Office of Medical Communications

The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont hosted the fifth annual Celebration of Gender Equity in Medicine and Science on March 7, 2024. Debora Kamin Mukaz, Ph.D., M.S., assistant professor of medicine and co-founder of #BlackInCardio, presented a keynote address on “Why Intersectionality Matters for Life Sciences and Medicine.”

(MARCH 6, 2024) UVMHN CEO and President Sunil Eappen, M.D., M.B.A., associate professor of radiology, spoke with Vermont Edition about some of the challenges of running a not-for-profit health care provider that includes six operating hospitals that serve more than a million patients across Vermont and northern New York.

(MARCH 6, 2024) Ophthalmologist Jessica McNally, M.D., assistant professor of surgery, emphasized to NBC5 the importance of using the correct protective eyewear when viewing the April 8 solar eclipse.

(MARCH 6, 2024) Assistant Professor of Psychiatry Elias Klemperer, Ph.D., spoke with WCAX-TV about his recent grant to study nicotine-limiting standards across the Northeast; in particular, what works to get smokers to switch to products that use less nicotine.

With more states imposing legal restrictions on reproductive health, many are concerned about continued downstream effects of new legislation including future shortages of medical professionals in these areas. Associate Dean for Students and Associate Professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences Karen George, M.D., recently explored this topic in a new paper.

(MARCH 2, 2024) Infectious disease specialist Tim Lahey, M.D., M.M.Sc., professor of medicine, spoke to WCAX-TV about norovirus, a common virus that comes in waves—especially in the cold, winter months.

On February 17, 2024, Gary Mawe, Ph.D., a respected faculty member at the Larner College of Medicine and the University of Vermont, passed away at the age of 67 after battling an illness. His life was marked by achievement and dedication, leaving a lasting impact on our community, both here at Larner and at UVM.

(February 29, 2024) Orthopedic surgeon Sara Graves, M.D., M.S., clinical assistant professor of surgery, spoke with WCAX-TV about a new robotic surgery system at the Central Vermont Medical Center.

(FEBRUARY 27, 2024) Newsweek recently reported on a 2020 study building on previous research conducted at the Larner College of Medicine that found that even small amounts of music education could lead to major benefits to children’s development.

(FEBRUARY 23, 2024) Tim Lahey, M.D., M.M.Sc., the medical ethics director at the UVM Medical Center, commented to Vermont Public about a new law in Alabama that states frozen embryos are now considered children.

(FEBRUARY 22, 2024) In a VT Digger opinion piece, Christine Werneke, M.S., and Stephen Leffler, M.D., discussed the effects of Vermont’s severe lack of capacity for patients who need long-term care outside of the hospital.

(FEBRUARY 21, 2024) Brian Cunniff, Ph.D., assistant professor of pathology and laboratory medicine, spoke with WCAX-TV about a promising new treatment for mesothelioma that is being tested at the UVM Cancer Center.

(FEBRUARY 21, 2024) UVMMC President and COO Stephen Leffler, M.D., commented to Vermont Public for a story about health care officials’ statement to lawmakers that a shortage of nursing home beds has forced hospitals to become residential care providers for patients who have nowhere else to go.

(FEBRUARY 20, 2024) Endocrinologist Matthew Gilbert, D.O., M.P.H., joined Vermont Health Commissioner Mark Levine, M.D., and OBGYN Kimberly Sampson, M.D., for a conversation on Vermont Public that included a discussion of how weight-loss drugs work, their health benefits, and their potential shortcomings.

(FEBRUARY 16, 2024) Heidi Schumacher, M.D.’10, assistant professor of pediatrics, commented to The Hill about finding a balance between having sick students stay home from school and the learning-loss consequences of absenteeism.

Professor of Psychiatry Julie Dumas, Ph.D. and C. Lawrence Kien, M.D., Ph.D., The Mary Kay Davignon Green and Gold Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics and Medicine have recently secured a $3.3M, five-year R01 grant from the National Institute on Aging (NIA): “Fatty Acid Modulation of Brain Functioning in Older Adults” .