2022: A Year to Remember

While pandemic safety protocols and guidelines continued to play a role in Larner life, a familiar, reassuring rhythm and return to in-person activities marked 2022. We welcomed new students, said goodbye to those who graduated, witnessed groundbreaking research, and celebrated the opening and dedication of a new state-of-the-art medical research building – 2022 was indeed a year to remember.

Over these past few challenging years, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine staff, faculty, medical students, graduate students, postdocs, and alumni remained dedicated to our mission of providing excellence in education and research, demonstrating an ongoing commitment to the tenets of our Professionalism statement in everything we do.

Here, we present a look back at the year through photos featuring some of the many moments that took place during the last 355 days. We encourage you to explore the breadth and depth of life at Larner this year by visiting http://med.uvm.edu and following us on social media on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

Click on individual photos for additional information about the scenes and individuals displayed.

The Medical Class of 2022 Celebrated the Next Phase of their Careers on Match Day

The Larner College of Medicine honored the resilient medical students in the Class of 2022 at the first in-person Match Day in two years on March 18 in the UVM Davis Center’s Grand Maple Ballroom. On Match Day, graduating medical students across the U.S. learn where they’ll be spending the next few years of their medical training as resident physicians.

2022 saw the full return of in-person Commencement Ceremonies for both Larner and the Graduate College. Students, families, and guest speakers participated in the ceremony, while others tuned in virtually via livestream.

Class of 2022 graduate Jose Antonio Calderon, M.D. at the Larner College of Medicine commencement in May 2022. Photo Jose Calderon.

UVM Larner College of Medicine Class of 2022 Student Council President, Patrick Clarke, spoke in front of classmates, family, and friends before envelopes containing students’ residency match information were handed out, at Match Day in the UVM Davis Center’s Grand Maple Ballroom. Photo by David Seaver

Class of 2022 ready for Match Day at the UVM Davis Center. Photo by David Seaver

Francis Mtuke, M.D.’22, who delivered the student address at the Larner College of Medicine Commencement Ceremony is hooded. Photo by Francis Mtuke

Class of 2022 graduates at the Larner College of Medicine Commencement Ceremony in the Ira Allen Chapel. Photo by Andy Duback

Matthew Brandt, M.D., with his family, finds out his residency match at the Match Day 2022 celebration. Photo by David Seaver

Welcome to the Medical Student Class of 2026 #UVMFutureDocs

On August 8, Larner welcomed 124 new medical students to the college as a part of the Class of 2026—a selective cohort chosen from more than 9300 applicants. There were white coat try-ons, community service outings, the Student Interest Group and resource fair, and, photo opportunities with students holding their “I’m a Med Student And…” signs!
Read more about the medical student Class of 2026 and Orientation Week.

Two months later, these same students proudly marched down the aisles of Ira Allen Chapel and onto the stage to receive the first white coat of their medical careers at the annual White Coat Ceremony, held on October 14.
Read more about White Coat Ceremony 2026.

Shani Lenore dons her White Coat at the Ira Allen Chapel during the UVM Larner College of Medicine Medical Student Class of 2026 White Coat Ceremony. Photo by Andy Duback

A Class of 2026 student works on a gardening project at orientation in August 2022. Photo by Dave Seaver

Timothy Leahy, M.D., speaks from the lectern on the stage at Ira Allen Chapel during the UVM Larner College of Medicine Medical Student Class of 2026 White Coat Ceremony. Photo by Andy Duback

Medical student badges await for the Class of 2026. Photo by Dave Seaver

Aja Adama and Krystal Ramos Barrera, Class of 2026 medical students, talk to Dean Richard L. Page, M.D., during orientation at the Larner College of Medicine. Photo by Dave Seaver

Christopher Kruglik (center) and classmates applaud at the Ira Allen Chapel during the UVM Larner College of Medicine Medical Student Class of 2026 White Coat Ceremony. Photo by Andy Duback

Ushering in a New Era with the Firestone Medical Research Building Opening

The atmosphere was bright and celebratory, despite a mix of gray skies, sun and a cool wind, at the October 27 grand opening and dedication of the newest addition to the Larner College of Medicine’s campus: the Firestone Medical Research Building. The event marked the conclusion of a two-year-and-twenty-nine-day journey and represents the university’s and college’s commitment to research excellence, student success, patient care, and community service.

Larner College of Medicine Dean Richard L. Page, M.D., addresses the audience at the grand opening and dedication of the UVM Firestone Medical Research Building. Photo: David Seaver

Larner College of Medicine Dean Richard L. Page, M.D., with Steve Firestone, M.D., a graduate of the UVM Larner College of Medicine Class of 1969, at the grand opening and dedication of the UVM Firestone Medical Research Building. Photo: David Seaver

Dedication plaque inside the Firestone Medical Research Building. Photo: David Seaver

Information about the Firestone Medical research Building at UVM.

Groundbreaking Faculty and Research Excellence Celebrated

From Monday, October 31 through Wednesday, November 2, Larner celebrated the achievements and hard work of its scientific investigators during the annual Dean’s Celebration of Excellence in Research. Other research highlights included Larner garnering $117 million in funding over the past fiscal year, and a UVM study of nearly 2,000 children published October 24 in JAMA Network Open found that those who reported playing video games for three hours per day or more performed better on cognitive skills tests involving impulse control and working memory compared to children who had never played video games. Local, national, and international media outlets covered the research widely.

Faculty Demonstrate Excellence in Teaching and Scholarship

2022 saw faculty continue to publish widely and receive significant recognition for their contributions. Among those receiving high honors was Yvonne Janssen-Heininger, Ph.D., professor of pathology and laboratory medicine, who was named a University Distinguished Professor. This title is a career appointment and is the highest academic honor that UVM can bestow upon a member of the faculty. In addition, several other faculty members received awards and were invested as endowed professors. See photos for individual details.

Yvonne Janssen-Heininger, Ph.D., professor of pathology and laboratory medicine, who was named a University Distinguished Professor. Photo Andy Duback

Melissa Davidson, M.D., professor of anesthesiology, was invested as the inaugural holder of the Howard Schapiro, M.D.’80 and Janet Carroll, M.S.N., M.P.H., Green & Gold Professorship in Anesthesiology. Photo by David Seaver

Associate Professor of Surgery William Brundage, M.D., was invested as the inaugural Green and Gold Professor in the Division of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery. Brundage also serves as chief of otolaryngology at the UVM Medical Center. Photo by David Seaver

Associate Professor of Pediatrics Danielle Ehret, M.D., M.P.H., was invested as the inaugural Asfaw Yemiru Green and Gold Professor in Global Health in a formal ceremony held on July 28, 2022. Photo by David Seaver

On September 8, 2022, at a formal ceremony at the Larner College of Medicine, Professor of Psychiatry Judith Lewis, M.D., was invested as the Robert A. Pierattini, M.D. Green & Gold Professor of Psychiatry. Photo by David Seaver

Professor of Surgery Bruce Tranmer, M.D., was invested as the inaugural Raymond M. P. Donaghy Professor of Neurosurgery during a formal ceremony held December 5, 2022. Tranmer is also chief of neurosurgery at UVM and the UVM Medical Center. Photo by David Seaver

Graduate Students Shone

2022 saw the full return of graduate students to campus, and their determined energies to unlock scientific discoveries that impact how we prevent, diagnose, and treat disease. From research on brain development from birth through early childhood, to chemo-resistant tumors, to understanding Zika virus components, to links between alcohol dependency and autism, these students’ efforts are contributing to important scientific breakthroughs.

The Larner College of Medicine collaborates on several interdisciplinary and cross-departmental graduate programs. These include master’s degree programs in biochemistry, medical science, microbiology and molecular genetics, pathology, pharmacology, and public health programs, and the bioengineering, neuroscience, clinical and translational science, and cellular, molecular, and biomedical sciences Ph.D. programs delivered in partnership the UVM Graduate College, Professional and Continuing Education, College of Arts & Sciences, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, College of Nursing & Health Sciences, and College of Engineering & Mathematical Sciences.

Nineteen graduate students from these programs were recognized for completing their degrees in August and October or pending graduation in January 2023 at the UVM Graduate Hooding Ceremony in December.
Learn more about these programs.

Director of Graduate Education Christopher Berger, drapes a graduate hood on the shoulder of Violet Radoncic, M.M.S., on the stage at the Ira Allen Chapel on the UVM campus. Photo by David Seaver

Rebekah Honce, Ph.D., is a postdoctoral fellow in the UVM Larner College of Medicine’s Department of Medicine, who is currently conducting research on viruses in the laboratory of Professor of Medicine Jason Botten, Ph.D.

Stephanie Spohn, Ph.D., and Gary Mawe, Ph.D., in the laboratory.

University of Vermont Cellular, Molecular, & Biomedical Sciences Ph.D., student Hannah Despres researching COVID-19. Also pictured is Emily Bruce, Ph.D.

Joseph "Joe" Owuor is in UVM's Master of Medical Science program, and when he finishes his degree, plans to apply to medical school and become a physician. Photo by David Seaver

Celebrating 200 Years of the Larner College of Medicine

A special bicentennial issue of Vermont Medicine published in Fall 2022 acknowledged an important milestone: the start of our college’s third century. Our commencement in May 2023 will mark the 200^th anniversary of our first class of medical graduates, who in 1823, consisted of just four students.

The photo shows the earliest UVM alumni directory, which features the 4 earliest College of Medicine graduates, comprising the entire medical Class of 1823.

Tickets to medical lectures at the College from the 1880s.

A traveling medicine bag that belonged to a UVM medical alum of the 1800s. This is a leather bag outfitted with dozens of vials of medicinal compounds.

Innovation, Inclusion, and Expansion

This year’s “Look at Larner” program welcomed 27 attendees. The event provides an opportunity for students from backgrounds typically underrepresented in medicine (URiM) and who have a strong interest in pursuing a medical degree, to gain first-hand experience about what it’s like to be a medical student at Larner. Class of 2025 members Jasmine Bazinet-Phillips and Karena Nguyen served as co-leaders of the second iteration of the program, with first- through third-year medical students opening their homes to host attendees.

Larner alum Philip A. Chan, M.D.’06, M.S., associate professor of medicine and behavioral and social sciences at Brown University’s Alpert Medical School and School of Public Health, presented the 2022 Imbasciani-DiSalvo LGBTQ Health Equity Lecture on October 28, focusing on the health needs of sexual and gender minority populations.

Over the last half-century, the field of emergency medicine has developed a body of research and instructional offerings that are recognized as belonging to a discrete academic field. This May, the UVM Board of Trustees voted to approve the College of Medicine’s request to form a new department – the first new department at the college in a decade. Effective July 1, Ramsey Herrington, M.D., was appointed the inaugural chair of the newest departmental addition to Larner, the Department of Emergency Medicine.

Speaker Philip Chan, M.D. ’06, M.S. Chief Medical Officer, Open Door Health Associate Professor of Medicine Associate Professor of Behavioral and Social Sciences Brown University, M.B.A. Giving the Vito Imbasciani, Ph.D., M.D.’85 and George DiSalvo LGBTQ Health Equity Lecture in the Carpenter Auditorium at the Larner College of Medicine on the UVM campus. Photo by David Seaver

Class of 2025 medical student Shubhankar Joshi, shows Look at Larner attendees around the Larner College of Medicine. Photo by David Seaver

Look at Larner attendees observe as Abigail Hielscher, Ph.D., assistant professor of neurological sciences (front left), displays anatomical specimens in the anatomy lab in the Given Building at UVM. Photo: David Seaver

Special Visitors

During a special Town Hall at Larner April 14, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Denis McDonough gave remarks and was joined by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), former chair and current member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, for a discussion and a Q&A session with students. McDonough was in Vermont at the invitation of Sanders as part of a two-day tour of Vermont’s VA medical facilities and face-to-face meetings with Vermont veterans.

Read about our special guests’ visit.

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), former chair and current member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee talks with students and guests at the Larner College of Medicine. Photo by David Seaver

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Denis McDonough at a Q&A with students and guests at the Larner College of Medicine. Photo by David Seaver

We Look Forward to 2023

While there have been challenges, it’s also been a memorable year. We have all adapted now to seemingly constant “new normal”, yet we wouldn’t have made it through as a community without each other’s support, and fierce, dedicated commitment to professionalism, empathy, growth and compassion. As this year ends, we look forward to 2023 and whatever challenges, old and new, we’ll overcome together, the discoveries we’ll make and successes we’ll celebrate.