Office of Intercultural Excellence

Posts highlighting diverse perspectives on the social, cultural, and structural factors that influence science, medicine, education, and community, written by faculty, staff, medical students, and graduate students at the UVM Larner College of Medicine.

On August 4, 2020, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine Class of 2022 medical student Patrick Clarke posted a tweet on his Twitter profile@PatrickClarke_. He wrote “ok so apparently we left fear in July? because I am wearing my @UVMLarnerMed med Pride pin for the first time ever and we’re feelin it” The tweet was accompanied by two photos of Clarke – one, a selfie he took of his reflection in a mirror - dressed in his white coat and business attire with a stethoscope around his neck, and the other, a close up of his white coat with the Pride pin he refers to clipped to his lapel. The tweet has since garnered 21 comments, 12 retweets, and 702 likes.  This is the story of his journey to that day and what he’s learned since then.

Google, Can Doctors Be Gay?

1 Comment / Medical Education, Office of Intercultural Excellence

On August 4, 2020, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine Class of 2022 medical student Patrick Clarke posted a tweet on his Twitter profile@PatrickClarke_. He wrote “ok so apparently we left fear in July? because I am wearing my @UVMLarnerMed med Pride pin for the first time ever and we’re feelin it”

The tweet was accompanied by two photos of Clarke – one, a selfie he took of his reflection in a mirror – dressed in his white coat and business attire with a stethoscope around his neck, and the other, a close up of his white coat with the Pride pin he refers to clipped to his lapel. The tweet has since garnered 21 comments, 12 retweets, and 702 likes. 

This is the story of his journey to that day and what he’s learned since then.
Read more

Google, Can Doctors Be Gay? Read More »

Beyond the Rainbow Flag: Improving Health Care for Transgender Individuals

Leave a Comment / Office of Intercultural Excellence

Rachel Adelsheim and Brad BlanskyWritten by Rachel Adelsheim ’23 and Brad Blansky ’23
With June and all its rainbow fanfare just behind us, it’s essential to remember that healthcare, and in particular LGBTQ+ healthcare, is inherently political. As we are writing this piece, a record number of anti-transgender laws have been enacted across the country, with more bills introduced and awaiting approval in various state legislatures.
Read more

Beyond the Rainbow Flag: Improving Health Care for Transgender Individuals Read More »

Looking Up, Looking Forward: A Reflection on Ramadan 2021

Leave a Comment / Community, Office of Intercultural Excellence

Mohamad HamzeWritten by Mohamad Hamze ’24
Each year, as the Islamic holy month of Ramadan draws to a close, Muslims around the world turn their sights to the moon. In the lunar calendar, a new moon signifies the conclusion of the preceding month and the start of the next, so as the moon wanes in the sky in the last few nights of the month, we often take time to reflect on the month of Ramadan that is passing us by and look ahead to the first day of the month of Shawwal, called Eid al-Fitr. Read more

Looking Up, Looking Forward: A Reflection on Ramadan 2021 Read More »