity of our friends and alumni. Now more than ever, we need your support. Please let us know how you would like to play a role in our important work.
With warm wishes,
RICHARD L. PAGE, M.D. Dean
Appointment
Toshiko L. Uchida, M.D., Appointed Inaugural Associate Dean for Curriculum
Toshiko L. Uchida, M.D., medical director of outpatient simulation and element leader of clinical medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, has been appointed as Larner’s inaugural associate dean for curriculum. Her appointment will be effective on July 1, 2025.
In her new role, Dr. Uchida will work
First Announces Retirement
Known as a leader, mentor, and friend, First leaves a legacy to Larner, UVM, and pediatric care
Lewis First, M.D., M.S., F.A.A.P., after more than 30 years as chair of the department of pediatrics, has announced his retirement, effective June 2026.
Dr. First began his career as a professor of pediatrics and department chair at the University of Vermont in 1994 and has served in these capacities ever since, making him the longest lasting pediatric department chair in the country. Concurrently, he served as senior associate dean for medical education for seven years, where he spearheaded Larner College of Medicine’s Vermont Integrated Curriculum (VIC).
Known as an advocate for children, First is credited with the growth and development of state-of the-art high quality, child-friendly, family-centered clinical programs along with numerous teaching and research advances. Thanks to his leadership at Larner and throughout our medical community, pediatric care provided by the UVM Children’s Hospital has profoundly influenced the lives of patients and their families at local, state, national, and international levels.
First’s many honors include the American Pediatric Association’s Miller-Sarkin National Mentoring Award and the Joseph W. St. Geme Jr. Leadership Award, considered the highest national honor in academic pediatrics. First served as editor-in-chief of Pediatrics, the peer-reviewed journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and since 1995, has educated families throughout the region with “First with Kids” his award-winning humorous, yet informative weekly television and radio segments on child health.
“Dr. First’s impact over the last three decades is immeasurable. As chair, his passionate leadership of the department of pediatrics has resulted in outstanding clinical care, scientific discovery and education. The wit and wisdom
closely with medical educators and colleagues in the Office of Medical Education (OME) at Larner and the UVM Health Network. She will oversee the ongoing development of the curriculum, mentor both students and faculty, and help further establish Larner as a national leader in medical research and education.
Dr. Uchida earned her medical degree from Harvard Medical School and brings nearly 25 years of experience in medical education from teaching to curriculum development, assessment, program evaluation, and the LCME accreditation process.
he brought to “First with Kids” on television and radio has improved the lives of countless children in our region. And his steady service as Editor-in-Chief of the major pediatric clinical journal, Pediatrics, has helped physicians and their patients around the world,” said Richard L. Page, M.D., dean, Larner College of Medicine.
Reflecting on his decades of service, First said, “While my retirement is still a year away, our department is doing anything but retiring. Instead, everyone is working together to continue the outstanding clinical and academic work and most importantly our collaborative interprofessional team culture that has enabled us to improve the lives of children locally, nationally, and internationally, always with a familycentered child-friendly focus. That supportive team culture and so many ongoing achievements to improve child health are what my successor will inherit hopefully with the humility, excitement, passion, and pride that has made the past 31+ years go by so quickly for me and in such a meaningful way.”
Lewis First, M.D.
Klemperer Recognized
Psychiatrist receives Jarvik-Russell Early Career Award
Elias Klemperer, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychiatry, associate director of the Vermont Center on Behavior and Health, and a UVM Cancer Center member, talks about his research, which earned him the prestigious 2025 JarvikRussell Early Career Award for extraordinary contributions to the field of nicotine and tobacco research. The award is from the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco (SRNT)—the flagship professional organization for researchers in his field.
What inspired your research in nicotine and tobacco, and what questions do you hope to answer?
Dr. Elias Klemperer: I’ve been interested in different ways to reduce cigarette smoking among adults, especially those who are not immediately motivated to quit.
One approach is to cut down on cigarette smoking—the number of times someone puts a cigarette to their mouth and inhales. Another is to reduce nicotine in cigarettes. The two speak to each other: reduce behavior, and you often reduce nicotine intake. Reduce the nicotine in cigarette, you’ll also change behavior. That was the focus of my dissertation: understanding the effects of reducing smoking behavior vs. reducing nicotine content for people who were not motivated to quit.
From there, I got interested in dual use of cigarettes and e-cigarettes. Both deliver nicotine with somewhat similar behavioral cues, but the products have vastly different potential for harm. E-cigarettes appear to be far less harmful than combustible cigarettes, and there’s pretty strong evidence that switching to e-cigarettes can be an effective way to stop smoking.
However, e-cigarettes are a controversial product, both in the public and among some scientists. One big unanswered
question is whether people who start using e-cigarettes to quit smoking but end up using both products (i.e., dual use) are increasing or decreasing risk compared to people who never used e-cigarettes at all, and how this differs by patient.
Your research is helping inform FDA policies around nicotine and tobacco. What is it like to be thinking about research through that lens?
EK: One thing I appreciate about this kind of research is the potential to have an impact. Cigarette smoking kills nearly half a million people per year in the United States alone, around 7 to 8 million worldwide every year. These are premature, preventable deaths. At the end of a clinical trial, there’s always the question: how will these findings be used?
When it comes to the tobacco regulatory research I do, there’s a direct and specific goal: informing the FDA to enact policy that will reduce smoking in the US.
Tell us about your collaborations with colleagues at the College of Medicine and the Cancer Center.
EK: I did my doctoral training at UVM’s Vermont Center on Behavior and Health, which is directed by Steve Higgins, Ph.D., who was also the principal investigator of UVM’s Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science, one of several that’s funded across the country. My mentor was John Hughes, M.D., who passed away recently. He was truly an amazing scientist and mentor. It’s funny for one person to get an award in our field: I’m flattered, but it’s actually a testament to the wonderful mentorship I received from John and Steve, and our research team. It’s also been great to be part of the Cancer Center and get together with researchers who are focused on cancer, but from different angles.
Elias Klemperer, Ph.D.
Answering the Call
Than Moore, M.D.’24 reflects on his experience as the team physician to the UVM Men’s Soccer Team during their historic NCAA National Championship victory in December.
I originally became involved in sports medicine and UVM Athletics during my time as a medical student here at Larner. During my fourth year of medical school, I took the sports medicine elective that was run by Larner alumni Katie Dolbec, M.D.’10. Dr. Dolbec is an emergency medicine–trained physician who then went on to receive her fellowship in sports medicine in Maine before returning here to UVM. This gave me exposure to the outpatient sports medicine clinics in the area as well as UVM Athletics and the UVM team physician, Matt Lunser, M.D.
After spending some time in the training room and on the sidelines of UVM sporting events with Dr. Lunser, I was fortunate to help him cover other UVM athletic events throughout the year. I have spent time on the sidelines for sports such as men’s and women’s soccer, basketball, and hockey.
I was privileged to serve as the UVM men’s soccer team physician during their National Championship run this fall. Getting to know the players and coaches on this incredible journey was nothing shy of amazing. The boys worked so hard throughout the season, and having the opportunity to be on the sidelines of this monumental milestone was truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I was able to work alongside a top-notch medical and coaching staff who led the charge.
Dr. Lunser deserves all the credit for keeping these athletes healthy year-round on the field, ice, track, or court. He puts in countless hours alongside a tremendous group of athletic trainers, strength coaches, and a host of others in the athletics department to field such a competitive team of athletes competing at the Division One level. He attends most of these games after hours while balancing his family, and I feel lucky to pitch in and offer coverage when I’m between shifts working in a busy emergency department as a resident physician.
This fall, I was able to jump in and help Dr. Lunser with many games on both the men’s and women’s side. Being on the sidelines for the America East Men’s Soccer Championship game was quite the highlight. I really became invested and felt like part of the team and was elated to receive the call to travel with the team down to North Carolina to finish their fairytale run at the National Championship.
From ER to the Sidelines
Being a resident and covering the games made for a whirlwind of a weekend. I was struggling through a month of overnight shifts on the trauma surgery service working 80+ hours a week when I got the call to join the team in North Carolina. I was fortunate to finish a night shift and head straight to the airport to fly south for the semifinal match vs. Denver. I arrived there in time to take part in the pre-match treatments alongside athletic trainer Hannah Tremel.
I would like to thank Hannah for her dedication to keeping the boys healthy and for welcoming me to the sidelines. She put in innumerable hours on and off the pitch to make sure that any injury was rehabbed and accounted for. I followed Hannah’s expertise and could not have been a part of this without her efforts. She taught me techniques such as dry needling and cupping to add to my repertoire.
After spending 24 hours with the team through the thrilling penalty kicks semifinal victory, I had to then turn around and hop on a plane to report directly back to the hospital to work another overnight shift. Back in Burlington—equipped with my green and gold scarf—I was riding high on the adrenaline when I was notified my presence was requested at the final the following day. I completed a 16-hour overnight shift that Saturday night, and immediately returned to Burlington airport on Sunday to fly back down to join the team. It was well worth the sleep deprivation to be part of this story!
Reaching the Goal
While many had UVM tagged as the “Cinderella team” of underdogs upsetting top-tier programs, coach Rob Dow said it best that his boys “belonged there.” As quoted by the Wall Street Journal, with appropriate credit given to Associate Head Coach, Brad Cole, these (Vermont) Cats were not underdogs… they were just dogs. The boys had put in the work and enjoyed success in previous years, making the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 prior to this tournament run. Being a part of this journey with the guys, I too felt their fire and passion to win it all. They are a tight-knit group of friends all working together toward one goal. They never dropped their heads when down in a game, they just found a way to make it happen. They outworked their opponent for every ball and had mastermind coaches on the sidelines directing the chess match. I was fortunate to observe the group effort and team cohesiveness first-hand through strategy and film reviews, along with team dinners and training room treatment sessions.
For me, it was again proof that a career in medicine extends well beyond the hospital walls. It has brought me closer to different aspects of life whether it be through athletics here at UVM, my time spent on a glacier traverse
Going forth, I will never forget this monumental achievement for UVM. Being a part of it during residency was such an honor and a humbling moment for me.” – THAN MOORE, M.D.’24
in Alaska supporting climate change research or formulating sustainable solutions in the business world. Medicine has granted me a ticket to endless connections and world travel. Reflecting on the game, this National Championship was not only a monumental achievement for the university, but in the steadfast words of the UVM Athletic Director Jeff Schulman ’89, “A victory for the great state of Vermont and all of Catamount Nation.” I was elated to squeeze any game coverage into my chaotic residency schedule. It became the highlight of my week when I could sign out from a busy shift in the emergency department and walk over to the athletic center to cheer on my Cats.
Conquering a Dream
This win truly hit home a little extra for my family and myself. Growing up, I spent countless hours playing and attending every sporting event imaginable. My brother David, and I, would go with our parents to watch many UNH games, as my father had played hockey for them. I then went on to play tennis at Colby College and always kept the sporting world close. I always dreamed of being a team doctor as a child and this really made it a reality. I would tell my dad that being team doctor would be the coolest job ever.
My father unexpectedly passed with a heart attack a few years ago and was unable to see me living out my dream as team doctor in a national championship game. Being on the sidelines and standing alongside the players brought me closer to my dad. My emotions were ever invested in this incredible tournament run to provide the utmost level of care for the athletes, but it also seemed to reconnect me with my father. And I know he was smiling and cheering with us when #9 Maximilian Kissel scored that heroic OT goal in the championship. I will never forget this monumental achievement for UVM. Being a part of it during residency was such an honor and a humbling moment for me. Since this victory, I have been back on the sidelines helping out at a handful of basketball games, and I am looking forward to more games in the future. As a Catamounts alum myself, I have a little extra fire in my belly to support my alma mater in bringing home these victories. I would like to extend a sincere thank you to all the athletes, athletic medicine and ancillary staff, coaches, and all members of Catamount Nation who have refueled my passion to continue forth in an arduous residency program and seek the joy in the years ahead. Upon residency completion, I look forward to serving our community both in the Emergency Department and on the sidelines of these riveting sporting events!
(above, right) Than Moore, M.D.’24, celebrates the win
Clinician, Colleague, Researcher, Teacher
Remembering Philip Ades, M.D.
Larner Professor of Medicine
Philip Ades, M.D., a prominent cardiologist and pioneer in the field of cardiac rehabilitation, passed away on November 27, 2024
For more than 40 years, Ades focused his career on the concept of cardiac rehabilitation functioning as a broad secondary prevention program beyond just the delivery of exercise. He made many contributions to the field: He was the founding director of the Cardiac Rehabilitation and Secondary Prevention Program at the UVM Medical Center; he changed the method of cardiac rehabilitation, demonstrating that high intensity exercise improves function status and reduced cardiac risk; with his colleagues, he established the Vermont Center on Behavior and Health; he developed numerous guidelines adopted by the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology; he was instrumental in Medicare coverage of cardiac rehabilitation for patients with heart failure; he authored more than 200 publications; and he received multiple research grants from the National Institute of Health. In addition to his robust research career, he was a respected colleague, a dedicated clinician, and a beloved teacher who introduced a new generation of physicians to the value of preventive cardiology.
NIH Appointment
Mark Nelson, Ph.D., chair and University Distinguished Professor of pharmacology, has been selected to serve a two-year term on the Advisory Committee to the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The advisory committee advises on matters related to planning, execution, conduct, support, and evaluation of biomedical research, medical science, and biomedical communications; makes
recommendations concerning program development, resource allocation, NIH administrative regulation and policy, and other specific or general aspects of NIH policy; and reviews and makes recommendations on applications for grants and cooperative agreements for research and training for projects that show promise of making valuable contributions to human knowledge.
Saying Yes to STEM and Research
Second-year medical student Clara Goebel reflects on her journey to pursuing a career in urology and her experience as a Climb 4 Kidney Cancer (C4KC) Scholar
Student Voices
I grew up in Plano, Texas, near Dallas. I always found physics, chemistry, and math tedious and difficult, so I ruled out a career in STEM very early on. The only science class I ever liked was biology, though I really loved it. I also loved choir, learning languages, and reading, so it seemed a natural fit to pursue a career in the humanities. My mom, a native Chilean, taught ESL to immigrant families, and I planned to follow in her footsteps until a high school scheduling error resulted in my enrollment in Medical Science. When we learned about rheumatology, I thought of my Chilean grandmother who had a rare autoimmune condition. It occurred to me for the first time that I might be able to actually learn about her condition and share something that could help her. It was because of that class that I was able to envision a future where I could help bridge the language and cultural gap for people like my grandmother. From there, I went on to earn my bachelor’s degree at the University of Texas at Austin, where I studied French and Portuguese alongside the pre-medical prerequisites.
After college, I started working as a scribe for a urologist who was kind enough to take me under his wing. Though I wasn’t initially interested in urology, my perspective changed as I accompanied him to our hospital’s urology tumor board, shadowed him in the operating room, and found myself asking countless questions about our patients’ cases. Before long, I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else! As my first year of medical school ended, I sought out summer urology research opportunities and found one at the Cleveland Clinic Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute.
As a C4KC scholar, I had the privilege of working with a great team under the tutelage of the director of urologic oncology, Christopher Weight, M.D., and Nicholas Heller, Ph.D. The other C4KC scholars included medical students from the U.S. and Spain, students studying statistics, computer science, and applied mathematics. The team was awesome, and we learned so much from each other. We all came from different educational backgrounds, so we used our weekly journal clubs to teach each other about the things we each knew most about. Topics included upper tract genitourinary malignancy, quantum computing, programming, and statistical methods in medical research. We attended the weekly genitourinary tumor board, where we heard perspectives from general urologists, urologic oncologists, pathologists, radiologists, and radiation oncologists and learned about promising cancer treatment trials and their parameters. I also had the opportunity to shadow Dr. Weight in the operating room, where I observed some of the most intricate urologic surgeries done in the world.
The research projects we undertook as a team showed promise for possible clinical relevance that could help physicians better treat
Though I wasn’t initially interested in urology, my perspective changed…. before long, I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else!” – CLARA GOEBEL
kidney cancer patients, and in June 2024, we published our study, “AI Age Discrepancy: A Novel Parameter for Frailty Assessment in Kidney Tumor Patients”, which used machine learning to determine the difference between kidney cancer patients’ chronological ages and their AI-predicted ages from abdominal CT imaging. We found that this marker could inform clinical decision-making for patients with kidney cancer, and the potential benefit of our work was really encouraging. We’ve since presented our findings at MICCAI 2024’s Cancer Prevention, Detection, and Intervention Workshop in Marrakesh, Morocco and the 30th European Symposium on Urogenital Radiology in Lisbon, Portugal.
Since the summer, the majority of my efforts as a C4KC scholar have been focused on the intersection between kidney cancer and language. As this study is ongoing, I can’t share many details yet, but our goal is to further improve diagnostic techniques in both radiology and pathology as they relate to kidney cancer. Simultaneously, I’ve been conducting prostate cancer research under the guidance of Mark Plante, M.D., chief of urology at the UVM Medical Center. In September, I presented our poster titled “The emerging role of PSMA PET as an adjunct to established diagnostic measures in prostate cancer: Insights from a large single-center retrospective study.”
Whether the research avenues I explore are around urologic oncology or gender-affirming care remains to be determined, my experiences thus far have only further confirmed my desire to become a urologist. My experience as a C4KC scholar was invaluable in teaching me how to conduct clinically relevant research with a wonderful interdisciplinary team, and I am so grateful that I’ll be able to take those building blocks with me for the years to come.
UVM Cancer Center Hits the Road
Newly launched outreach and education van brings cancer clinicians, research, education, and screening to rural communities
Vermont’s majestic mountains and rugged terrain belie barriers faced by rural communities around health care and education. The outcomes aren’t great: fewer health care services often lead to higher rates of diseases like cancer, while fewer educational resources contribute to lower college enrollment rates.
The UVM Cancer Center aims to close these gaps by putting cancer prevention and science education on the road. Its newly launched BioMobile Lab and Outreach Van will bring cancer clinicians to rural communities, facilitate cancer research, and share cancer education and screening information throughout Vermont and soon, northern New York.
When not delivering these services, the vehicle will visit rural Vermont middle and high schools whose teachers are working in collaboration with the Cancer Center’s research and education team. As a BioMobile Discovery Lab, its cargo includes a high-powered epifluorescent microscope used by researchers to study cell processes, and other state-of-the-art laboratory equipment to inspire the next generation of STEM professionals. The van’s mission was made possible by grants as well as a generous philanthropic gift.
New Conference Rural Health and Cancer Conference
The University of Vermont Cancer Center is pleased to announce the inaugural Rural Health and Cancer Conference to be held June 19-21, 2025, in Burlington, Vermont.
The conference aims to improve rural cancer outcomes by convening a wide-array of experts from across the nation in rural cancer healthcare delivery and building cross-disciplinary collaborations amongst rural cancer health experts.
More information at go.uvm.edu/rhcc
UVM Achieves R1 Research Status
The
The University of Vermont (UVM) was named one of the nation’s top-tier research institutions by achieving an R1 Research Activity Designation—an exclusive designation given by the Carnegie Classification of Institution of Higher Education to universities with the highest levels of research activity.
UVM joins an elite group of 187 universities out of nearly 4,000 degree-granting institutions in the U.S. To become an R1 institution, a university must meet a threshold of $50 million dollars in research expenditures and 70 doctoral research/scholarship degrees awarded. Included in the R1 category are world-renowned institutions such as Harvard, Yale and Stanford.
UVM’s research profile in fiscal year 2024 attracted over $260 million in extramural support—more than doubling the university’s annual research funding in the last five years—and was led by the Larner College of Medicine which garnered over $100 million for biomedical, scientific and health related research.
Larner’s commitment to medical education and research is evidenced through an extensive research portfolio that includes:
• an international clinical trial to evaluate a Lyme disease vaccine. The trial, in its third phase, is studying the vaccine’s safety, efficacy, and immunogenicity.
• a consortium led by UVM, Princeton, and Cambridge mapped the brain of an adult fruit fly, an effort that will lead to better understanding of the human brain.
• the largest longitudinal study of brain development and child health in the U.S. involving UVM and researchers from 21 sites, which follows more than 10,000 children aged nine to 10 years old and tracks biological and behavioral development through adolescence into adulthood.
• the UVM Vaccine Testing Center along with Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Center for
(left) Jessica Crothers, M.D., assistant professor of pathology and laboratory medicine, works in a Vaccine Testing Center lab in UVM’s Stafford Building.
Immunization Research are the only two sites in the country working on a NIH-funded clinical trial to evaluate dengue. The Phase 2 trial is poised to develop a monoclonal antibody to protect against infection/treat people with dengue virus.
The R1 status is both a culmination of those efforts and an opportunity to grow UVM’s and Larner’s national and global recognition for its research enterprise. Backed by data from the National Science Foundation and the Department of Education, R1 status strengthens the university’s ability to recruit world-class faculty and amplifies academic prestige, making UVM a magnet for outstanding undergraduate, graduate and medical students. Most importantly, it solidifies UVM’s ability to lead major research initiatives, attract transformative investments, and drive economic and scientific progress beyond the region.
UVM joins an elite group of 187 universities out of nearly 4,000 degree-granting institutions in the U.S.
“Achieving R1 designation puts us in the very top tier of research institutions in the country. This prestigious distinction is a recognition and acknowledgment of the commitment to the fundamental missions of why we’re here as a college of medicine and as a university,” said Larner Dean Richard L. Page, M.D. “The science we accomplish, coupled with the economic impact of our research, has a profound and beneficial effect on our entire state, region, and beyond. The R1 designation affirms that our scientists can make a difference in the health of people locally and throughout the world.”
UVM Vice President for Research and Economic Development Kirk Dombrowski likewise emphasized the importance of this milestone, “Achieving R1 status is a transformative step for any university, signifying a leap into the highest echelon of research institutions. For UVM, this achievement not only demonstrates how much we want to accomplish but recognizes the innovation, discovery, and scholarship our investigators and students have achieved over the years.”
University of Vermont joins the ranks of the nation’s top-tier research institutions
On Friday, March 21, medical students from the UVM Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine joined more than 47,000 future physicians nationwide in celebrating Match Day, a pivotal moment in their journey toward becoming practicing physicians. This annual event, held in conjunction with the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP), determines where graduating medical students will complete their residency training— the next phase of their medical education.
This Match Day, Larner rolled out the red carpet for its highly anticipated celebration in the Hoehl Gallery where the stars of the day—Larner’s finest—walked the red carpet in an array of eye-catching outfits and glamour, a nod to this year’s theme, Lights, Camera, Match. Larner College of Medicine Dean Richard. L. Page, M.D., best summed up the event when he stated, “I’ve said this before, nobody does Match like the Larner College of Medicine!” There was plenty to take in with hundreds of family, friends, faculty, staff, and students lining the gallery with anticipation and pride as bagpiper and Class of 1988 alum H. James Wallace, M.D., led the student procession.
The Class of 2025 will graduate on May 18, and most new physicians will begin their residencies in mid-June.
ANESTHESIOLOGY
Pavan Anant
University of Connecticut School of Medicine
Anupama Balasubramanian NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center
John Braidt
UMass Chan Medical School, Baystate
Max Breidenstein Maine Medical Center
Nicolas Hutt Duke University Medical Center
Caleb Maness Virginia Mason Franciscan Health
Tom Notcovich UMass Chan Medical School, Baystate
Brittney Palermo University of Rochester/Strong Memorial
Dhiraj Patel AdventHealth Florida
Matthew Rzemien Tufts Medical Center
ANESTHESIOLOGY/CRITICAL CARE MED
Daniel Mitchell UC Irvine Medical Center
DERMATOLOGY
Rebecca Lapides University of Miami/Jackson Health System
EMERGENCY MEDICINE
Audree Baroni UMass Chan Medical School
Jacob Cappiello Madigan Army Medical Center
Bradford Clark Maine Medical Center
Jessica Lucas University of Vermont Medical Center
Clara Maxim Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Tyler McGuire Maine Medical Center
Alexander Poniz University of Washington Affiliated Hospitals
Gregory Williams Darnall Army Medical Center
FAMILY MEDICINE
Emily Battle L ancaster General Hospital
Shea Bellino Cheshire Medical Center Dartmouth Health
Caitlin Early University of Vermont Medical Center
Charlotte Evans MultiCare Health System (Tacoma, Wash )
Jordan Franco Brown University/Kent Hospital
Annie Glessner-Fischer Bryn Mawr Hospital (Bryn Mawr, Pa )
Dana Kramer University of Vermont Medical Center
Vinh Le Cheshire Medical Center Dartmouth Health
Molly Mepyans Providence Health (Milwaukie, Ore )
Joanna Pierce University of Vermont Medical Center
Jared Stone Brown University/Kent Hospital
Jessica Wyn Munson Medical Center (Traverse City, Mich )
GENERAL SURGERY
Jennifer Chen Albany Medical Center
Annabelle Feist University of Alabama/Birmingham
Chellam Nayar Maine Medical Center
Elizabeth O’Neill UPMC Mercy Hospital (Pittsburgh, Pa )
INTERNAL MEDICINE
Bradley Anair University of Florida College of Medicine/Shands Hospital
Louis Briones Huntington Memorial Hospital (Pasadena, Calif )
John Burke K aiser Permanente (Oakland, Calif )
Jamie Cyr Duke University Medical Center
Heather Giguere Brown University/Rhode Island Hospital
Benjamin Glickman Tulane University School Of Medicine
Elizabeth Kelley Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (Boston)
Ryan Kelly
UMass Chan Medical School
Aathmika Krishnan Pennsylvania Hospital
Aranshi Kumar
UMass Chan Medical School
Michael Le UCLA Medical Center
Ellen Mats Boston University Medical Center
Karena Nguyen UC San Diego Medical Center
Vennela Pandaraboyina Boston University Medical Center
Angela Russo University of Vermont Medical Center
Eric Stoutenburg University of North Carolina Hospitals
Torrance Teng
UC Irvine Medical Center
Sofia Toro Alvarez Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (New York City)
Tyler VanDyk University of Utah Health
Taylor Walker University of Vermont Medical Center
Laceyahna Winland K irk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV
Kristen Wright Zucker School of Medicine (Port Jefferson, N Y )
NEUROLOGY
Leland Nguyen Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center
OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY
Arif Ahsan Wellspan Health York Hospital (York, Pa )
Hannah Donovan Inova Fairfax Hospital (Falls Church, Va )
Annie Harrington University of Vermont Medical Center
Justin Henningsen University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics
Christine Horn University of Washington Affiliated Hospitals
Paige Song Loyola University Medical Center
Jennifer Toner Nuvance Health Consortium (Danbury, Conn )
Hannah White Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center
OPHTHALMOLOGY
Katelynn Giroux Albany Medical College
Chantal Perera UMass Chan Medical School
OTOLARYNGOLOGY
Ashwini Sarathy Montefiore Medical Center (New York City)
PATHOLOGY
Eliza Cruickshank Yale/New Haven Hospital
PEDIATRICS
Katherine Barker Brown University/Rhode Island Hospital
Olivia Domingue Brown University/Rhode Island Hospital
Michelle Falcone Oregon Health & Science University
Luke Giangregorio Nationwide Childrens Hospital (Columbus, Ohio)
Jharna Jahnavi Childrens Hospital (Philadelphia, Pa )
Shubhankar Joshi Medical College of Georgia
Stefanie Kelsey University of Utah Health
Kassondra Little University of Colorado School of Medicine
Kae Ravichandran University of Vermont Medical Center
McLaine Rich Johns Hopkins Hospital
PHYSICAL MEDICINE & REHAB
Tin Nguyen Casa Colina Hospital (Pomona, Calif )
Dennis Dea VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System
Cole Lutz Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education
PRELIMINARY SURGERY
Caitlin Kennedy University of Vermont Medical Center
Anthony Plochocki University of Vermont Medical Center
PRIMARY MEDICINE
Anirudh Hirve Ohio State University Medical Center
Bryan Shin Brigham & Womens Hospital
PSYCHIATRY
Olivia Darko Virginia Commonwealth University Health System
William Hsu Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (New York City)
Woong Kim University of Vermont Medical Center
Casey Krueger Billings Clinic (Billings, Mont )
Kadi Nguyen Brigham & Womens Hospital
Madeline Powell Brown University/Butler Hospital
Virginia Ramirez UMass Chan Medical School, Baystate
Faith Robinson Temple University Hospital
Serra Sozen Jersey Shore University Medical Center
RADIATION ONCOLOGY
Alexander Schrager University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics
TRANSITIONAL YEAR
Edward Simon Madigan Army Medical Center (Tacoma, Wash )
UROLOGY
Clemens An Massachusetts General Hospital
Hunter Myers Oregon Health & Science University
Gabriela Sarriera Valentin University of Washington (Seattle, Wash )
*A s not all students who matched want their information made public, there will be a slight discrepancy with the total published Match numbers
The UVM Cancer Center and UVM Children’s Hospital hosted a clinical trial of the immunotherapy drug blinatumomab—which led to higher survival rates and fewer relapses among children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Few oncology subspecialities practice at the cutting edge of science like pediatric oncology, a field that leverages clinical trials to such an effect that cancer’s most vulnerable patients receive groundbreaking treatments.
From 2019 to 2024, the UVM Cancer Center and UVM Children’s Hospital hosted one such trial to investigate whether chemotherapy paired with an immunotherapy treatment could improve outcomes for children diagnosed with standard-risk B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).
“As pediatric oncologists, we’re always striving to increase cure rates,” says Jessica Heath, M.D., a pediatric oncologisthematologist and the Cancer Center’s associate director for clinical and translational research, who oversaw the trial conducted at UVM. “If we can do that without significantly increasing toxicity, then that’s a big win for this population.”
Re-Engaging the Immune System
The most common childhood cancer, ALL affects about 4,000 children in the U.S. per year, with 5 to 10 cases diagnosed each year within the UVM Cancer Center’s Vermont and northern New York catchment area. In the 1950s, ALL was considered a death sentence, and although new treatments have improved the overall cure rate, the battle is far from over. High levels of chemotoxicity incurred during standard treatment, as well as the threat of relapses, for patients with ALL have compelled researchers to find new modes of treating this devastating disease.
Enter the monoclonal antibody blinatumomab, a treatment that directs the immune system’s attention toward evasive cancer cells. A linker molecule, blinatumomab attaches one of its arms to a T cell and the other to a leukemia cell and pulls them closer together. Triggered by its proximity to the invader, the T cell launches an attack on the lymphoblast and fulfills its role as the immune system’s frontline fighter.
Like most novel therapies, blinatumomab was first introduced to pediatric cancer patients whose treatment
options were limited—in this case, children with relapsed B-cell ALL. The impressive results of those early clinical trials motivated a new question: Could adding blinatumomab to standard chemotherapy improve outcomes in standard-risk B-cell ALL patients?
The UVM Cancer Center and UVM Children’s Hospital were among 214 sites hosting the clinical trial, which was developed by the Children’s Oncology Group—a member of the NCI National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN) and the world’s largest organization devoted exclusively to childhood and adolescent cancer research. The trial enrolled 4406 patients newly diagnosed with standard-risk B-cell ALL. Over the course of 2.5 years, these patients received either the standard treatment (chemotherapy alone) or chemotherapy plus two nonsequential, 28-day cycles of blinatumomab, administered through a 24-hour drip of the immunotherapy via a backpack to an intravenous port.
Administering this round-the-clock treatment at home could mean less travel time and fewer hours in clinic—a significant convenience for UVM Cancer Center’s rural patients and their families. “Even kids who live on a farm in the middle of northern New York or the Northeast Kingdom can have access to this drug,” says Dr. Heath “This was all possible because of the physicians, nurses, social workers, and pharmacists who worked together to provide medication to these kids.”
The results of the five-year blinatumomab trial are breathtaking. Investigators found an improved three-year disease-free survival rate, from 87.9 percent to 96 percent, and a decreased risk of relapse, from 11.8 percent to 3.3 percent. For Dr. Heath and her team, it’s a giant leap forward for pediatric oncology. “To see a drug integrated into the chemotherapy backbone without adding a lot of toxicity— and while improving cure rates for almost every child with B-ALL—is super exciting,” she says.
Former research student Emma Golden and Jessica Heath, M.D.
Larner Scientist Maps Fruit Fly Brain
Groundbreaking research has massive implications for neuroscience research
Supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH)’s The BRAIN Initiative®, a consortium of scientists, including Davi Bock, Ph.D., associate professor of Neurological Sciences, made a substantial advancement in neurobiological research by successfully mapping the entire brain of Drosophila melanogaster, more commonly known as the fruit fly.
The study, published in Nature, details the largest and most complete wiring diagram or connectome of an adult animal brain ever created and provides critical information about how brains are wired, and the signals and connections needed for healthy brain functions. The electron microscopy dataset underlying the wholebrain connectome (known as FAFB, or “Full Adult Fly Brain”) uses the detailed shapes of every neuron in the fly’s brain as well
as all the synaptic connections between them to identify and catalogue all cell types in the brain. This complete map will help researchers to identify how different circuits process and transform information to control behaviors like motor control, courtship, decision-making, memory, learning, and navigation.
There are tremendous commonalities in how neural circuits in all species process information; this work allows principles of information processing to be identified in a simpler model organism and then
A team of UVM scientists led by University Distinguished Professor and Chair of Pharmacology Mark Nelson, Ph.D. from the Larner College of Medicine, has uncovered a novel mechanism that reshapes our understanding of how blood flow is regulated in the brain. The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, introduces electro-calcium (E-Ca) coupling, a process that integrates electrical and calcium signaling in brain capillaries to ensure precise blood flow delivery to active neurons.
This discovery underscores the vital role of capillaries in managing blood flow within the brain. By identifying how electrical and calcium signals work together through electro-calcium coupling, the research sheds light on the
sought in larger-brained animals, making the implications of the study profound. By tracing connections from sensory cells to motor neurons, researchers can uncover potential circuit mechanisms that control behaviors in fruit flies, marking a crucial step toward understanding the brain at unprecedented levels of detail in both health and disease, improving how we treat, prevent, and cure brain disorders. This study leverages tools and data generated by the FlyWire Consortium.
brain’s ability to efficiently direct blood to areas with the greatest demand for oxygen and nutrients.
This is especially significant because disruptions in blood flow are a hallmark of many neurological conditions, such as stroke, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease. Understanding the mechanics of E-Ca coupling offers a new framework for exploring treatments for these conditions, potentially leading to therapies that restore or enhance blood flow and protect brain health.
Mark Nelson, Ph.D.
Dean Page: Close to Home
I shared with many in the Larner community that my first grandchild was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at age 2. Nothing could have prepared our family for the shock of this healthy child becoming so very ill. That first day, I witnessed the simple gift of blood transfusion immediately saving her life, allowing for future diagnostic procedures and therapy. Fortunately, she and her family live close to Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., allowing her to receive state-of-the-art care including enrollment in the same trial for blinatumomab that we have at UVM.
After 22 months of chemotherapy, including two 28-day continuous infusions of blinatumomab, there was not a dry eye
among family and caregivers as she rang the “victory bell” on the oncology floor signifying the end of chemotherapy. Even more special was knowing the treatment reduced her chance of recurrence from 1 in 10, down to 1 in 40.
We live in a time of medical miracles. I give my thanks to the many patients who enrolled in trials before our granddaughter and those who will come after, and to the physicians, nurses and other caregivers in D.C., and beyond. As both dean of our college and grandfather, I am tremendously proud and grateful that the UVM Cancer Center employs so many committed individuals that contribute to national trials and registries, all the while providing outstanding care for patients here at home.
Go Red Day
Faculty and staff at the Larner College of Medicine wore red on the first Friday in February to show support for Go Red Day and raise awareness about cardiovascular disease in women. Together, the Larner community continues to educate and advocate for a heart healthier Vermont!
Supporting Homeless Vets
Supportive Services for Veteran Families powers UVM program
For the past 12 years, more than one thousand veterans from Vermont and New York have received assistance for transitional or permanent housing thanks to the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program at the University of Vermont. In 2013, Thomas Simpatico, M.D., a professor of psychiatry at the UVM Larner College of Medicine, was awarded an SSVF grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Administered at the Given Building since 2013, this grant has helped very-low-income veteran families who are homeless or imminently at risk of homelessness gain and retain stable housing.
UVM’s SSVF program, the only university-based entity among 249 nationwide SSVF programs, has consistently been recognized for its excellent outcomes, resulting in consistent increases in annual allocations from the Veterans Administration. “We are using our unique status to create exportable innovations for SSVF programs across the country,” said Simpatico, highlighting the program’s commitment to transformation.
The SSVF program at UVM assists 165 veterans annually, on average. Last year, the services supported 161 veteran households with such resources as rental assistance, security deposit assistance, and/or arrear payments for 82 unique clients, resulting in the prevention or resolution of homelessness. The geographic area of assistance covers all 14 counties in Vermont, as well as Clinton, New York.
Currently, 16 staff members provide a wide variety of services to veterans, including but not limited to housing counseling; financial counseling; connections to health care navigation; connections to VA benefits and programs and/or public benefits provided by federal, state, and local agencies; connections to SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access, and
Recover (SOAR) services; connections to legal services; and temporary financial assistance.
Rebecca Brown-Gural, program director for SSVF at UVM, has spent the past eight years overseeing the program and witnessing its evolution. “Through the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program, we are committed to ensuring that veterans and their families have access to the resources and support needed to secure stable, permanent housing and build a path to long-term independence and success,” she said. Josey McDonald, service coordinator for the program, added, “Our role is to get resources to help veterans with their day to day, connecting with a community that’s comfortable.”
Background on the SSVF grant
In 2008, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs developed the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program, authorized by Section 604 of the Veterans’ Mental Health and Other Care Improvements Act of 2008. According to the VA website, the goal of the SSVF is to support very-low-income veterans with case management and supportive services to “prevent the imminent loss of a veteran’s home or identify a new, more suitable housing situation for the individual and his or her family; or to rapidly re-house veterans and their families who are homeless and might remain homeless without this assistance.” Since inception, supportive services grants have been awarded to selected private non-profit organizations and consumer cooperatives that will assist very-low-income veteran families residing in or transitioning to permanent housing. Grantees will provide a range of supportive services to eligible veteran families that are designed to promote housing stability.
Vermont Veterans Ron R. of Highgate and Richard M. of Poultney are beneficiaries of the Supportive Services for Veteran Families program at the University of Vermont.
Planetary Health
with the health of the environment. Human well-being is inextricably linked
BY JANET ESSMAN FRANZ
The phrase “planetary health” captures the most crucial issues of our time. It represents the understanding that human health and civilization depend on the wise stewardship of Earth’s natural systems.
Around the globe, we are witnessing the consequences of a planet in distress with climate change, deforestation, pollution, and endangered species. The repercussions and challenges to human health from wildfires, floods, drought, food insecurity, increased allergens, and vector-borne diseases are real and profound, especially for children, older adults, people with chronic illness, and members of low-income populations and communities of color.
Last fall, the University of Vermont launched a Planetary Health Initiative based on the conviction that caring for Earth’s health improves health outcomes for all who live on the planet. It explores these connections, inspires action, and instills hope. Introducing the initiative to the UVM community, UVM Interim President Patricia Prelock, Ph.D., said, “In addition to understanding the science, technology, policy, social science, and behavioral change components of Planetary Health, we are going to need hope to bolster and sustain us in this work.”
At the Larner College of Medicine (LCOM), faculty and students participate in research, clinical care, and education that explore the linkages between human and planetary health and emphasize the implementation of solutions, particularly for vulnerable populations. Following are samples of that work in progress.
CHRISTINE , VAT OVEC, PH.D .
Planetary Health & Primary Care
CHRISTINE VATOVEC, PH.D., LEADS THE Planetary Health initiative through the Osher Center for Integrative Health (Osher Center).
A research assistant professor of biochemistry at LCOM, Vatovec also holds faculty appointments in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences and the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources (RSENR). Vatovec’s research focuses on identifying opportunities to align health care with planetary health through interventions that improve outcomes for patients, providers, and the natural environment.
A new project led by Vatovec and coinvestigators engages primary care clinicians in northern New England to assess their needs for preventing and responding to patients’ climate change–related health risks. These risks may include increased tick- and mosquito-borne diseases like Lyme and West Nile virus, heatrelated disorders, respiratory disorders linked to pollutants or pollen, and mental health impacts from floods, droughts, and fear of future disasters.
“Our first step is to assess what residents of Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine are already
experiencing in terms of climate impacts on their health. Next is to learn from primary care providers about what they are seeing in clinic, and what information and resources they need to best respond to their patients’ concerns. We’ll use these two perspectives together to identify best practices to inform clinicians on how to help patients in ways that both improve their health and minimize the impact of health care on carbon emissions,” Vatovec says, noting that health care systems are major contributors to pollution, carbon emissions, and climate change. As examples, hospitals and medical supply chains generate solid waste and air pollution, while pharmaceutical medications infiltrate water systems, with negative consequences for wildlife. UVM’s Gund Institute for Environment (Gund Institute) and the Northern New England Clinical & Translational Research Network provided $100,000 to launch this project, which will position the research team to develop regionspecific tools in support of climate-informed primary care in northern New England. •
S ENFIELD , M.D .
Planetary Health & Psychiatry
ONE PRACTICAL WAY TO START SEEDING change is by prescribing therapies that deepen a sense of connection to place. Physicians are increasingly prescribing nature-based therapies, which strengthen relationships
between individuals and ecological communities while reducing the need for, and impacts from, pharmaceutical interventions. Scientific evidence shows that spending time outdoors in nature increases physical activity levels, reduces stress hormones, and calms the nervous system.
At the VCCYF, clinical director Andrew Rosenfeld, M.D., associate professor of psychiatry and pediatrics, and colleagues developed a “wellness goals worksheet” available for clinicians and families to consider time in nature, pets, and gardening as opportunities for health promotion. The clinicians also participate in a statewide Vermont Parks Prescription program, administered by the state Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation and the Vermont Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, through which clinicians receive “parks prescriptions” to give patients for free day-use entry into a state park.
“This helps us promote well-being, family time, nature connection, and physical activity all at once,” Rosenfeld says, adding that prescribing a day at the park helps the planet, as well as the patient. “Most interventions for anxiety, depression, insomnia, and ADHD include pharmaceuticals as a prominent option. It takes fossil fuels to make and transport medications, and they get into the water supply. A parks prescription creates less pollution and a lower
ANDREW
RO
Planetary Health & Pediatrics
SEVERAL PROJECTS FOCUSING ON CHILDREN and youth health fall under the planetary health umbrella. Frederick Morin, M.D., professor of pediatrics and former dean of the Larner College of Medicine, has been instrumental in connecting researchers at LCOM with collaborators across the university campus.
One project examines recent surges of vectorborne diseases resulting from interrelated factors of land management, human population pressures, and climate change. The research team includes infectious disease expert Benjamin Lee, M.D., associate professor of pediatrics, along with Vatovec and researchers from RSENR, the College of Arts and Sciences, and Gund Institute. The team is focusing on ticks, which are responsible for 95 percent of vectorborne disease cases in the U.S. The project aims to determine the prevalence and drivers of tick-borne pathogens in Vermont’s outdoor recreation areas, how changing climate and recreation patterns affect the risk landscape, and what preventive measures could mitigate negative outcomes for human health.
Another project involves researchers from the Vermont Child Health Improvement Program (VCHIP) collaborating with colleagues from RSENR to study the effects of wildfire smoke on a large cohort of children and adolescents with asthma followed through the University of Vermont Health Network. Fueled by extreme heat and low moisture, wildfires in Canada created poor air quality across Vermont with sustained elevations in respirable small particulates. The investigators hypothesize that wildfire smoke triggers inflammation in the airways of youth with asthma, leading to a loss of disease control evidenced by the severity of respiratory illness presenting at clinical visits. The research team
carbon footprint. These nonpharmaceutical interventions are shown to be just as helpful, or more helpful, than pharmaceuticals, without side effects, especially in child and adolescent mental health.”
Along with reduced pollution and a lower carbon footprint, nature-based therapies also increase nature-connectedness, people’s sense of themselves as a part of nature, which is correlated with nature activism, sustainable choices in commuting, recycling, composting, and taking care of the environment, Rosenfeld says. Rosenfeld and colleagues including Vatovec and Kayla Corbett, M.D., assistant professor of family medicine, Constance Van Eeghen, Dr.P.H., associate professor of medicine,
is analyzing multiple years of electronic health record asthma data and local air quality data to understand the impact of wildfire smoke exposure on asthma exacerbations in youth over time. Using an “asthma smart form,” a clinical decision support tool developed by the UVM Children’s Hospital that helps clinicians assess asthma symptoms and deliver care, researchers can assess the impact of poor air quality from the wildfires on asthma symptoms assessed during normal clinical visits. This work will serve as a proof of concept for future collaborations involving clinical data from the health network and environmental data.
Additionally, VCHIP team members are beginning to investigate climate anxiety among children and adolescents in a collaboration with colleagues from the Vermont Center for Children, Youth, and Families (VCCYF) and RESNR. “Youth across Vermont’s unique rural landscape will have more time to be exposed to climate change–related stressors than adults and may suffer more negative effects to their mental health. It is our hope that this new collaboration will lead to future research, youth-centered interventions, and improvements to clinical care,” says mental health epidemiologist Valerie Harder, Ph.D., M.H.S., professor of pediatrics and psychiatry. •
Nature-based prescriptions “promote well-being, family time, nature connection, and physical activity all at once.” – ANDREW ROSENFELD, M.D.
and environmental science researchers are investigating ways to expand the use of nature prescriptions in other specialties. Their project would identify actions that primary care physicians in family medicine practices can take to encourage and support patients in gaining exposure to nature and demonstrate the benefits of those actions for improving such conditions as anxiety, depression, hypertension, and diabetes. The team intends to seek funding to be able to start doing this research, including a small pilot with an interested primary care practice. •
BEN J A MIN
RICKMORIN, M . D
VALERIE HA R DER, PH.D ., M .H .S .
Planetary Health & Medical Education
MEDICAL STUDENTS ARE INCREASINGLY conscious of planetary health issues, and the medical curriculum is evolving in response.
Chellie Nayer, Larner medical Class of 2025, led an effort by medical students to participate in the inaugural Planetary Health Report Card for the UVM Larner College of Medicine. The Planetary Health Report Card is an international studentled initiative engaging teams of students and faculty to use a metric-based tool for evaluating and improving planetary health content in health professional schools. During the past year, Nayer and peers searched public records, met with topic specialists, and scoured the medical curriculum to accurately reflect the school’s engagement with planetary health topics in the curriculum, research agenda, community outreach, and campus sustainability.
The 2024 LCOM report card earned an overall grade of C+, with the lowest marks for planetary health curriculum, community outreach, and student-led initiatives. Nayer and peers are participating in the 2025 Planetary Health Report Card with a goal to continually re-evaluate and advocate for improvements.
“We wanted to participate not just to assign a score to our medical school, but really to identify areas that need work,” Nayer says.
“We are also hoping to design dedicated planetary health curriculum for a course on social medicine topics.”
– CHELLIE NAYER ’25
While we did get a C+, we rank similarly to, if not better than, many other medical schools. By filling out the report card, we identified ways in which we can enhance our planetary health curricula. We are hoping to partner with course directors to explicitly teach planetary health topics. We are also hoping to design dedicated planetary health curriculum for a course on social medicine topics.”
At an interprofessional session last February, 124 first-year medical students and 86 students in other health care disciplines explored planetary health in clinical care. The students worked together to investigate the bidirectional connection between health care and planetary health and brainstorm actions that health care providers can take to decrease the negative effects of health care on the planet’s health. For example, they discussed how supporting healthy behavior changes—such as eating a plant-based diet, and cycling or walking instead of driving— reduce pollution and greenhouse gases. Karen Lounsbury, Ph.D., assistant dean for the preclinical curriculum, developed the session with partners in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, and Vatovec facilitated the event.
Medical educators also explored planetary health topics at a Teaching Academy educational retreat last winter. A keynote speaker from the Planetary Health Alliance at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health illuminated the ways in which a medical education curriculum can be enriched with planetary health concepts, frameworks, and values. A breakout session titled “How to do planetary health in my specialty” had faculty examining how to incorporate planetary health into their clinical practice. •
KAR E N LOUNSBURY , PH
Planetary Health & Public Health Education
JANCARNEY, M . D , M.P.H .
TO M GRIFFIN , PH .D .
“UVM’S PLANETARY HEALTH INITIATIVE HAS great synergy with public health and global health at LCOM and our focus on the health of individual patients and entire populations,” says Jan K. Carney, M.D., M.P.H., professor of medicine and associate dean for public health and health policy. The graduate public health program offers a master of public health degree with concentration in global health leadership, certificates of graduate study in global and environmental health, and micro-certificates in climate change and human health, environmental health, global health, and health equity. A variety of public health courses relate to environmental sustainability and planetary health.
Students taking PH 6310 Climate Change Emergencies examine the public health challenges of floods, droughts, severe heat waves, wildfires, and disruptions to food supplies. Discussions focus on the potential of these emergencies to cause complex humanitarian crises, civil unrest, military conflict, and large-scale migration, along with policy implications going forward. Langdon Lawrence, M.D., M.P.H., education assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Public Health, teaches this course.
Sophia Piffard, a 2021 neuroscience alum who will graduate this spring with an M.P.H., says this course has guided her toward a career combining community health and planetary health. “I feel empowered by understanding the mechanisms of climate change and equipped with the skills to become a leader in this field,” Piffard says. “I walked away with a deeper understanding of the cascading, overlapping effects of climate change on the earth and its inhabitants. Dr. Lawrence does not shy away from the hard, often heartbreaking subjects, and is still able to cultivate a sense of hope.”
A new course offered this spring, PH 5990 Planetary Health, explores the interconnected relationship between human health and the environment. Through systems thinking, case studies, and interdisciplinary discussions, students examine human-created drivers of global environmental changes and assess their expansive impacts on natural resources and human health. For example, students consider a “Dams and Disease” scenario in Senegal where residents built a dam to supply fresh water and generate power. Construction of the dam led to destruction of habitat for prawns that eat snails carrying schistosomiasis, or “snail fever,” a disease caused by a parasitic worm that lives in snails. The students learned about this and then had to decide how to reintroduce prawns into the reservoir to eat the snails. Most students chose to erect a mesh ladder for the prawns to bypass the dam.
Envisioning and articulating success inspires students to create and implement transformative solutions to human health and environmental challenges, says Thomas Griffin, Ph.D., professor of medicine in the Division of Public Health, who teaches the course. “Students see real-world examples of planetary health challenges and how interdisciplinary approaches are needed to develop solutions,” Griffin says. “There’s so much doom and gloom in climate narratives. I want the students to walk away from the course with hope and solutions.”
CULTIVATING OPTIMISM AND COLLABORATIVE problem-solving are key goals of planetary health research and education at LCOM and across the UVM campus, Vatovec says: “With the brightest minds working on these challenges with committed local and global partners, UVM will chart a course toward a healthier future for both people and planet.”
Learn about UVM’s Planetary Health Initiative, which explores connections between nature and human health so that people and planet can thrive.
uvm.edu/planetaryhealthinitiative
Setting the Standard
Caring for Kids
Vermont Leads the Nation in Maternal and Infant Health with “A” Grade on March of Dimes Report Card
BY ANGELA FERRANTE
Vermont has earned a prestigious distinction for its commitment to maternal and infant health, becoming the only state in the nation to receive an “A” grade on the 2024 March of Dimes Report Card. This achievement reflects the state’s ongoing efforts to improve outcomes for birthing parents and babies, setting a new standard for quality care across the country.
A Commitment to Healthy Beginnings
The March of Dimes Report Card evaluates maternal and infant health in all 50 states, using such key indicators as preterm birth rates, access to prenatal care, and the availability of resources for maternal and infant health. Vermont’s “A” grade is a clear indication of its exceptional performance in these areas, showcasing the state’s proactive approach to reducing disparities and ensuring that all birthing parents and babies receive the care they need for a healthy start.
Key Achievements Driving Vermont’s Success
Several factors have contributed to Vermont’s top grade, including:
PRETERM BIRTH RATE: Vermont’s preterm birth rate of 7.7 percent in 2023 is notably lower than the national average. As one of the most critical indicators of maternal and infant health, Vermont’s efforts to reduce this rate have had a significant impact on improving birth outcomes.
INFANT MORTALITY: With an infant mortality rate of 4.9 deaths per 1,000 live births, Vermont ranks among the best in the nation. While the national infant mortality rate has increased in recent years, Vermont has remained a leader in keeping infants healthy, with birth defects and preterm birth accounting for the majority of infant deaths in the state.
LOW-RISK CESAREAN BIRTHS: Vermont’s rate of low-risk cesarean births was 23.7 percent in 2023, well below the national average of 26.6 percent. This demonstrates the state’s efforts to ensure that births are as safe as possible by avoiding unnecessary cesarean sections, which can lead to complications for both mothers and babies.
PROGRESSIVE HEALTH CARE POLICIES: Vermont has adopted several policies that support maternal and infant health, such as Medicaid expansion, which improves access to preventive care, and a paid family leave policy, which helps families during parental leave. These initiatives ensure that all families have the support they need to thrive during pregnancy and beyond.
Early Recognition and Outreach
A crucial component of Vermont’s success in maternal and infant health is the early recognition of high-risk pregnancies. Hospitals across the state are trained by experts from the UVM Health Network to identify and manage such conditions as preeclampsia, hypertension, diabetes, and substance use disorders. This outreach not only helps health care providers recognize the risks early but also increases awareness among birthing parents about the factors that can lead to high-risk situations.
“Clinicians in the Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine participate in outreach and skills trainings on site at all birthing hospitals in the state, teaching the newest methods for neonatal resuscitation and stabilization to improve outcomes,” said neonatologist Deirdre O’Reilly, M.D., M.P.H., Larner associate professor of pediatrics. “The VCHIP NeoSim program is aimed at providing community hospitals with a direct line of communication with the physicians and advanced practice providers that staff the NICU to guide their care when unexpected circumstances around the birth of an infant arise.”
A Comprehensive Approach to Preventive Care
The Vermont Child Health Improvement Program (VCHIP) and the UVM Health Network have been instrumental in promoting pre-pregnancy care, which includes preconception counseling, lifestyle modifications, and education on environmental exposures. In addition, Vermont’s midwifery policy is integrated into obstetric practices across the state. Certified nurse midwives have been shown to improve birth and maternal outcomes, further solidifying Vermont’s comprehensive approach to maternal and infant health.
Overcoming Rural Health Care Challenges
One of the most impressive aspects of Vermont’s success is its ability to achieve these outcomes despite a large rural population. Access to care in underserved rural areas can be challenging, but the coordinated efforts of VCHIP and the UVM Health Network have helped overcome these barriers. Through a well-organized referral network and outreach programs, the state ensures that all patients, regardless of location, can access the best possible care.
The Importance of Post-Pregnancy Care
Maintaining maternal and infant health doesn’t end at birth. Experts like Marjorie Meyer, M.D., division director of maternal fetal medicine at the UVM Medical Center and professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences at the Larner College of Medicine, emphasize the importance of post-pregnancy care, particularly for those planning subsequent pregnancies. While the March of
Vermont is the only state in the nation to receive an “A” grade from the March of Dimes
Vermont’s “A” grade is a clear indication of its exceptional performance in these areas, showcasing the state’s proactive approach to reducing disparities and ensuring that all birthing parents and babies receive the care they need for a healthy start.
Dimes Report Card does not specifically address postpregnancy care, Meyer underscores its importance as a vital part of the reproductive care continuum within Vermont’s health care system.
“Research over the last few years has underscored the importance of excellent maternal health prior to pregnancy to optimize pregnancy outcomes,” stated Meyer. “Vermont has maintained expanded Medicaid coverage in general and extended coverage to a year after birth. Pregnancy care for the healthiest pregnancy really starts before conception.”
A Model for the Nation
Vermont’s “A” grade on the March of Dimes Report Card stands as a testament to the outstanding work of organizations like the Larner College of Medicine at UVM, VCHIP, and the UVM Health Network. These institutions have set a new benchmark for maternal and infant health, not just in Vermont but across the United States. While challenges remain in other states, Vermont’s success proves that comprehensive health care policies, community involvement, and environmental considerations can drive significant improvements in health outcomes.
While Vermont has made tremendous progress, both O’Reilly and Meyer agree that the work is far from complete. The state remains committed to further reducing disparities in maternal and infant health, addressing the social determinants of health, and continuing to expand access to care for all families.
Vermont’s “A” grade is not just a reflection of its past achievements but a foundation for future improvements, ensuring healthier lives for generations to come.
We all have different brains that experience the world differently, and different brains have different needs. When people feel heard and understood, they are more engaged in their care and have better long-term health.”
– MEL HOUSER, M.D.’12
All Brains BELONG
Health Care for the Neurodivergent Community
“Ifwe can do one thing to improve health care experiences and relationships, it’s to explicitly tell patients that we believe them,” says Melissa Houser, M.D.’12, clinical assistant professor of family medicine at UVM.
Houser speaks from experience, both as a family physician and as a person who discovered her own autism at age 37. She also received diagnoses of attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, dyscalculia (difficulty with mathematics), and dyspraxia (difficulty with motor coordination and movement). Such neurologically based differences in thinking, learning, and communicating affect at least one in five people, and that number is likely higher because health care providers often miss autism in high-masking autistic people, Houser says.
Realizing that she is autistic helped Houser make sense of lifelong experiences—including in medical school— and inspired the creation of a new model of health care delivery. In November 2021 Houser launched All Brains Belong, a nonprofit medical practice in Montpelier, Vermont, that provides patients with health care, education, and social connections.
I sat down with Houser to reflect on her experience and learn about this unique practice and the community it serves.
By Janet Essman Franz
VM: How did you discover you have autism? What was that experience like, and how did it change the way you practice medicine?
MH: Like many autistic people, I grew up masking— camouflaging my natural ways of thinking and interacting to fit into neurotypical expectations. It wasn’t until I became a parent navigating my own child’s development that I started learning more about the modern neuroscience of autism, and learning from the writings of autistic adults to better understand the vast ways autism presents. Ultimately, I received my autism diagnosis in the context of autistic burnout,* while living through early COVID, being on call 24/7 caring for sick patients in the hospital, seeing clinic patients, and homeschooling my 3-year-old. I lost the ability to mask. Understanding that I’m autistic helped me make sense of my lifelong experiences, but more importantly, it allowed me to stop trying to fit into a mold that wasn’t made for me. I embraced my natural communication style, which is direct, clear, and deeply collaborative. It also made me more attuned to the unspoken barriers my patients face—things like sensory overload in medical environments, difficulty with ambiguous communication, or the impact of executive function challenges on managing health care.
As a result, I redesigned the way I practice medicine. At All Brains Belong, we remove unnecessary barriers and create an environment where people can access care in ways that work for their brains.
*Autistic adults described the primary characteristics of autistic burnout as chronic exhaustion, loss of masking skills, and reduced tolerance to stimulus, resulting from life stressors adding to the cumulative load they experienced and barriers creating an inability to obtain relief from the load.
VM: You were a strong student and commencement speaker for your medical class. What was it like to be a medical school student with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dyspraxia? What do you want medical students to know?
MH: Medical training is challenging for anyone, but for someone with multiple neurodivergences—and who didn’t know that at the time—during my training, I regularly felt deficient. The expectation that everyone learns, communicates, and processes information in the same way leads to unnecessary shame.
I experienced a lot of trial and error in figuring out how to work with my brain rather than against it. For example, dyscalculia made medication calculations difficult, so I developed structured systems and quadruple-checking processes to ensure accuracy. ADHD meant I needed to build myself external scaffolding to manage executive function demands. I spent a lot of time before beginning a new rotation trying to find out from classmates exactly what to expect, otherwise I was super stressed out. Autistic brains are often very strong pattern-matchers, which has obvious benefits in medicine.
The medical education I received at UVM Larner College of Medicine was excellent. In particular, the value system embedded in UVM’s medical culture of patient-centeredness, of prioritizing the doctor-patient relationship, of understanding perspectives that are different from my own, of understanding community-needs assessment as a tool of public health, of connecting basic science to clinical applications, and of recognizing that everything is connected to everything—all of this is central to what I do today.
My training in family medicine, both as a medical student and a resident, is what uniquely prepared me for the work I do. My mentors imparted a broad scope of knowledge and skills that equipped me to be able to identify a niche of
unmet community needs and adapt the delivery of health care to meet those needs. Understanding how to support the health of individuals and the health of communities is a core part of family medicine training.
To current and future medical students who see themselves in my story: There is no one “right” way to be a doctor. Your brain is not broken, and you don’t have to “fix” yourself to succeed. What matters is finding strategies that work for you—and advocating for environments that work for everyone. The world needs doctors who think differently.
VM: How is All Brains Belong different from traditional family medicine practices?
MH: Our patients range from age 4 to 95. The majority are adults and children who have been historically excluded from traditional health care settings—particularly neurodivergent people with complex chronic conditions and those who have experienced medical trauma.* We have patients who have been suffering for decades.
The traditional health care system is built on assumptions that don’t work for many people. There are so many “defaults”: You must pick up the phone to make an appointment; you must fill out the 20-page packet, etc. Whenever there is a default, anyone whose brain works differently is “other.” We are demonstrating that a different way is possible. We use universal design principles and offer a menu of multiple options for how patients can choose to access various aspects of their care to co-create a customized experience.
We’ve intentionally kept our practice small so that we can provide deep, meaningful care instead of rushing through visits. We have a small but growing staff of two clinicians, a patient care coordinator, an education program coordinator, and a part-time coordinator for our Kid Connections program.
Our entire model of health care delivery is based on community connection. Patients come here to meet other patients. We address social isolation. We also provide employment support. It’s the idea of thinking about all the ways we can wrap around someone to support them.
Another key difference is that our model is constantly adapting to meet the needs of our community. We believe that solutions should come from those closest to the problem, and we regularly seek out and incorporate feedback from our patient community. We also compensate them for sharing their time and lived expertise.
(left) Dr. Houser and the staff of All Brains Belong meet in the reception area, and (above, right) patient inclusion board
The world needs doctors who think differently.”
– MEL HOUSER, M.D.’12
*Medical trauma is a nervous system response to interactions with the medical system. Symptoms can include intrusive thoughts, avoidance, anxiety, anger, headaches, insomnia, and fatigue. According to Houser, medical trauma can result from big events or everyday experiences such as being restrained as a child, exposure to fluorescent lights, or communication in which a patient feels invalidated.
VM: Tell me more about the community connection and how it improves health outcomes.
MH: Health care is more than just doctor visits. At All Brains Belong, we’ve built a community of shared lived experience. Patients don’t just receive medical care; they gain access to a network of people who understand and support each other.
Social isolation causes the equivalent harm to health as smoking 15 cigarettes per day, according to a study published in the scholarly journal American Psychologist, September 2017. Feeling a sense of belonging reduces isolation, improves self-advocacy, and ultimately leads to better health outcomes. In our medical practice, 92 percent of our patients report improved health through this model, and this is a patient population that is mostly chronically ill and medically complex.
VM: You provide free education and training materials to medical providers, employers, and community members. What topics do you cover? How can our readers tap into your resources?
MH: We train health care practices about how to adapt their environments to address common barriers to health care access, including improving communication, reducing sensory barriers, and accommodating executive function differences. We also provide training on medical problems that autistic and ADHD people more commonly experience, that are usually not included in medical education.
Webinars for both professionals and the public help foster a new model of community-driven health care, one that’s designed and shaped largely by patients themselves. For an example, a recent webinar focused on the health care system’s role in driving and perpetuating the stigmatized narrative of autism, and what we can do instead.
We host a weekly community education program called Brain Club, which is a community conversation where we
apply brain science to “everyday life.” Each week we have a presenter or panel about a different topic.
We released a free set of tools called “Everything is Connected to Everything: Improving the Healthcare of Autistic and ADHD Adults.” Since its launch in 2023, it has been accessed by more than 20,000 people from around the world. The purpose of the resource is to support primary care clinicians and patients in communicating about and working through the common medical problems faced by this population, including hypermobility, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome [POTS, a condition that causes dizziness, fast heart rate, or fatigue when someone transitions from lying down to standing up], mast cell disease, migraine, myalgic encephalomyelitis [also known as chronic fatigue syndrome, a condition causing extreme exhaustion and pain after physical or mental exercise], and post-infectious chronic illness like Long COVID.
We have trained more than 2,500 employers on creating neuroinclusive workplaces. Employers seek us out because they want to better understand how to create better office environments, and how to improve employee engagement and retention. These trainings are interactive and tailored to each organization’s needs. We offer one-time workshops as well as ongoing consultation and community-of-practice support.
VM: Is there anything else you want medical students and alumni to know?
MH: If I can drill down one thing that is absolutely the most important, it’s that patients are perceiving that their doctors don’t believe them, and this perception has significant implications for mistrust and poor health outcomes among patients who feel unsafe seeking health care. If we can do one thing to improve health care experiences and relationships, it’s to explicitly tell patients that we believe them.
I want to emphasize that neuroinclusive health care benefits everyone. The changes we’ve made to support neurodivergent patients—clear communication, flexible scheduling, sensory-friendly environments—aren’t just helpful for autistic or ADHD patients. They create better care experiences for all.
Also, if you read something here that resonates and you’d like to get involved with this movement, there are a lot of ways to plug in: Please visit allbrainsbelong.org
The Health Benefits of Hugs
BY JANET ESSMAN FRANZ
At the Pierson Library in Shelburne, Vermont, children listened to The Family Squeeze read aloud by the author, Christian Pulcini.
VERMONT MEDICINE
If you want to spread good feelings, hug someone you love!
That’s the treatment prescribed in The Family Squeeze, a new children’s picture book written by Christian D. Pulcini, M.D., M.P.H., M.Ed., assistant professor of emergency medicine and pediatrics. Through rhyming verses and colorful illustrations, the book celebrates the power of physical touch between a family who embrace one another when someone falls, or scores the ball; when they roam, and come home; when things are sad, and when things are glad.
“Despite ups and downs, happy and sad times, there is one thing the Monster family can always rely on to bring everyone together: the family squeeze,” according to the summary on the book’s back cover. “In a society where trauma is too common, the family squeeze is both a strategy and a message: Life will bring lots of emotions and experiences for young people and adults alike, but through a simple gesture of loving physical touch, families can build resilience and endure difficult times together.”
Pulcini, an emergency medicine physician and pediatrician, wrote the book with support and feedback from his wife and three young children, with their family squeezes serving as inspiration. In the Emergency Department (ED) at the UVM Medical Center, Pulcini cares for children who suffer violent injuries, trauma-related disorders, and mental health conditions. As a researcher, Pulcini’s investigations focus on children with disabilities, trauma-informed care, and childhood firearm injuries. The book is both autobiographical and educational, for children and those who care for them.
“My family and I actually do this,” says Pulcini, noting that the book was his family’s COVID-19 pandemic project.
trauma at the time of injury or illness that needs to be addressed to prevent future challenges, and I have no better suggestion as a physician, husband, and father than a family squeeze to help heal.”
It may seem unusual for a doctor and researcher to write a children’s picture book, but for Pulcini, it makes perfect sense. As an undergraduate student, he double-majored in literature and biology, and he worked as a middle school science teacher before attending medical school.
The Family Squeeze represents both a strategy and a message for enduring life’s emotions and experiences.
“Over the course of the pandemic, we would get together for a squeeze both to celebrate and to get through tough times,” he said, adding that healing touch helps build resilience not just in the person receiving the touch, but also in the person giving it. “The mental health crisis among youth, especially during the past several years, inspired me to put this story down on paper for everyone to benefit.”
“I am front and center witnessing youth and family trauma and resiliency. We have seen a lot of children come through emergency departments who are discharged, and then come back with mental health issues later,” Pulcini said. “Oftentimes it is the unseen
“It’s cool that a doctor did this, and it is tied to his research around resiliency in kids,” says Class of 2025 medical student Katie Barker, who is applying for a residency match in pediatrics. Barker and classmate Jharna Jahnavi attended Pulcini’s book launch event at Phoenix Books in Burlington.
“It is inspiring to see Dr. Pulcini’s work as a product of his experiences. He took what he learned from the families he encountered in the ED and his own family’s experiences to reflect on the power of physical touch to build resilience through both happy and challenging times,” Barker said. “Children’s books can be a powerful way for kids to engage with and practice literary skills, while also enjoying a fun story. It’s another way to care for children’s health.”
Pulcini says he approached writing the book like a research project: He identified the topic, tested ideas, and organized the information. He spent Friday nights writing and rewriting the text for more than three years.
“It was like an experiment in my house. I shared my ideas with my wife and children, they helped me make improvements,” he said. “They looked at the sample illustrations, proofread, and offered suggestions.”
Pulcini worked with Onion River Press, an independent publisher based in Burlington, Vermont. The publisher suggested several illustrators, and Pulcini chose to work with Matthew Gauvin, a Vermont native whose work is displayed in galleries, festivals, and private collections around the U.S. In The Family Squeeze, the affectionate monsters exemplify the Pulcini family and their frequent family squeezes.
The Family Squeeze by Christian Pulcini is available at bookstores and libraries across Vermont and online through Onion River Press
UVM Larner College of Medicine Alumni Association
Executive Committee Officers (Two-Year Terms)
President
Michael D. Upton, M.D.’94 (2024–2026)
President-Elect
Heidi Schumacher, M.D.’10 (2024–2026)
Secretary
Pramila R. Yadav, M.D.’99 (2024–2026)
Members-at-Large* (Six-Year Terms)
Halleh Akbarnia, M.D.’98 (2024–2030)
JJ Bivona, Ph.D.’21 (2022–2028)
Annie Coates, M.D.’07 (2024–2030)
Brian Cunniff, Ph.D.’14 (2020–2026)
Desiree N. DiBella, M.D.’19 (2024–2030)
Seth Dorsky, M.D.’10 (2020–2026)
Janice M. Gallant, M.D.’89 (2021–2027)
Danie Leahy, M.D.’17 (2024–2030)
Kelly McQueen, M.D.’91 (2024-2028)
Anand Parthasarathy, M.D.’02 (2022–2028)
Cordelia Ross, M.D.’16 (2022–2028)
Nicholas J. Sears, M.D.’78 (2024–2030)
Andra S. Stevenson, Ph.D.’01 (2024–2030)
Community Member (Three-Year Term)
Paul J. Mayer, M.D. (2024-2027)
Ex-Officio Members
Richard L. Page, M.D., Dean
Ginger Lubkowitz, UVM Foundation
*Members as of February 1, 2025
IPresident’s Corner
t has been a busy and complicated winter at the Larner College of Medicine. The Alumni Executive Committee (AEC) has been meeting and active. At our last meeting we welcomed new members and remembered our longtime, beloved executive secretary
John Tampas ’51, M.D.’54, who passed away on December 6, 2024, at the age of 95.
John was a loyal and active member of the committee and a truly dedicated friend of the Larner College of Medicine. He held a body of knowledge and lived history about our college that will be sorely missed and for those of us who knew him he was a kind and thoughtful man who was always willing to lend an ear and respond to requests for advice.
Our AEC vice president, Heidi Schumacher, M.D.’10 has been heading up a student engagement subcommittee to increase our understanding of student needs and how our alumni can be helpful. In addition to the work that committee is doing, we are encouraging alumni to sign up for UVM Connect (uvmconnect.org), our preferred social media connecting platform. Several of our members have found this to be an effective way for students to reach out to them after they have indicated they are available for mentoring and networking in their profile.
Across the university, announcements of cuts in federal spending and the anticipation of more announcements have significantly raised anxiety for faculty, students and staff. I know
Dean Page and Larner faculty are working to advocate for research and clinical budgets to be spared and to identify other sources of funding, including philanthropy. In my own clinical work, I have met with a number of undergraduate students who have been impacted or expect to be impacted by the cuts. Today, your support is more important than ever. I am grateful to be a part of an institution that values inclusive excellence at its core, and I encourage us all to remember that a kind word and an offering of support for all members of our community will go a long way in these times of unprecedented change.
With warm regards,
Michael D. Upton, M.D.'94 President, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine Alumni Association
Thanks to the ongoing support of readers like you, we can continue to share printed copies of Vermont Medicine! If you would like to support our students, our college, our alumni network, and Vermont Medicine, please consider a gift to the UVM Larner College of Medicine Fund.
UVM Connect allows UVM graduates and students across the University to join groups based on interests or affinity. There’s a UVM Larner College of Medicine specific networking area you may find very valuable. Stay connected at: uvmconnect.org
University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine Medical Development & Alumni Relations Office 802-656-4014
medical.giving@uvm.edu med.uvm.edu/alumni
Dear Alumni,
We’d love to hear from you!
Please share your news and updated contact information with us!
phone: 802-656-4014
online: go.uvm.edu/infoupdate
email: medalumni.relations@med.uvm.edu class notes: go.uvm.edu/medclassnotes
UVM CONTINUING MEDICAL AND INTERPROFESSIONAL EDUCATION CONFERENCES
GERONTOLOGY SYMPOSIUM 2025
May 6, 2025
South Burlington, VT
DIABETES CONFERENCE 2025
May 9, 2025
South Burlington, VT
FAMILY MEDICINE CONFERENCE 2025
June 2-6, 2025
South Burlington, VT
20TH ANNIVERSARY STEM CELLS, CELL THERAPIES, AND BIOENGINEERING IN LUNG BIOLOGY AND DISEASES 2025
July 7-10, 2025
University of Vermont Burlington, VT
40TH WOMEN IN MEDICINE CONFERENCE
August 21-24, 2025
Albuquerque, NM
POCUS CONFERENCE
September 5-7, 2025 Burlington, VT
CLINICAL RESEARCH AND ACADEMIC SUCCESS IN OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY COURSE
September 7-10, 2025
Essex, VT
For information, please contact: University of Vermont Continuing Medical and Interprofessional Education 802-656-2292 uvmcmie@med.uvm.edu med.uvm.edu/cmie 401 Water Tower Circle Suite 102 Colchester, VT 05446
Class Notes
1950s
’59 Jay Selcow ’55, M.D.’59 shared the sad news that his wife, Gayle, passed away shortly after the couple’s 33rd anniversary. He did also have the chance to visit his son, Ben and family in Burlington, and spend a lovely afternoon with old UVM friends Dave and Judy Hershberg. He would love to hear from other alumni friends.
1960s
’69 John Healy, M.D.’69 shared that he went to the 55th reunion with Bill Thibault, Buddy Maddocks, and Steve Firestone. While he wishes that fellow members of the class who attended the 50th reunion had been there, he recalled great weather and a personal tour of the spectacular Firestone building hosted by the Dean. He also remembered John Tampas, ’51, M.D.’54 who was still alive at the time and who also participated in the weekend.
1970s
’ 73 Jim Betts ’69, M.D.’73 writes: “It’s February 10th as I pen this note to all. California is transitioning from our “winter” to spring and summer “seasons”. As many of you are aware, there has been devastating destruction from ravaging fires in the Los Angeles area with thousands of homes and buildings destroyed and many lives lost. “Fire Season” is year-round both here in California, and many other locations throughout the United States and worldwide.
As a volunteer firefighter with the Big Sur Fire Department, we were placed on high alert to assist the thousands of firefighters in Los Angeles. As of this message, we have not yet deployed. Our university continues to be one of the premier small research institutions in the nation. I am taken with the significant scientific and overall academic accomplishments by students, faculty, and staff. I am forever grateful that I had the opportunity to receive both my undergraduate and College of Medicine studies at UVM. There are many new programs, buildings and services which would benefit from our donations. Among others, new athletic facilities are moving forward. They will provide “space and support” for the mental and physical health and wellness of the entire student body, along with the intercollegiate and recreational sports activities of all students. UVM Class of 1969, and College of Medicine Class of 1973, I hope you’ll consider joining me in making a donation. For now, I’m looking forward to this July, my Bennington High School Class of 1965 is celebrating our 60th high school class reunion. (I’m sure all others will have celebrated theirs, as well.) Our College of Medicine 50th class reunion in October 2023 was well attended. I’m looking forward to our 55th. I continue to practice pediatric surgery at UCSF Children’s Hospital Oakland. It’s been a wonderful 41-year presence, only made possible with the opportunity UVM provided me for my education. I hope our paths will cross again in the not-too-distant future. Be well.”
’ 78 William Spina ’74, M.D.’78 is “still living the good life in the Kingdom, off the grid, growing apples, and living with the mooses, deer, and bears.” He’s also still doctoring in St. J. —performing consultations only and shared that he enjoys watching his grandchildren grow and express an interest in becoming doctors. He would love to hear from fellow classmates!
1980s
’80
Cathleen Doane-Wilson ’74, M.D.’80 writes that she is, “Finally retiring. Moving from Delaware to a retirement center in San Antonio, TX with plans for frequent trips to New Hampshire and New Jersey to spend time with the grandkids.”
’81 Dale Stafford, M.D.’81 writes of being “Happily retired for four years now. Missing my colleagues and patients, but not the hours and the stress. Mary Fran and I are still in Montpelier and are enjoying our daughter’s family with four grandchildren keeping us very busy!”
’81 Andrew Weber, M.D.’81 wrote in that Laury and he had such a good time at the 40th reunion. Dinner with Betsy and Larry, lunch with Margie and Peter, Bob Cochran caddie and dinner with Bruce and Ann!
’86
Mark Gregory ’82, M.D.’86 and Pat (Reilly) Gregory Ph.D.’86 wrote in to share that Pat recently retired as Assistant Vice Chancellor at Washington University School of Medicine. The two run a primary care medical practice (affiliated MDVIP) and Mark is also Flight Surgeon with the 126th Air Refueling Wing, Scott AFB. He says, “It’s a great honor to be a physician and a privilege to serve our Nation with our military. I love both my jobs.” Mark and Pat send best regards to their classmates!
2010s
’18
Allicia Imada, M.D.’18 wrote in to share that she completed her hand/upper extremity fellowship and returned to Vermont to practice hand/ upper extremity orthopaedic surgery at Northwestern Medical Center with her husband and almost 1 year old baby girl.
PERSEVERANCE TAKES A UVM GRADUATE TO SILICON VALLEY INSPIRING PROFESSORSHIP GIFT
“I had a blue-collar upbringing in a white-collar neighborhood,” said Michael O’Reilly, M.D.’90, G’89, of his childhood in Wayne, New Jersey. His father, a machinist, survived a heart attack at 38, but that wasn’t what inspired O’Reilly to pursue medicine. “I had friends who worked in hospitals and told me stories,” said O’Reilly. “It sounded really cool.”
O’Reilly financed his education—at Northeastern University and University of Massachusetts, Boston—as a scrub nurse, managing equipment during surgery. After graduating in 1974, he applied to medical school at UVM. “After the first four rejections, I was devastated. I joined a consulting firm that had a project in northern Vermont, but the company went bankrupt.”
After five rejections, O’Reilly found himself at 30 with a girlfriend and a baby living on welfare in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. He took a job as a scrub nurse at Medical Center Hospital of Vermont, earned an MS in cell biology at UVM and pitched his research to pharmaceutical companies. “By the time I finally started medical school at UVM, I had my own lab and was the only student with their own office and a pager.”
After residency, the University of Michigan snatched Dr. O’Reilly up and over the next 30 years, he would teach, lecture, publish and secure patents. His belief in technology’s potential to improve human health would propel him into senior medical
ENABLING STUDENT RESEARCH
In recognizing the power of research, James A. Merritt, M.D.’77, made an estate gift commitment to establish the James A. Merritt, M.D.’77, Fellowship Fund. The fund is a permanent endowment providing year-long fellowships to Larner College of Medicine students accepted into the college’s Medical Student Research Program. In addition, he also made a five-year current use gift commitment to provide annual funding for these fellowships for students in the program.
The fellowship program provides participants with an extra full-year, comprehensive research experience during their medical school education, and provides support for financial aid, stipends, travel expenses, or other support for the recipient’s education, research, or scholarly work.
“It is deeply satisfying to establish a means to support scientific inquiry by medical students. The college has designed a rigorous program of selection, guidance, and supervision for senior medical students who are willing, and able, to add additional time to their clinical studies to conduct, present, and publish independent, data-driven research,” says Dr. Merritt. “The skills and personal relationships forged during this year dedicated to research will enhance their careers, no matter where they go. One more year is an enormous financial burden for many. My goal is to enhance the ‘able’ part.”
William “Gabe” Tharp, M.D.’14, Ph.D.’13, and Michael O’Reilly, M.D.’90, G’89
advisory roles at such pioneers as GE Healthcare, Masimo Corporation and Apple. Dr. O’Reilly was Apple’s first physician employee and provided input on the Apple Watch and Apple Health features. He said he’s proudest of his role in the development of Apple’s ResearchKit and Health features.
“I wouldn’t be where I am if it wasn’t for my time in Vermont… even though it was rocky,” said O’Reilly. “My wife, who died of cancer six years ago, used to say that the secret to my success is ‘chop wood, carry water.’ Just be persistent.”
Dr. O’Reilly’s gift establishing a Green and Gold Professorship in Anesthesiology will fuel exploration of questions that have inspired Dr. O’Reilly: What are the most important health problems to solve and how can technology help?
William “Gabe” Tharp, M.D.’14, Ph.D’13, the inaugural holder of Dr. O’Reilly’s professorship, knows his charge: Chop wood. Carry water.
James A. Merritt, M.D.’77
ESTATE GIFT SUPPORTS FUTURE PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS
Dr. Ruth Seeler earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Vermont in 1958 and her M.D. from UVM’s College of Medicine in 1962. In 2000, Seeler endowed a scholarship at UVM to help students meet the cost of their medical education. The scholarship is awarded annually to third- or fourth-year students specializing in primary care. To ensure that the fund meets that need into the future, Seeler committed $2 million in her estate plan to be added to the existing Ruth Andrea Seeler M.D.’62 Scholarship Fund in the UVM Larner College of Medicine. Since Dr. Seeler’s passing in October 2022, her estate has contributed well over the $2 million anticipated and the fund is now one of the largest scholarship funds at UVM, supporting nine students in the current academic year.
“There is a dearth of primary care physicians. We have a desperate need for them, but students are drawn to traditionally higher paying specialties, particularly in view of the need to pay off their student loans,” Seeler said. “I want to help reduce the debt burden for students who want to specialize in primary care so they can afford to do so.”
Dr. Seeler was a very proud and engaged UVM alumna and often reminded people that she was “100% of the women
graduating in the Class of 1962.” She was president of the UVM Medical Alumni Association Executive Committee from 2008 to 2010. She was presented the UVM Medical Alumni Association’s Service to Medicine and Community Award in 1998 and the A. Bradley Soule Award, the associations highest honor, in 2007.
As busy UVM Medical Center physicians and Larner College of Medicine faculty Ramsey Herrington, M.D., FACEP, and Heather Herrington, M.D., appreciate the intricacies and difficulties of providing urgently needed medical care. When one of their children required multiple surgeries at a young age, they were inspired to create a fund in the name of Kennith Sartorelli, M.D.’87, the pediatric surgeon who operated on their child.
The Kennith Sartorelli, M.D.’87 Endowment, honors their colleague and friend Dr. Kennith Sartorelli, in gratitude for the outstanding care he provided. They were inspired by the talent and passion he brings to medical education and pediatric surgery, in addition to the compassion and care he provides to his patients and the medical community. This fund will provide a scholarship for a student who is pursuing a medical degree at Larner and has a demonstrated interest in pursuing a career in the field of surgery as their specialty.
As a former trainee and current colleagues of Dr. Sartorelli, we have witnessed his technical skill, professionalism, and commitment to education for nearly two decades. When our child needed emergency surgical intervention shortly after birth, we had confidence we were being cared for by the best of the best.” — RAMSEY HERRINGTON, M.D., FACEP
Ruth Seeler, M.D.‘62, with the Clinical Simulation Laboratory’s mobile unit, also known as the “Seeler Simbulance.”
Heather Herrington, M.D. and Ramsey Herrington, M.D., FACEP
A Legacy of Leadership
John Tampas, M.D.’54, B.S.’51
Having graduated from UVM’s College of Medicine more than 70 years ago in 1954, John Tampas’s leadership, engagement, and legacy with the college and profession is incalculable.
Long renowned for his commitment to medicine and the community, the beloved Dr. Tampas, professor emeritus of radiology, died peacefully on December 6, 2024, at age 95, surrounded by family.
He joined the College of Medicine faculty in 1962 and later served as chair of radiology for 26 years. Over the course of his long career, he was honored with many awards for his work in radiology and also as an educator
in medicine, including being recognized in 1995 with the UVM Medical Alumni Association’s highest award, the A. Bradley Soule Award. Dr. Tampas’s extraordinary professional life was balanced by a deep commitment to his family, his faith, his country, and his love of the arts and medicine.
Mary Cushman M.D.’89, M.Sc., University Distinguished Professor and former president of the UVM Larner College of Medicine Alumni Association, said, “Dr. Tampas had a long life of commitment to our college and to the Alumni Executive Committee, for which he served in many ways. His vision will continue to be felt for generations to come.”
John Tampas, M.D.’54, B.S.‘51
’50 Olive “Jo” Morris Davies, M.D.
Dr. Davies died on November 17, 2024, at age 99, at home. Born on May 27, 1925, to the late Dr. Richard Morris and Frances Thomas Morris, she grew up in Vermont and met the love of her life, Dr. Robert Davies, when she was just 8 years old, he 10. She graduated from UVM in the 1940s and became one of the first women to graduate from the University of Vermont College of Medicine. She and Bob married in 1949, and she went on to complete a residency in pediatrics, one of three residencies open to women in Vermont at the time. She was one of the first pediatricians to practice in Newport, Vermont, where she earned 50 cents for house calls that were often miles from home. After moving to Massachusetts, she worked for the Greenfield, Massachusetts, public school district and Stoneleigh-Burnham, a private high school, where she served as the school physician and health teacher. In 1980 she completed a second medical residency, this time in child and adolescent psychiatry, which had always been her true passion. She practiced in that field in the Albany and Amsterdam, New York, areas for over 10 years until her retirement.
’54 Herbert Carl Sillman, M.D.
Dr. Sillman passed away peacefully on September 1, 2024, at age 95, at home in Tarzana, California. Born October 24, 1928, in Springfield, Massachusetts, to Abram Henry and Sadie (Forer) Sillman, he graduated from Hartford High School in Vermont. After graduating with a B.A. in zoology from the University of Connecticut, he completed medical school at the University of Vermont, followed by internship at Bryn Mawr Hospital, where he met his first wife, Martha Carolyn Stump. After a pathology residency at Hartford Hospital in Connecticut, he served in active duty as a captain in the United States Air Force at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. The family moved to California, where he was an instructor at the UCLA School of Medicine while serving as resident of pathology at the Veterans Administration Hospital, then achieved an anatomic and clinical pathology M.D. and later became a fellow with the American College of Clinical Pathologists and the American Society of Clinical Pathologists. He worked in California at Pacific Hospital in Long Beach and Tarzana Medical Center, where he met his second wife, Gail Gilson, in 1977. After retirement at age 68, he kept his M.D. license active for many years.
’57
Denton Edward “Ned” MacCarty, M.D.
Dr. MacCarty, formerly of Concord and Haverhill, Massachusetts, died peacefully on October 13, 2024, at age 93, in Burlington, Vermont. He joined the staff of the Waltham Hospital in 1968, where he practiced radiology for 28 years, was named chief of radiology, and also served as president of the medical staff, chairman of the Medical Staff Executive Committee, and a member of the board of trustees. He retired from practice in 1996.
’57
William A. O’Rourke Jr., M.D.
Dr. O’Rourke died peacefully, with his wife by his side, on November 21, 2024, at age 93, in Rutland, Vermont. He was born on June 5, 1931, in Rutland, the first child of Mary Hinchey O’Rourke and William A. O’Rourke Sr. He attended high school at Mount St. Joseph Academy in Rutland, then graduated from the College of the Holy Cross and subsequently from the University of Vermont College of Medicine. He interned at Ohio State University Hospitals and completed his first residency in internal medicine at UVM. He served as a captain in the U.S. Air Force and was the chief medical officer (flight surgeon) at the Robins Air Force Base in Warner Robins, Georgia. He completed his second residency and an infectious disease fellowship at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C. He returned to his hometown of Rutland, where he practiced medicine for more than 50 years, specializing in internal medicine and infectious disease until he was 80 years old.
’61
George B. Reservitz, M.D.
Dr. Reservitz passed away peacefully at home in Cambridge, Massachusetts, holding the hand of his beloved wife, Phyllis, on January 20, 2025. He was the middle child of Leona and William Reservitz, born in Brockton, Massachusetts, in 1935. After graduating from Brockton High School and Tufts University, he attended the University of Vermont College of Medicine. He met Phyllis Enbinder in college, and they were married during his freshman year of medical school. He completed a general surgery internship and residency at George Washington University Hospital and served for two years in the U.S Army, practicing surgery at Fort Devens and providing emergency care at an aide station with the 82nd Airborne Division during its occupation of the Dominican Republic. Returning to training after the service, he completed a urology residency at the Boston VA Hospital and then entered private prac-
tice. In 1977, he was named clinical instructor at Harvard Medical School and became the clinical urologist at MIT Health Service for the next 31 years. In 1978, he was appointed chief of the Division of Urology at Mount Auburn Hospital. He retired as chief in 2000.
’63 Ann Marie Tompkins Dvorak, M.D.
Dr. Dvorak, an eminent pathologist and pioneering researcher in the field of inflammatory cell biology, passed away on January 7, 2025, at the age of 86. Born in Bangor, Maine, to Lawrence and Pauline (Sibley) Tompkins, she was educated in local schools and attended the University of Maine in Orono and then the University of Vermont medical school. While in college, she spent two summers doing research at the Jackson Memorial Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine, where she met her future husband, Dr. Harold Dvorak. After medical school, she completed an internship and residency in pediatrics at the Boston Floating Hospital, followed by pathology training at the Washington, D.C., Children’s Hospital and at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Boston, and then training in electron microscopy at Harvard Medical School. Her academic appointments included assistant professor of pathology at Tufts New England Medical Center, associate professor of pathology at Massachusetts General Hospital, and full professor of pathology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School. In these appointments, she used her electron microscopic skills for the diagnosis of difficult surgical specimens. She also pursued studies of the ultrastructure of inflammatory cells in inflammatory diseases and of the vascular endothelial cells engaged in pathological angiogenesis. Her investigations led to the publication of more than 400 papers as well as several books, including atlases of the ultrastructure of surgical pathology and inflammatory cells. She retired in 2017.
’66
John Jerome Saia, M.D. Dr. Saia passed away on February 25, 2025, at age 85 in Colchester, Vermont. After graduation and residency, he initially practiced in Waitsfield before serving on the family medicine faculty at UVM for 27 years until his retirement in 2007, influencing the careers of thousands of medical students and dozens of residents. Among numerous accolades, he was twice recognized by residents as Family Practice Teacher of the Year, honored by his peers as Vermont Family Physician of the Year and was the recipient
of the 2016 A. Bradley Soule Award. His commitment to teaching the art of medicine with wisdom, wit, humility, and equanimity was legend, which he demonstrated in his care and empathy for his own patients.
’67
Irving G. Peyser, M.D.
Dr. Peyser, a general surgeon in Parsippany, New Jersey, affiliated with St. Clare’s Denville Hospital, died on February 5, 2025, at age 84. Born November 27, 1941, and raised in the Boston area, he attended the prestigious Boston Latin School and then Brandeis University. He received his medical degree from the University of Vermont College of Medicine, followed by internship and residency in surgery at Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, where he met his wife of more than 50 years, Dahlia.
’67 Christopher M. Terrien Jr., M.D.
Dr. Terrien passed away peacefully on February 3, 2025, at age 84, at his home in South Hamilton, Massachusetts, surrounded by his family. Born on November 2, 1941, in Burlington, Vermont, he was the eldest son of Nora Finnegan and Dr. Christopher Terrien, Sr. A proud lifelong Vermonter, he nevertheless relocated to Massachusetts two years ago to be closer to his children. He attended Cathedral High School before graduating from Rice Memorial High School in 1959. After graduating from UVM and marrying Patricia Donahue in 1963, he went on to study medicine at the University of Vermont College of Medicine and completed his residency in internal medicine at Georgetown University and the University of Vermont, where he subspecialized in cardiology, following in his father’s footsteps. He served in the U.S. Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, as part of the Berry Plan. Upon returning to Vermont, he built a thriving cardiology practice in Burlington, working alongside his father until his father’s retirement and becoming known for taking the time to know each patient’s story —who they were, what they did, and what mattered to them. His three children, including Paige Terrien Church ’93, M.D.’99, and Christopher Terrien III, M.D.’03, have established the Christopher Marlowe Terrien Jr., M.D.’67, Scholarship Fund at the College of Medicine in his memory.
’70
Robert A. Burton Jr., M.D.
Dr. Burton passed away quietly at his Cornwall, Vermont, home on December 6, 2024, just shy of his 89th birthday. He was born on December
22, 1935, to Helen DeSanno and Robert A. Burton Sr. He grew up in Pennsylvania and Vermont, where he attended school in Townsend, then Vermont Academy and Dartmouth College. He was a pilot in the U.S. Navy from 1957 to 1965, after which he went to UVM Medical School for emergency medicine. Beyond his educational and professional pursuits, he loved farming and raised his family on working farms from the early 1970s to the late ’80s. He was naturally athletic and an accomplished skier and coach (he went to the ski jump Olympic trials in 1956). He loved Vermont, winter, and small-town living.
’71
Lester A. York III, M.D.
Dr. York passed away on December 22, 2024, at his home in Portland, Maine. He was born on August 9, 1945, in Portland, to Lester Arthur York Jr. and Edna Hollywood York. He graduated from Cheverus High School, College of the Holy Cross, and the University of Vermont Medical School. After completing his pediatric residency at Boston Children’s Hospital, he joined the Army Medical Corps and was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He practiced medicine for many years in the Washington, D.C., area before returning to Portland.
’74
James N. Holcomb, M.D.
Dr. Holcomb of Newport, Vermont, passed away on November 9, 2024. He is survived by his wife Jean Campbell Holcomb, his five children, and his eight grandchildren.
’77
John E. Rowe, M.D.
Dr. Rowe died on January 21, 2025, at the age of 73. Following a long career as a family medicine doctor, he had recently retired and cherished the ability to devote more time to the things he loved. He was born on June 18, 1951, the fourth of six children, and grew up in Wells River, Vermont, where his father ran the town’s medical clinic. He graduated from Harvard University in 1973 and, following in his father’s footsteps, went on to receive his medical education from the University of Vermont before returning home to work at the Wells River Clinic. During his medical residency, he met and married Linda (Pritz) Rowe, with whom he enjoyed a marriage of over 40 years and raised their four children. In the early 1990s, the family moved to Fairview, North Carolina, where he worked for 33 years at the Mountain Area Health Education Center as both a physician and a mentor to numerous students and residents in training. Following Linda’s death in 2020, he relocated to
Durham to be closer to his children and grandchildren.
’79
Edward Bowen Cronin, M.D.
Dr. Cronin, of Bonita Springs, Florida, born in Newton, Massachusetts, passed away on October 20, 2024, at the age of 70. He is survived by his wife, Helen Crowe, M.D.’79, his daughter, and other family and friends.
’86
Thomas J. Curchin, M.D.
Dr. Curchin, of East Montpelier, Vermont, died on September 21, 2024, at age 68. He was born on April 13, 1956, in Red Bank, New Jersey, the middle child of five children of Kenneth and Thelma Curchin, and was raised in Fair Haven. He attended Brown University and then the University of Vermont College of Medicine, followed by a family medicine residency at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia before he returned to Vermont to practice. He and Sarah Kinter, “the love of his life,” were married in 1988 and had three children. He was blessed with many years of medical practice, and was grateful for each and every patient he had and the lives they shared with him. He retired after being diagnosed with ALS.
’88
John G. Devine, M.D.
Dr. Devine, a much beloved and highly esteemed clinician-educator who spent more than two decades with the UC San Francisco Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and San Francisco VA Medical Center (SFVAMC), passed away suddenly on October 7, 2024. He graduated from Brandeis University in 1981 and received his medical degree from the Robert Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont in 1988. Following a residency in psychiatry at UCSF, in 1993 he joined the university as a faculty member and SFVAMC as a staff psychiatrist, serving as an integral part of the psychiatry service’s identity and education efforts until his retirement in 2015. As an educator, he taught fundamental psychotherapy skills to residents as part of their outpatient rotation at SFVAMC. He was renowned for his engaging and entertaining teaching style, and he quickly became a favorite among the residents and his colleagues. He was among the first psychiatrists at SFVAMC to dive deeply into the care of veterans with HIV and AIDS and led the SFVAMC HIV Psychiatry program from 1993 to 1999.
’89
Martha Jane Moulton, M.D.
Dr. Moulton, of Dataw Island, South Carolina, died on December 7, 2024, at age 63 following a long battle with cancer. She was born on June 14, 1961, in Burlington, Vermont, the daughter of the late Walter Moulton and Marie Bisson Moulton. She received her undergraduate degree from Connecticut College and her M.D. from the University of Vermont. She practiced family medicine for 25 years at Brookfield Family Medicine in Brookfield, Connecticut, before moving to South Carolina in 2018. She is survived by her husband, John E. Keet, Jr., and their four children.
’02
Kristin M. Page-Chartrand, M.D. Dr. Page-Chartrand passed away on September 5, 2024, at age 50 after a brief illness. She was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on June 7, 1974, to Reverend Dr. Allan and Janice Page, and was raised in Falmouth, Massachusetts. A graduate of Falmouth High School in 1992, Connecticut College in 1996, and UVM College of Medicine in 2002, she became a pediatric physician and researcher, specializing in hematology and oncology.
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Moment in Time
February 15, 2025 2:44 p.m.
The Center on Aging’s new Musical Brain Initiative brings medical students to UVM Medical Center to play music for patients with cognitive decline.
22 Setting the Standard How Vermont leads the nation caring for kids.
16 Planetary Health Larner College of Medicine’s role in UVM’s new initiative.
