Medical Student Alumni

Written by Lisa Belisle, M.D.’96
It has been a year since I sat in an Old Port restaurant, surrounded by my sisters and mother, and told my three kids I had breast cancer. It had been my intention to break the news to my children with family nearby, so that no matter the outcome of my illness, they would not feel alone. There is no easy way to tell your children you have cancer. The way I chose was no better than any other. There was shock and there were tears. My mother, using words we mothers often use, said, “It’s going to be OK.” My sisters reached across the table and touched my children in sympathy. My sister-in-law, a relative newcomer to the family, sat quietly, trying not to intrude upon our pain.

Written by Talia Zenlea, M.D.’06
When I reflect back on my first few years of practice, one of the things that surprises me the most is that I’ve had the opportunity to be innovative and creative in a way I never would have guessed would be possible from a career in medicine. Who would have imagined that after four years of medical school at the University of Vermont College of Medicine, three years of residency, one year of chief residency, and three years of fellowship, I’d be…a blogger??

Written by Michael Upton, M.D. ’94
Physicians have the opportunity – and the responsibility – to provide LGBTQ+ patients a safe space to disclose and discuss their sexuality. As physicians, we can and should be thoughtful about the meaning of a patient disclosing that information. The “coming out” may take the form of a check box on a questionnaire, with that information having little to no relevance to the patient’s reason for being in the office or the hospital. Conversely, a physician may find themselves in the important position of being the first trusted person with whom the patient shares this information.