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March 10, 2021 | Volume III, Issue 5


Chris Rokkas

Gender Equity Celebration Honors Larner Changemakers

One year ago, the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion proudly hosted the first-ever Celebration of Gender Equity in Medicine and Science at the Larner College of Medicine. The year that followed “has been so different from anything we could have imagined – a year filled with so many emotions, a year in which so many inequities of our society have shown themselves in high relief,” said Dean Richard L. Page, M.D., during his opening remarks at the second annual event this year, held on March 4.

It is in times like this that it is most important to persist, to hold firm for what we know is right,” said Gender Equity Liaison and Associate Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences Anne Dougherty, M.D., M.S.,in her welcome. 

The event featured a keynote address, titled “Bystander or Advocate? Who Do You Choose to Be?,” by Diane Magrane, M.D., former Larner associate dean for medical education, past director of Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM), and former Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) associate vice president for faculty development and leadership. During the presentation, Dr. Magrane recounted her first-hand experiences with inequity, discussed the critical role of equity in ensuring diversity and inclusion, and highlighted how individuals can help make cultural changes within their organizations and communities.

The following Larner community members were recognized for their commitment to gender equity at Larner, including:

  • Gender Equity Champion Award:Pamela Gibson, M.D., Associate Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (faculty recipient); and Stellar Levy, Class of 2023 medical student (student recipient);
  • Gender Equity Outstanding Achievement in Medicine and Science Award: Elizabeth Bonney, M.D., M.P.H., Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences;
  • Polaris Award for Outstanding Mentorship Award: Melissa Davidson, M.D., Interim Chair of Anesthesiology and Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education; and  Rising
  • Star Emerging Professional Award: Katie Wells, M.D., M.P.H., Assistant Professor of Surgery, Division of Emergency Medicine.
View the full list of nominees, awardees, and presenters in the event program.

Watch a recording of the event on YouTube.

 

Pictured above (clockwise, from top left): Dr. Wells; Dr. Davidson; Dr. Bonney; Dr. Gibson; Ms. Levy.

 


Dana Allison, Class of 2023 medical student

Celebrating the Class of 2021's Pending Match Day with a Look Back at Their White Coat Notes

For the past seven years, every new medical student at the Larner College of Medicine has had something special waiting for them in the pocket of the new white coat they receive during their White Coat Ceremony, one of the most momentous days in their journey to becoming doctors. Alumni from across the class years volunteer to write a short note of encouragement to the College’s newest students, often sharing wisdom gleaned from their own time at the College or tips to make the most of their medical school experience. When students leave the ceremony with their white coat, the note serves as a reminder of the network of support they have as they join the Larner family.  

On March 19, the College celebrates the Class of 2021 on Match Day as they find out where they will be completing their residencies. Four years ago, alums wrote inspiring words to support them on this journey. Read a few notes from alums to members of the Class of 2021:

“As you have the honor of donning your new white coat, may you always remember the trust, compassion and respect that it symbolizes. Congratulations and best wishes as you begin your medical journey!” – Kellie Sprague, M.D.'91

"Welcome to the Vermont medical family! You are in for a phenomenal four years of friendship, learning, and Ben and Jerry's ice cream. Wear your coat with pride and work hard!” – Leah Carr, M.D.'14

"This garment opens doors to a life of learning and service to others.  It is your uniform to do battle on behalf of your patients in many arenas. Don't keep it clean.” – Vito Imbasciani, M.D.'85

Watch the Match Day ceremony for the Class of 2021, which will be held virtually on March 19.

Pictured above: White Coat notes spread out on a table in the Hoehl Gallery

 

 


Drs. DeAngelis (left) and McNamara

DeAngelis and McNamara Appointed Interim Assistant Deans for Students

Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education Christa Zehle, M.D., and Interim Associate Dean for Students Lee Rosen, Ph.D., have announced the appointment of Justin DeAngelis, M.D., and Mariah McNamara, M.D., as Interim Assistant Deans for Students in the Office of Medical Student Education, effective March 1. 
 
As interim assistant deans, Drs. DeAngelis and McNamara, under the guidance of Dean Lee Rosen, will provide oversight of programs that support student professional identity development, academic achievement, wellbeing, and career advising, and contribute to institutional leadership and curricular initiatives. 
 
Dr. DeAngelis,a UVM faculty member since 2017, is an assistant professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences (OBGYN) and associate clinical clerkship director in OBGYN. He has received numerous teaching awards, including the 2020 Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics Excellence in Teaching Award.
 
Dr. McNamara joined the UVM faculty in 2012 and is an associate professor of surgery in the Division of Emergency Medicine, where she is assistant division chief. She also serves as associate chief medical officer for medical staff affairs at the UVM Medical Center and associate director of the Larner College of Medicine/Nuvance Health Global Health Program. She is a recipient of the Abrams Teaching Award for dedication and commitment to excellence in education from the UVM Department of Surgery.
 
“Dr. Rosen and I are delighted to welcome Dr. DeAngelis and Dr. McNamara to our Office of Medical Student Education team,” said Dr. Zehle. “Their experience with and passion for medical education, and commitment to the student experience will be a tremendous asset to our medical education program.”
 
Read more about the appointment of Drs. DeAngelis and McNamara.
 
Pictured above: Drs. DeAngelis (left) and McNamara.


Student Voices
Graphic drawing 

Quote MarksThis is not about choosing art over medicine. This is about acknowledging that the spheres do not have to be separate. They can be synergistic.”

– From a blog post by Class of 2021 medical student Olivia Harrison, titled “The Importance of Storytelling: A Medical Comics Course.” 

Read Ms. Harrison’s full post on the Larner College of Medicine blog.

Pictured at left: A comic drawn by a student in the medical comics course.

 

 


Dean Rick Page and wife Jeanie Page showing off their socks
The “Moo”Ment Has Arrived – Let’s Knock Their Socks Off!
 
Join Dean Page and Mrs. Page (pictured above) in supporting the Match Challenge by making a donation here. Give $60 or more to get your own pair of socks (while supplies last)! 
 
Pictured above: Graphic with photo of Dean Page and Mrs. Page wearing Dr. Moo socks with text reading “THE ‘MOO’MENT HAS ARRIVED! JOIN US IN SUPPORTING THE MATCH CHALLENGE.”


Accolades & Appointments

Drs. Villanti, L.E. Faricy, and Gogo

Larner faculty members Prospero Gogo, M.D., associate professor of medicine and UVM Medical Center cardiologist, L.E. Faricy, M.D., assistant professor of pediatrics and UVM Children’s Hospital pediatric pulmonologist, and Andrea Villanti, Ph.D., M.P.H., associate professor of psychiatry and Vermont Center on Behavior and Health researcher, joined the Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Vermont and testified at a virtual Senate hearing on Bill S.24 – “An act relating to banning flavored tobacco products and e-liquids” – sponsored by Vermont Senator Virginia Lyons.

Pictured at left, from top to bottom: Dr. Villanti; Dr. Faricy; and Dr. Gogo.


Andrea Green
Andrea Green, M.D., professor of pediatrics, is the new director of global health for the Department of Pediatrics. As a member of the UVM Larner College of Medicine Global Health Program Leadership Committee – part of the Nuvance Health/UVM Larner College of Medicine Global Health Program – she will head the program’s domestic initiatives. Dr. Green is the director of the Pediatric New American Clinic and specializes in pediatric refugee and immigrant health.


Masayo Koide
Masayo Koide, Ph.D., assistant professor of pharmacology, received a 2020 Million Dollar Bike Ride Pilot Grant from the Orphan Disease Center. The $82,795 grant will fund her research project, titled “HB-EGF/EGFR signaling in capillary dysfunction in CADASIL.” The Orphan Disease Center is a non-profit organization based at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania that seeks to accelerate therapeutic development for rare diseases. Read more about Dr. Koide’s study.


Marc Kostrubiak
Marc Kostrubiak , a Class of 2021 medical student, is first author on a paper, titled “Environmental Externalities of Switching from Inhalational to Total Intravenous Anesthesia,” recently published in the journal Anesthesia & Analgesia. Mitchell Tsai, M.D., professor of anesthesiology, is senior author, and UVM coauthors include Christine Vatovec, Ph.D., research assistant professor of biochemistry and Gund Fellow, and Megan Malgeri, M.D., assistant professor of family medicine. Link to the paper here


Steele Taylor
The PhRMA Foundation has selected a paper, titled “The Effect of Observed and Unobserved Preference Heterogeneity on Estimates of Health Disparities,” by Eline van den Broek-Altenburg, Ph.D., assistant professor of radiology, and colleagues, to receive the first-place award for the 2020 “Valuing Diversity: Addressing Health Disparities Challenge Award.” Submissions addressed the Foundation’s Challenge Award question, “How can value assessment methods and processes better account for populations that are typically underrepresented in research and drivers of health disparities?” UVM coauthors on the paper are Jamie Benson, research specialist in the Department of Radiology, and Adam Atherly, Ph.D., professor of medicine and director of the Center for Health Services Research.

 

Pictured at left, from top to bottom: Mr. Benson; Dr. van den Broek-Altenburg; Dr. Atherly.


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CITATION HIGHLIGHTS

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Dumas JA. Subjective Cognitive Complaints in Aging: A Commentary on Topiwala et al. 2020. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2021 Mar;29(3):227-229. doi: 10.1016/j.jagp.2020.07.015. Epub 2020 Aug 7. PMID: 32863139.

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Dougherty A, Kasten M, DeSarno M, Badger G, Streeter M, Jones DC, Sussman B, DeStigter K. Validation of a Telemedicine Quality Assurance Method for Point-of- Care Obstetric Ultrasound Used in Low-Resource Settings. J Ultrasound Med. 2021 Mar;40(3):529-540. doi: 10.1002/jum.15429. Epub 2020 Aug 8. PMID: 32770709.

Weinberger SJ, Cowan KJ, Robinson KJ, Pellegrino CA, Frankowski BL, Chmielewski MV, Shaw JS, Harder VS. A primary care learning collaborative to improve office systems and clinical management of pediatric asthma. J Asthma. 2021 Mar;58(3):395-404. doi: 10.1080/02770903.2019.1702199. Epub 2019 Dec 14. PMID: 31838923.

Veith C, Hristova M, Danyal K, Habibovic A, Dustin CM, McDonough JE, Vanaudenaerde BM, Kreuter M, Schneider MA, Kahn N, van Schooten FJ, Boots AW, van der Vliet A. Profibrotic epithelial TGF-β1 signaling involves NOX4-mitochondria cross talk and redox-mediated activation of the tyrosine kinase FYN. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2021 Mar 1;320(3):L356-L367. doi: 10.1152/ajplung.00444.2019. Epub 2020 Dec 16. PMID: 33325804.

Trieu V, Hosseini DK, Kim GS, Truong MT, Cheng AG. Congenital Orocutaneous Fistula Associated With Ectopic Salivary Glands and Submandibular Gland Aplasia. Laryngoscope. 2021 Mar;131(3):E998-E1001. doi: 10.1002/lary.28921. Epub 2020 Jul 10. PMID: 33059385.

Häberle AD, Biggs ML, Cushman M, Psaty BM, Newman AB, Shlipak MG, Gottdiener J, Wu C, Gardin JM, Bansal N, Odden MC. Level and Change in N-Terminal Pro-B- Type Natriuretic Peptide and Kidney Function and Survival to Age 90. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2021 Feb 25;76(3):478-484. doi: 10.1093/gerona/glaa124. PMID: 32417919; PMCID: PMC7907483.

 Blankstein M, Lentine B, Nelms NJ. Common Practices in Intra-Articular Corticosteroid Injection for the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis: A Survey of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons Membership. J Arthroplasty. 2021 Mar;36(3):845-850. doi: 10.1016/j.arth.2020.09.022. Epub 2020 Oct 8. PMID: 33616067.




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The Larner College of Medicine
at The University of Vermont
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