Office of Medical Communications

(JUNE 7, 2023) Greater efforts are needed to connect children with mental health services after a firearm injury, according to a study by a research consortium of Children’s Hospital Association professionals that included Christian D. Pulcini, M.D., M.Ed., M.P.H., assistant professor of emergency medicine, Healio reported.

(JUNE 1, 2023) UVM ophthalmologists Jeffrey Young, M.D., and Sujata Singh, M.D., are two members of a larger team of Vermont medical experts traveling to The Republic of The Gambia with a mission to improve pediatric vision services and ophthalmology infrastructure in the country, WCAX-TV reported.

(JUNE 1, 2023) Andrew Solomon, M.D., associate professor of neurological sciences, discussed the prevalence of multiple sclerosis (MS) misdiagnosis and what can be done about it in his opening lecture at the 2023 Annual Meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC), NeurologyLive reported.

The Larner College of Medicine was one of eight medical schools selected to participate in the 2023 Millennium Conference from May 2-4, hosted by the Carl J. Shapiro Institute for Education and Research at Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Five Larner representatives attended the event, which focused on professionalism for physicians.

This summer, the UVM Cancer Center and the Vermont Lake Monsters are raising awareness about skin cancer prevention.

(MAY 25, 2023) In an opinion piece published in The Other Paper, chronic pain sufferer John R. Killacky lauded the UVM Medical Center Comprehensive Pain Program, whose medical director is Jon Porter, M.D., assistant professor of family medicine and director of UVM’s Osher Center for Integrative Health.

The University of Vermont (UVM) recently recognized Mary Cushman, M.D., M.Sc., Stephen Higgins, Ph.D., and Gary Stein, Ph.D., as University Distinguished Professors, and Sarah Heil, Ph.D., was named a 2023-24 University Scholar.

Students, family, friends, faculty, and staff gathered May 20 and 21 to celebrate both the next generation of biomedical scientists and health professionals, as well as the exceptional academic achievements of several Larner College of Medicine faculty, during the University of Vermont’s Commencement Weekend.

Promising young scientists from colleges across the UVM campus gathered recently to celebrate the broad training experience, varied investigations, and collaborative community of UVM’s postdoctoral scholars. Organized by the UVM Postdoctoral Association, the event provided a chance for the scholars to present their research and network with peers.

(MAY 17, 2023) Deirdre O’Reilly, M.D., M.P.H., associate professor of pediatrics and neonatal-perinatal medicine, was interviewed for an opinion piece in the Washington Post about the increase in denials of health insurance claims, and the increasingly nonsensical reasons given by insurers.

The Larner College of Medicine medical Class of 2023 Honors Night on May 15 featured recognition and awards for graduating medical students, faculty, and staff.

(MAY 17, 2023) NBC5 featured pulmonologist Anne Dixon, M.A., B.M.B.Ch., professor of medicine, in a story about recruiting millennials for a long-term nationwide Lung Health Cohort Study. The pioneering study will follow 4,000 young, healthy adults to paint a clearer picture of lung health and the factors involved in predicting and preventing lung disease.

(MAY 17, 2023) Jeremiah Dickerson, M.D., assistant professor of psychiatry at Larner College of Medicine and a child psychiatrist at the UVM Medical Center, was interviewed by WCAX-TV for a story on social media and teen mental health.

(MAY 17, 2023) Associate Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences Lauren MacAfee, M.D., and three doctors who are midway through their four-year OB-GYN residencies at the University of Vermont Medical Center spoke to VTDigger about the challenges of being on the front lines of providing abortions and gender-affirming care in the current political climate.

(MAY 16, 2023) Neonatologist Leslie Young, M.D., associate professor of pediatrics, was interviewed by Fox5 TV about her research on more effective ways to care for newborns exposed to opioids in the womb. In short, these littlest patients have shorter hospital stays when treated with the “Eat, Sleep, Console” (ESC) care approach.

Three Larner College of Medicine faculty-led, group projects have been selected to receive 2023 Frymoyer Scholars funding. The three projects focus on supporting decisions on graduated responsibility in pathology residency; creating a two-week Ob/Gyn bootcamp curriculum focused on skill-building; and developing simulation-based educational modules for high-acuity, low-occurrence patient presentations in emergency departments at critical access hospitals.

(MAY 14, 2023) Megan Malgeri, M.D.’12, assistant professor of family medicine, says climate change is extending the growing season, bringing allergies earlier and creating more severe symptoms for Vermonters, WCAX-TV reported.

(MAY 12, 2023) A group of researchers led by Andrew Solomon, M.D., associate professor of neurological sciences, tested different groups of neurologists using the McDonald criteria for diagnosing multiple sclerosis (MS) and showed that knowledge gaps or misunderstandings often led to errors, Time News reported. Various studies show that the criteria are sometimes incorrectly applied by neurological specialists, including MS specialists.

The Larner College of Medicine has been at the vanguard of technology transfer over the past decade, supporting patents and commercialization of faculty research, which has led to several successful startups. Recent examples of commercially successful innovations by Larner faculty include Prolocor, a startup company focused on developing a more precise method and diagnostic tool for assessing and managing risk in cardiovascular disease.

(MAY 10, 2023) Larner Class of 2024 medical student Dana Allison was interviewed by Medscape about presenting her research on Virtual Reality Interventions for Autistic Spectrum Disorder Therapy at the 2023 American Academy of Neurology Meeting in Boston.