CMIE News
Osteoporosis for Primary Care
Osteoporosis for Primary Care Conference took place on November 2nd at the Hampton Inn Conference Center. This conference was designed to improve the skills of the primary care healthcare team, as they are often the first to encounter patients
who have, or who are at risk of developing, osteoporosis. The Course Director for this conference was Dr. Jennifer Kelly, DO- the Director of the Metabolic Bone Program at the University of Vermont Medical Center and the 2023 Continuing Medical
Education Educator of the Year. Dr. Kelly is also the Course Director for a new conference happening this fall- the Obesity Medicine/Weight Management Conference happening Friday, November 8, 2024 in South Burlington.
Conference reviews included:
- [As a result of the education learned] I am more informed now on osteoporosis and fracture risk and how to help prevent these and have better quality of life.
- [As a result of the knowledge I acquired during this activity] I will be able to discuss with patients, the importance of their osteoporosis and the lifestyle changes they may need to make to decrease the risk of falls.
EM Update
The 2024 Emergency Medicine Update took place from January 16-19 at the Lodge at Spruce Peak in Stowe, VT. This conference invited participants to learn about and discuss a variety of timely, practical issues that are encountered in the emergency
department on a daily basis, in a family-oriented, relaxed environment. Lectures were engaging, sometimes controversial, and presented the audience with examples of both successes and failures in emergency medicine. Healthcare professionals from
across the spectrum of emergency medicine were in attendance, including physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, emergency department nurses, pharmacists, trauma nurses, residents, and emergency medicine technicians.
Reviews included:
- It is special to have the conference so accessible to skiing. I really felt like I could maximize educational activities while also enjoying wintertime with my friends, colleagues, and family.
- Overall amazing and inspiring, as usual! Thank you!!
- Every year I bring new learned clinical pearls from this conference back to my practice. It’s great to be able to add to discussions updated EM research to back up clinical decisions or help a doc struggling with a plan of care or dispo
decision.
Sign up for updates on the 2025 Emergency Medicine Conference here!
Winter Derm
The Annual Eastern Winter Dermatology Conference celebrated its 35th anniversary this year February 1-4 at TopNotch Resort in Stowe, VT. The conference provided high-level continuing education for dermatologists and
medical professionals specializing in dermatology. It explored new and exciting findings in basic science, clinical dermatology and dermatologic therapy.
Comments from participants included :
- Awesome conference for a primary care provider.
- We really liked Topnotch! The shuttle to the mountain all weekend was great.
- I feel more updated with ever changing medicine.
Hospital Medicine
The Hospital Medicine Conference was held February 7-9, 2024 at the beautiful TopNotch Resort in Stowe. The course provided practical approaches to common problems in hospital medicine informed by experts and the latest evidence.
Attendees consisted of healthcare professionals from across the spectrum of medicine, including included physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and nurses practicing Hospital Medicine, along with clinicians who were engaged in
education, research, quality improvement, and management.
An added bonus was the optional POCUS Workshop, held at the (link) UVM SIM Lab. It began with the basics of ultrasound and knobology, and then explored a myriad of diagnostic ultrasound applications including focused cardiac ultrasound, thoracic and
renal ultrasound to access LV function, pericardial effusion, fluid management, pneumonia, pneumothorax, pleural effusion, and hydronephrosis to name a few. The workshop was ideal for both beginners and more experienced providers to refine
ultrasound skills.
Overall conference reviews included:
- Love the UVM conference organizers and staff. Thank you for another awesome CME!
- Always great content and great speakers!
Vascular and Cardiac Forum
The Vascular and Cardiac Forum was held on April 1, 2024 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel. The conference provided primary care, internal medicine, urgent care, and physical therapy providers with education about a variety of vascular and cardiac
conditions. The objectives were to improve accuracy and timeliness of the diagnosis and treatment of these conditions, and efficiently use expert consultation in a value-based environment. 100% of participants who were surveyed
stated that the conference met their expectations. Comments included:
- [Throughout this conference] “The topics were relevant. Presentations were excellent. Really a great group of speakers. And the fact that the topics and delivery of information was geared for a diverse audience.”
- This is always one of the best conferences to review and update my knowledge. Well done.”
Geriatrics
The Geriatrics 2024 Conference was held on April 16 at the DoubleTree Hotel. It was designed to equip nurses, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, physicians, physician assistants, social workers and other healthcare professionals with
practical and innovative approaches to the medical care of older adults. Feedback was positive, including the following comments:
- I returned to my workplace with information to share with my coworkers. I was also able to share that there are people that are working very hard to change broken systems.
- This was my first year in attendance. I can say the conference exceeded my expectations. All of the speakers were excellent and the talks were informative and pertinent to my practice as a primary care geriatrician.
Diabetes
Diabetes 2024: Updates on Management and Treatment took place in early May at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in South Burlington. The course was designed to equip primary care clinicians, pharmacists, dietitians and others with updated
knowledge on issues related to outpatient management of patients with diabetes. Specific topics included Lipid-Lowering Therapies to Reduce Cardiovascular Disease, Basal Insulin Use, Insulin Titration, MASLD (Liver Disease) and more. Comments
from participants included:
- This was an EXCELLENT conference! I learned so much. I will be coming to next year’s because I found it so helpful as a new diabetes educator.
- A huge thank you to all the people that continue to bring a conference on par with national conferences for diabetes to little old Vermont…. This year's speakers, including favorites Matt Gilbert and Richard Pratley, gave approachable and
practical talks. Once again, thank you to all those that persevered to bring this program to fruition!
- Truly one of the best conferences I’ve attended.
The Family Medicine Course celebrated a milestone of 50 years in June 2024. Read more about the event here!
A new conference, led by Dr. Jennifer Kelly, has been added to the fall lineup. Taking place on November 8th, 2024 at the Delta Hotel in South Burlington, VT, this conference is designed to improve the skills of the primary care healthcare team
(physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, physical therapists, and other members of the primary care team) as they navigate new treatments in obesity medicine and weight management. The conference will focus on issues related
to obesity management and will provide practical and updated strategies for assessment and treatment. A wide spectrum of diagnostic, management and treatment options will be presented. Learn more at the conference webpage and register today at this link- early bird pricing is in effect until 10/15!
CMIE's annual Family Medicine Course celebrated its 50th Anniversary from June 4-7, 2024
at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Burlington.
Over 30 different sessions that focused on current issues in the practice of Family Medicine were offered. In addition, a pre-conference, small-group workshop on Mastering Early Goals of Care Conversations was facilitated for providers to discuss
how to hone their skills in empathic, honest conversations. Thursday, June 5 was “Vermont Day,” a joint session with the Vermont Association of Family Physicians, where exhibits were offered and an awards presentation from the Family
Medicine Department was held.
A key feature of this year’s conference was the ability to attend in-person, fully remotely, or a mix of both options. Technology such as video lectures and Zoom polls allowed all attendees to engage and participate in sessions.
The conference, which took place at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Burlington, coincided with the Burlington Jazz Fest. This drew a diverse crowd of health care providers who wanted to both update their primary care knowledge and enjoy the best
of summer in Vermont.
Comments from attendees included:
- “My favorite conference every year. So great to have this level of education locally available.”
- “This was an exceptional conference with great information and knowledgeable presenters.”
Joseph (Joey) Miller, a Workplace Violence Prevention and De-escalation Central Programs Trainer and MOAB Instructor Trainer at the University of Vermont Medical Center, was awarded the 2023 CMIE Educator of the Year in January 2024. 
As an Instructor of Management of Aggressive Behavior (MOAB), Miller shares the wisdom he has gained from 16 years of working at the UVMMC Emergency Department in Security and Mental Health Technician roles. He teaches certification trainings monthly
for employees in diverse roles including; nursing managers, security officers, floor nurses, Licensed Nursing Assistants, Mental Health Technicians, Orderlies, and Clinical Patient Safety Attendants. He has spearheaded efforts to update and improve
hospital MOAB training, and has annually taught the most MOAB courses among all of the instructors in the institution. As an Instructor Trainer, he is also currently one of the few individuals at the institution who can train new MOAB instructors.
Individuals who have been students in Joey’s MOAB classes have noted how he incorporates real-life scenarios, reflection and class discussion around workplace violence in a way that makes the training specifically relevant to the Emergency Department.
Comments from recent students stated that Joey was “The best teacher they have ever had for MOAB” and the “most knowledgeable teacher ever, he should be a professor.”
Miller received lengthy positive nominations from Kristin Baker, RN, BSN – Nurse Manager, UVMMC Emergency Dept; Amanda Young, Central Programs Education; and Val Nick BSN, RN, CEN, CPEN – Nurse Educator, UVMMC Emergency Dept.
Nominations for 2024 Educator of the Year will open in October 2024. The winner will receive a plaque, $6,000 grant for professional development or education related projects, and a $1,500 bonus. Nominations are only open to UVMMC employees. For more
information, visit this webpage.
The Robert Larner College of Medicine has been granted Accreditation with Commendation by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses
Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team. Full information can be found here.
We are grateful for the keynote speakers who attended this year’s conferences. With each newsletter, we will highlight one of our keynote speakers and the topic they presented on. This quarter, we are highlighting Dr. Richard Pratley-keynote
speaker at Diabetes 2024: Updates on Management and Treatment.
Dr. Pratley is a nationally recognized diabetes expert and serves as the Medical Director at the AdventHealth Diabetes Institute and Senior Investigator and Diabetes
Program Lead at the Translational Research Institute. He is also an adjunct professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. In addition, Dr. Pratley has ties to Vermont. He was a Professor of Medicine at the University of
Vermont Larner College of Medicine from 2004-2011, and was the Director of the Diabetes and Metabolism Translational Medicine Unit in the Department of Medicine at the Larner College of Medicine from 2004-2011.
At Diabetes 2024,
Dr.Pratley's keynote was titled:
GLP-1 Receptor Agonists for Diabetes and Obesity: Hype or Hope?
Comments on Dr. Pratley's keynote included:
• "Thrilling to have a 'local' and now famous expert return to VT for
an interesting talk"
• "SOOO needed this info with many patients requesting these meds-would love him back next year to continue to update us."
• "Expert presenter with substantial knowledge of these medications."
Dr. Pratley also led another session called "Ambulatory Glucose Monitoring: Who, What, When and Why."
Thank you, Dr. Pratley, for joining us and sharing your knowledge with the VT healthcare community!
New Arrivals
- CMIE welcomed Laura Martin to the department in November as a Conference Assistant.
- Maya D'Amico joined the team in June 2024 as a Conference Assistant.
- Lynn Brauns joined the team in July 2024 as a Conference Assistant.
Bon Voyage!
- Karen Whitcomb, Regional Program Assistant, retired August 2024 after 23 years with the department.
- Michele Morin, Conference Assistant, retired in July 2024 after 12 years with the department.
- Kate Martin, Conference Coordinator, departed in June 2024 to join the Center on Aging.
- Shannon Turgeon, Marketing and Communications Specialist, departed in September 2024 for a new role at the University of Pittsburgh.
- Hiring efforts are underway to fill the open positions.
Welcome, Laura, Maya and Lynn, and thank you for your hard work, Karen, Michele, Kate and Shannon!