Departmental News

Larner Celebrates Professionalism with 2022 Awards Ceremony

May 4, 2022 by Jennifer Nachbur

“Going above and beyond” and consistently demonstrating kindness, compassion and respect were common accolades in the nomination letters for the 2022 Dean’s Awards for Professionalism recipients. On May 3, the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont marked the third anniversary of the formal introduction and celebration of the College’s Statement on Professionalism at a virtual awards presentation ceremony.

Left to right, top to bottom: Trevor Wolfe, Mindy Bean, Richard Brach, Nathalie Feldman, M.D.

“Going above and beyond” and consistently demonstrating kindness, compassion and respect were common accolades in the nomination letters for the 2022 Dean’s Awards for Professionalism recipients. On May 3, the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont marked the third anniversary of the formal introduction and celebration of the College’s Statement on Professionalism at a virtual awards presentation ceremony.

“Professionalism isn't defined by how you look or where you're from . . . it's how you treat others,” said Dean Richard L. Page, M.D., in his opening remarks at the event.

Honored with the task of reading and evaluating the 2022 award recipient nominations was the Nominations Review Committee. Made up of Larner community members, including past award recipients, the committee was chaired by Associate Professor of Medicine Jennifer Gilwee, M.D., the chief of the Division of General Internal Medicine and a past recipient of the Professionalism Faculty Award. Gilwee told attendees that there were significantly more nominations this year than last year – and that she expected nominations would increase in the years to follow.

The first award announced at the event was the Medical Student Award, presented to Richard Brach, from the Class of 2022, by Emily Greenberger, M.D., assistant professor of medicine. Nominees for the award also included medical students Amanda Galenkamp ’24; Luke Higgins ’22; Simran Kalsi ’24; and Elise Prehoda ‘24.

Montana Kay Lara, a doctoral student in the Neuroscience Graduate Program, presented the Graduate Student Award to Trevor Wolf, a fifth-year Ph.D. candidate in the Cellular, Molecular and Biomedical Sciences program. Nominees for the award included J.J. Bivona; Jeff Brabec; and Montana Kay Lara.

Chair of Pediatrics Lewis First, M.D., presented the Staff Award to Mindy Bean, administrator in the Department of Pediatrics. In addition to Bean, nominees for this award included Lisa Beaulieu; Alex Boudreaux; Elizabeth Cote; Liz Dohrman; Eslam Eid; Vicki Gilwee; Cary Jewkes; Nelly Karina Lopez; Julie Lovelette; Tina Mazuzan; Meaghan McKenna; Terri Messier; Daniel Mills; Lindsey Moore; Amy Shore; and Jason Towsley.

Chair of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences Ira Bernstein, M.D., presented the Faculty Award to Nathalie Feldman, M.D., director of the Learning Environment, interim associate dean for admissions, and associate professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences. Nominees for the award include Amer Abu Alfa, M.D.; W. Kemper Alston, M.D., M.P.H.; Christopher Anker, M.D.; Heather Bradeen, M.D.; Lee-Anna Burgess, M.D.; Ryalynn Carter, M.D.; Allison Ciolino, M.D.; Stephen Everse, Ph.D.; Nathalie Feldman, M.D.; Jonathan Flyer, M.D.; Laura Greene, M.D.; Emily Guy, M.D.; Victoria Hart, Ph.D.; Naomi Hodde, M.D.; Frank Ittleman, M.D.; Alicia Jacobs, M.D.; Noah Kolb, M.D.; Karen Lounsbury, Ph.D.; Mariah McNamara, M.D., M.P.H.; Cate Nicholas, Ed.D., M.S.,P.A.; Mark Pasanen, M.D.; Tom Peterson, M.D.; David Rand, D.O.: Molly Rideout, M.D.; Carolyne Riehle, D.O.; Elly Riser, M.D.; Sarah Schlein, M.D.; Matthew Siket, M.D., M.S.; Maya Strange, M.D.; George Wellman, Ph.D.; Katie Wells, M.D., M.P.H.; Karah White, M.D.; Richard Zubarik, M.D.

Link to a video of the Dean's Awards for Professionalism Ceremony.

Read more about Professionalism at the Larner College of Medicine.

Announcements

 

We are excited to welcome to our department two new faculty: 
-Karen George, MD, 
Associate Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences (Division of General Obstetrics and Gynecology).  Dr. George is also Associate Dean for Students at Larner College of Medicine

-Amanda Kallen, MD,  Associate Professor of of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences (Division of Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility)

Anne Dougherty, M.D., Associate Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences has now accepted the enhanced role of ODEI Director for Gender Equity.

In this new role Dr. Dougherty will continue her current coordination of workshops, speakers and awards related to the LCOM Gender Equity Initiative.  She will also develop new mentoring and resource programs for women and underrepresented minorities in medicine, participate in analysis and tracking, and collaborate on efforts to enhance diversity, equity and inclusion in faculty recruitment. As ODEI Director for Gender Equity, Dr. Dougherty will report directly to Margaret A. Tandoh, M.D., FACS, Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.   Congratulations to Anne on her new role!

CONGRATULATIONS to the following faculty who received promotions (July 2021):
Nathalie Feldman, MD
to Associate Professor and Navid Esfandiari, PhD to Professor

Navid Esfandiari, PhD, Professor, REI Division, received the "Star Award" from the 77th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) - October 2021

Congratulations to Justin DeAngelis, MD who was appointed interim assistant dean for students in the Office of Medical Student Education at the Larner College of Medicine, effective March 1. Read more here

A champion for women's health, diversity and science, Elizabeth Bonney, MD recognized in News Spotlight from UVM Larner College of Medicine.  Read the article here.

Navid Esfandiari, PhD, received the “Star Award” from the 76th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) – October 2020

Misty Blanchette Porter, MD, Associate Professor, REI Division, was invited to present at AIUM education webinar - teaching on ORADS and IOTA on the evaluation of adnexal masses – Sept 2020

Justin DeAngelis, MD, Assistant Professor, Ob/Gyn, was selected as Class Mentor to the residency by the class of 2021 and was recently awarded the 2019 APGO Excellence in Teaching Award.

SO PROUD! Congratulations to Katherine Menezes, MD (PGY-3) who was awarded the Clinical Resident of the Year Award by the LCOM graduating Class of 2021!!!!  These are the awards that are given out on Honors Night to and from the graduating class.  Check out the video here.

Marjorie Meyer, MD, Division Director of Maternal Fetal Medicine, was recognized for her work in the treatment of women with opioid dependence during pregnancy in Governor Phil Scott's State of the State address on Jan 9.  Read announcement here

Theresa Ko, PhD (Croucher Fellowship 2006), Assistant Professor in the Division of Reproductive Sciences, was recently interviewed with the Croucher Foundation in December 2019 about her molecular biology quest to reduce maternal deaths.   Read the article here

Elizabeth Bonney, MD, MPH, Professor and Head of the Division of Reproductive Sciences was selected to present the lecture entitled "A Theory of Maternal Immunity" at the 25th Annual Dr. Raymond O. Berry Memorial Lecture on October 18, 2019. Read the announcement here.

Congratulations to Marti Churchill, CNM who received the award for "Excellence in Advanced Nursing" at the Nursing Awards Ceremony  on May 6, 2019.

Congratulations to Tendai Chiware, MD who won the 2019 Beth Fitzpatrick M.D. Citizen of the World Award, awarded by the Global Health Program at UVM LCOM and the Western Connecticut Health Network. 

We are pleased to share news of the appointment of Anne Dougherty, M.D., as Gender Equity Liaison in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) at The UVM Larner College of Medicine.    Read the announcement here.

Cheung Wong, MD was invested in a formal ceremony on June 8, 2018 as the inaugural Berta Pi-Sunyer Williams Endowed Professor.   Read all about it.

The cover photo on the March 2018 issue of the American Journal of Ob/Gyn is from Dr. Kelley McLean's article Mechanical heart valves in pregnancy:  the necessity of appropriate and careful anticoagulation.

Congratulations to Cheung Wong, MD for his recent appointment as the VP for Clinical Affairs for the University of Vermont Health Network.

Congratulations to Elizabeth Bonney, MD and Natalia Gokina, PhD who have won the NIH RO1 funding for "Systemic Vasculature Remodeling Females:  Effects of the Immune System and Experience of Pregnancy".  The application was scored at the 1st percentile!

Our match results are in!  Announcing our newest residents 2018-2022:  Hayley Pierce (Saint Louis University); Allison Walker (Oregon Health & Science University) and Rebecca Zuckerman (University of Chicago).  We look forward to seeing them soon!

We are excited to welcome our new fellows on July 2, 2018 for their 3 year fellowship:  Maximilian Klein, MD (Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility fellow) and Ankita Kulkarni, MBBS (Maternal Fetal Medicine fellow)

Nathalie Feldman, M.D., Educator Assistant Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, was recently awarded (along with her colleague, Judy Lewis, MD in the Dept. of Psychiatry) the UVM Larner College of Medicine Teaching Academy's "Educational Scholarship Award" for her work on the learning environment.  

Jenna Flanagan, MD (PGY-3) will be presenting a poster "A Needs Assessment for Somali Women:  Optimizing this Populations' Peripartum Care in a Tertiary Care Center in Vermont" at the North American Refugee Health Conference, June 16-18, 2017 in Toronto, Canada.

Erin Morris, MD, received the 2017 APGO Excellence in Teaching Award.  Dr. Morris is an active clinical member of the Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine.  She currently serves as our Associate Ob/Gyn Clerkship Director and the Faculty mentor for the Ob/Gyn Student Interest Group. 

May 15, 2017 - Elise Everett, MD was presented the Clinical Teacher of the Year Award from the Class of 2017 during Honors Night.

CONGRATULATIONS to our new interns starting June 2017: Johanna Kelley, Katherine Menezes & Rebecca Parad.