The University of Vermont and Larner College of Medicine hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking to celebrate the four-story, 62,500-square-foot Firestone Medical Research Building currently under construction at the College of Medicine on September 30, 2021.

Five pairs of medical students in the Class of 2023 have spent hundreds of hours over the past year focused on the needs of an underserved population in Vermont through the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship Program. Each project tackles an important issue in tandem with a community partner, with topics ranging from teen engagement to social isolation in older adults to CPR training. Inspired by famed physician-humanitarian Albert Schweitzer’s message of service, students develop leadership skills and address the social factors that impact health. Since 1996, over 200 Larner students have completed over 25,000 hours of service after being selected as fellows in the Vermont-New Hampshire program.

The University of Vermont Cancer Center hosted the 24th annual Women’s Health and Cancer Conference on October 1 from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The virtual event, which was free and open to the public, was sponsored by the Victoria Buffum Fund with an aim to empower and support individuals and communities with knowledge about cancer prevention, detection, treatment, and survivorship.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has awarded Noah Kolb, M.D., associate professor of neurological sciences at the University of Vermont's Larner College Medicine, and a team of researchers a $7 million grant to a develop a new intervention for chemo-induced neuropathy, one that can be as easily implemented in rural areas as large urban centers.

On September 10 and 11, the Larner College of Medicine welcomed 27 individuals from across the country as participants in the first-ever “Look at Larner” program. Candidates in the program were aspiring medical students, from rising college juniors to postgraduates and career changers.

VT REACH, which stands for Virtual Teleconference: Reach Explore Aspire to Careers in Healthcare, is an outreach program designed for high school, college, technical school, undecided students who are interested in potentially pursuing careers in healthcare and provides an opportunity to learn from and interact with professionals and students from the Larner College of Medicine and UVM Medical Center.

Professor of Pediatrics William Raszka, M.D., has received the prestigious 2021 Alpha Omega Alpha Robert J. Glaser Distinguished Teacher Award. The award is part of the Association of American Medical Colleges annual slate of honors and will be formally conferred at an October 27 virtual recognition event.

Described as “a traditional summer camp experience with a queer twist,” Camp Outright provides a supportive environment and a range of activities focused on community, social justice, and fun for youth aged 13 to 17. During the two 2021 summer sessions, the camp also served as a place for medical trainees and campers to see a different side of patient care and clinicians, respectively.

Patricia King, M.D., Ph.D., UVM professor of medicine and former chair of the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB), led and created the Workgroup on Physician Sexual Misconduct, which conducted a deep review of all available U.S. sexual misconduct disciplinary data, and state medical board physician sexual misconduct laws, policies and procedures might be contributing to this dire problem. Their findings were reported in 2020 and featured in an April 27, 2021 JAMA Viewpoint article.

More than 75% of women with Opioid Use Disorder report having had an unintended pregnancy, but they are less likely to use effective contraception compared to women who do not use drugs. Results from a multi-year trial led by UVM Professor Sarah Heil found that a two-part intervention featuring co-located contraceptive services in opioid treatment programs and financial incentives could offer an effective solution.