UVM Larner College of Medicine

The 7th oldest U.S. medical school, the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont has a longstanding reputation for educating & training superb physicians & scientists.

Karena Nguyen

Connecting Generations at Cho Ray: A Global Health Experience in Vietnam

Clerkship, Fourth-Year, Global Health, Medical Alumni

Karena Nguyen, M.D.’25, is a Larner alumna and internal medicine intern at the University of California–San Diego.

In the following blog post, she reflects on the profound connection created by sharing an experience at Cho Ray Hospital, where her father served there as a child. This moment transformed a long-held dream into reality, reinforcing the emotional impact of her global health rotation as a medical student in Vietnam.

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Cassidy Cottle

The Healing Power of Music in Hospice Care

Community, Fourth-Year, Music, Volunteerism

Cassidy Cottle is a fourth-year medical student at the University of Vermont’s Larner College of Medicine.

In the following blog post, she reflects on how her musical journey evolved from traditional performances to deeply personal connections through singing for individuals with dementia and terminal illness, discovering the profound emotional and healing power of music in these intimate settings.

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Group of singers in a room

Music as Medicine: Health Care Students Lead Musical Brain Initiative (Video)

Community, Music, Volunteerism

UVM Larner College of Medicine medical students and colleagues regularly visit the memory care unit at UVM Medical Center to play music and sing songs with patients. Launched as a personal project by Jonathan Palmer ’27 through the Larner College of Medicine Center on Aging, this “Musical Brain Initiative” is led by medical students as way to help patients with cognitive decline feel less lonely and more connected to a community. For students in health care professions, it’s a great way to bond with each other and with patients, boost everyone’s mental wellbeing, and practice valuable skills for caring for people with Alzheimer’s and related dementias.

Music as Medicine: Health Care Students Lead Musical Brain Initiative (Video) Read More »