Lisa Belisle, M.D.’96, M.P.H., M.B.A., Ph.D. is a Larner alumnus, physician executive, Medical Director at Ovatient, speaker and writer, podcast host, communication coach and consultant.
In the following blog post, she reflects on the legacy of her father, Charles “Charlie” Belisle, M.D., a 1971 graduate of The Larner College of Medicine, who inspired her own professional journey, as well as two more sisters (Drs. Amy and Adelle Belisle, both UVM medical school graduates), one brother, multiple in-laws, and the author’s son to choose medicine as their profession.
“My father made me the physician I am today. From my early experience as his house call companion, I gained a curiosity about people and a willingness to be transformed by learning that I’ve never lost.”
I begin most days in a tiny room off the corner of our family’s den, borrowing a few moments to read and reflect by the light of a refurbished vintage dragonfly lamp. This lamp was a gift from a patient in exchange for visits to my medical practice – a symbol of the unique relationships we form as physicians, and the alternative paths my career has taken.
When I reflect on what drew me to medicine, the answer is simple: my father. Dr. Charles “Charlie” Belisle, a 1971 graduate of The Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine at The University of Vermont, embodied everything a physician should be – compassionate, dedicated, and deeply committed to both his patients and the education of future doctors.
A Medical Legacy Begins
My father was my earliest medical role model. Dad grew up in Biddeford, Maine. As a result of his mother Fernande’s unexpected death when he was 13, Charlie decided to become a physician. Dad met my mother, Mary, through their studies at the University of Maine in Orono. They married in 1968, and she supported them both by working as a teacher throughout his studies at UVM.
When I was a young child, our family returned to Maine, and I would occasionally ride in the car with my father as he made house calls to some of our town’s older citizens. Pulling his black bag onto my lap, the true weight of his work became evident. I would examine the bag’s contents–tubes, bottles and instruments of measurement–with a sense of curiosity and longing. I wanted to understand what he understood about people and know what he knew about addressing their concerns.
A Family Connected to Healing and Learning
When it came time for me to choose a medical school, UVM was a natural fit. One of the most compelling reasons I chose the Larner College of Medicine was witnessing the many friendships my parents formed during their time there—relationships they’ve continued to maintain throughout their lives. Both my parents encouraged my learning. As a now-retired master teacher, my mother championed education in our family.
The Belisle family legacy includes both medicine and a broader commitment to education. In total, ten Belisle children grew up in our Yarmouth home, with the importance of service, healing, and continuous learning being central to our upbringing. In 2023, my parents welcomed their 25th grandchild, creating a remarkable extended family committed to serving communities through numerous paths.
My father practiced family medicine for nearly half a century, primarily as faculty at the Maine Medical Center Family Medicine Residency Program, where he trained over 200 residents. Colleagues considered him the “heart and soul” of the program, and MMC named a classroom at their India Street clinic in his honor.
Two of my sisters (Amy Belisle, M.D.’99 and Adelle Belisle, M.D.’01), both UVM medical school graduates), one brother, multiple in-laws, and now my son have also chosen medicine as their profession. Several of my other siblings have honored my parents’ dedication to learning by earning advanced degrees in other fields, and through years of on-the-job training and entrepreneurial pursuits.
Medicine and Media: Parallel Paths
After graduating from UVM in 1996 and completing both a family medicine residency and preventive medicine fellowship, I earned two additional masters degrees and a Ph.D. in Leadership Studies. My dissertation focused on leading through change in healthcare delivery settings – research that directly informs my current work on the leadership team at Ovatient, where we’re pioneering a new approach to virtual care. I’ve also worked in media and communications, as a writer, editor, and longtime video podcaster. I’ve had the opportunity to bridge the worlds of medicine and storytelling through work on several national and regional publications, as well as shows like Love Maine Radio and the Dr. Lisa Radio Hour & Podcast. Most recently, I’ve been hosting Radio Maine, with the help of my husband, from our studio on Littlejohn Island.
My clinical career has been interesting and iterative, from running my own private practice—incorporating acupuncture and lifestyle-oriented modalities—to various leadership roles, including Primary Care Service Line Director and Associate Chief Medical Officer at one of Maine’s largest healthcare systems.
Lessons Learned
While I continue to learn daily from my patients and colleagues, I offer these interim observations based on both my father’s career and my own:
1. Don’t wait for an invitation. As Shirley Chisholm said, “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.” I’ve been dragging my folding chair with me for years, seeking to be at tables where decisions about healthcare are made.
2. Embrace change while honoring tradition. Medicine is evolving rapidly, but the core commitment to caring for people remains constant. My father practiced through decades of transformation yet never lost sight of the human connection at the heart of healing.
3. Remember your purpose. During difficult days, connect with why you chose medicine. As my father demonstrated throughout his career, medicine at its core is about caring for people and communities. Each of us will become a patient at some point in our lives. Seek to be the type of clinician that you would want to have.
A Lasting Legacy
On July 8, 2024, we lost my father to cancer, though innovative therapies gave him four precious additional years after his diagnosis. My father’s experience as a patient deepened my appreciation for healthcare innovation while reinforcing what matters most—our interdependence on one another. His “bonus” years allowed my father to spend time with his family, something he prized above all else. On March 18 of this year, my mother welcomed their first great-grandchild, a poignant continuation of our family’s legacy.
My father made me the physician I am today. From my early experience as his house call companion, I gained a curiosity about people, and a willingness to be transformed by learning, that I’ve never lost. I remain connected in spirit to the patient who once gave me a lamp adorned in dragonflies, and to every patient who has offered me lessons of understanding throughout the years.
