Departmental News

Peipert Named UVM Chair of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences

March 27, 2024 by Angela Ferrante

Jeffrey F. Peipert, M.D., Ph.D. (photo credit: Indiana University School of Medicine)

Indiana University School of Medicine’s Peipert Named UVM Chair of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences

Following a national search, Jeffrey F. Peipert, M.D., Ph.D., Clarence E. Ehrlich Professor and chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Indiana University School of Medicine (IU) and Indiana University Health, has been appointed the next chair of the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences at the Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine at the University of Vermont (UVM) and the University of Vermont Health Network, effective June 1, 2024. Larner dean Richard L. Page, M.D., and Jason Sanders, M.D., M.B.A., senior associate dean for clinical affairs at Larner and president and CEO of the UVM Health Network Medical Group, announced Dr. Peipert’s appointment to members of the UVM and UVM Health Network communities.

In this role, Dr. Peipert will lead a prominent department of physicians, midwives, scientists, educators, residents, fellows, and staff at the health system’s locations across Vermont and northern New York. Obstetrics and Gynecology has a long tradition of providing exemplary care in our region, with a commitment to women’s health and reproductive health, access to specialized patient care, research advances, and comprehensive education.

Since 2016, Dr. Peipert has served as the Clarence E. Ehrlich Professor and Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at IU. He was named executive director of IU’s National Center of Excellence in Women’s Health in 2021. From 2006 through 2016, Dr. Peipert was the Robert J. Terry Professor and Vice Chair of Clinical Research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri. Prior to this role, he was a member of the faculty at Brown University School of Medicine in Rhode Island from 1992 to 2006.

Dr. Peipert is an internationally renowned physician-scientist with over 300 publications. His work has garnered $23.2 million in research funding from private and public institutions. He serves as the deputy editor (Gynecology) for the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology. For 36 years, Dr. Peipert has held various roles in the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, and other organizations. He is a recipient of Brown University School of Public Health’s Alumni Impact Award (2023), as well as the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals Alan F. Guttmacher Lectureship Award in 2014, an honor bestowed on a select set of health care providers/scientists who have been major contributors to the field of reproductive health.

Dr. Peipert received his medical degree from Emory University School of Medicine and completed his residency at Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia. He subsequently obtained an M.P.H. from the Yale School of Public Health during his time as a Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar at Yale. He also received an M.H.A. from University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management, and in 2007, Dr. Peipert was awarded a Ph.D. in epidemiology from Brown University.

“Dr. Jeffrey Peipert comes to Vermont with outstanding experience, accomplishments and credentials in clinical care innovation, research, education, and leadership. He brings a track record of commitment to inclusive excellence, healthcare justice and women’s reproductive rights, as well as experience and proven accomplishments as a department chair,” stated Richard L. Page, M.D., dean of the Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine at the University of Vermont.

“We appreciate Dr. Peipert’s motivation to improve access to reproductive and women’s healthcare in our region and look forward to the experience and leadership he will bring to our clinical teams and operations across the UVM Health Network in Vermont and northern New York,” said Jason R. Sanders, M.D, M.B.A., President and CEO of the UVM Health Network Medical Group.

Ira M. Bernstein, M.D., professor, and John Van Sicklen Maeck chair of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences at Larner, has headed the department since 2012. In addition to his leadership role at the college of medicine, Bernstein will step down as chair on May 30, and remain on the faculty as professor, with renewed concentration on his research program.

 

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.