Department of Pediatrics

Infants and children living in rural states are less likely than those living in other states to have a chance to enroll in clinical research, especially clinical trials. Underserved and minority children are particularly underrepresented. The University of Vermont is one of 18 sites in a state-of-the-art pediatric clinical research network to improve access to clinical trials for children in rural and underserved areas. Together, the sites constitute the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Institutional Development Awards (IDeA) States Pediatric Clinical Trials Network (ISPCTN).

University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine faculty, leaders, and colleagues gathered virtually for the Teaching Academy’s 2022 Snow Season Education Retreat January 20-21. Highlights of the two-day event included a plenary session by representatives of the Kern National Network for Caring and Character in Medicine, the Induction and Award Ceremony, and an in-person poster session.

A grassroots effort led by Larner College of Medicine alum and Associate Professor of Pediatrics Keith Robinson, M.D.’07, and key partners across the academic medical center and state, has established an invaluable resource to ensure pediatric patients and their families receive the quality and amount of food they need.

Lewis First, M.D., M.S., professor and chair of pediatrics, has announced the appointment of Rachel Garfield, M.H.S., Ph.D., as the next executive director of the Vermont Child Health Improvement Program (VCHIP) and an associate professor pediatrics at the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine.

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.

Department of Pediatrics Administrator Sue Victory will be retiring on July 9, 2021 after nearly 44 years working at the University of Vermont Medical Center and University of Vermont's Larner College of Medicine.

As a new pediatric resident at UVM Children’s Hospital, Nick Bonenfant, M.D.’17 (at right, with Aamani Chava, M.D.), found himself struggling with how to best support adolescents with mental health issues.

As a new medical graduate just beginning a pediatric residency at Seattle Children’s Hospital in 2006, James Metz, M.D.’06 (at left, with Tracey Wagner, R.N., MSCN, CPN, and Mary Ellen Rafuse, MSW), never imagined that 12 years later, he’d return to his alma mater and home state as one of only two board-certified child abuse pediatricians in Vermont.

In a salute to graduating medical students’ accomplishments and to honor the faculty and staff who have supported them during their medical education journey, the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine launched a virtual 2021 Honors Celebration on May 6, 2021.

Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education Christa Zehle, M.D., has been appointed University of Vermont Health Network Director of Education by John Brumsted, M.D., CEO of the UVM Health Network.

(APRIL 15, 2021) Assistant Professor of Psychiatry Jeremiah Dickerson, M.D., was interviewed by local Burlington, Vt. CBS affiliate WCAX-TV for a story, titled "Should parents worry about pandemic’s long-term effects on kids?"

In the summer of 2020, a commentary in Pediatrics by William Raszka, M.D., and Ben Lee, M.D., led to a flurry of interest around the globe. The duo of pediatric infectious disease experts found that “children are not significant drivers of the COVID-19 pandemic” based on an analysis of early studies from Switzerland, China, France and Australia. They wrote: “On the basis of these data, SARS-CoV-2 transmission in schools may be less important in community transmission than initially feared.”

One of the most alarming realizations of the past year has been the clear link between structural racism in the U.S. and the racial and ethnic health disparities that have led to a disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on communities of color. Thanks to the collaboration of numerous partners in Vermont, members of the New American community are getting the education they need to make informed decisions about their health and the COVID-19 vaccine.

Members of the Larner College of Medicine’s medical Class of 2023, leaders, medical educators, and staff gathered virtually January 28 to celebrate the students’ achievements and recognize the faculty and staff who have supported them during an online Foundations Celebration event.

Medical education leaders and scholars gathered virtually on January 13 and 14, 2021 for the Larner College of Medicine Teaching Academy’s 2021 Induction and Award Ceremony and Snow Season Education Retreat. Co-presented with the University of Vermont Health Network Medical Group, the ceremony recognized medical educators and kicked off the annual education program, which this year featured several sessions on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

A study by UVM faculty members published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry reports that in a group of first-year university students, COVID-19 mitigation protocols had a modest, but persistent, impact on mood and wellness behaviors. Students enrolled in the university's wellness program, however, had improved mood levels and fewer attention problems.

Vermonters have a reputation for showing up for their community – whether there’s a pandemic or not. That’s also true for the faculty and staff of the Vermont Child Health Improvement Program (VCHIP), who have underscored over the past nine months just how important their role is to ensuring providers get access to critical resources and tools that allow them to deliver quality care.

(DECEMBER 11, 2020) William Raszka, M.D., professor of pediatrics, commented on COVID-19 transmission among schoolchildren in a National Review article, titled "The New York Times’ Shifting Narrative on School COVID Closures."

(DECEMBER 7, 2020) Mercedes Avila, Ph.D., assistant professor of pediatrics and director of the Vermont Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (VT LEND) Program, discussed vaccine distribution among underserved communities in a story on local CBS affiliate WCAX-TV.