Anthony Charles, M.D., M.P.H., vice chair for faculty development in the Department of Surgery at the Larner College of Medicine, was invested as the inaugural holder of the Green and Gold Professorship of Faculty Development in Surgery on April 2, 2026, at a formal ceremony at the Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine at the University of Vermont. A medallion honoring this achievement was presented by Richard. L. Page, M.D., dean of the Larner College of Medicine and UVM chief medical affairs officer, and Mitchell Norotsky, M.D., Stanley S. Fieber, M.D.’48, Chair of the Department of Surgery. UVM Interim Provost and Senior Vice President Linda Schadler also delivered remarks at the event.

“Since his arrival here in 2025, exactly a year, Dr. Charles has exemplified all of the characteristics that we expect in an academic, surgeon, and leader.” — Mitchell Norotsky, M.D.

Dr. Charles, who joined Larner in March 2025, is a highly respected surgeon, teacher, and scholar. He earned his M.D. at the University of Lagos College of Medicine in Lagos, Nigeria, and a FRSCI (Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland), a prestigious postgraduate qualification for surgeons, at the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin. He received a master’s in public health degree from the Gillings School of Global Public Health at the University of North Carolina (UNC)–Chapel Hill.

He completed several postdoctoral trainings internationally, including a rotating internship at the University of Lagos, Nigeria; service as a medical officer with the Nigerian Army Medical Corps; and clinical and research training at North Middlesex Hospital in London, England; the John Wayne Cancer Institute in Santa Monica, California; the Charles R. Drew University in Los Angeles, California; and St. Joseph Mercy Hospital and the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Previously, he was a professor with tenure in the Department of Surgery at the UNC–Chapel Hill School of Medicine and an attending surgeon at the UNC Medical Center. His administrative appointments include chief of the division of trauma, critical care, and acute care surgery; medical director of the ECMO program, UNC Hospitals; director of the UNC-Malawi Surgical Initiative; director of global surgery, Institute of Global Health; director of undergraduate surgical education; and clinical course director of the Surgical Intensive Care Unit, UNC Hospital.

His awards are numerous, including being honored as the commencement speaker at the UNC–Chapel Hill School of Medicine and being named Teacher of the Year by three different academic departments: surgery, anesthesia, and emergency medicine.

He has authored more than 250 peer-reviewed papers and mentored dozens of graduate and medical students, fellows, residents, and junior faculty members. He has served as a principal or co-investigator on industry and National Institutes of Health grants and is associate editor of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Dr. Charles is a member of numerous professional organizations and societies, including the American Surgical Association, the American College of Surgeons, the Society of University Surgeons, and the Society of Black Academic Surgeons. 

The Green and Gold Professorship of Faculty Development in Surgery was established through the generosity of the faculty in the Department of Surgery, who collectively have established Green and Gold professorships in each of their divisions to demonstrate their high regard for their history and a commitment to the department’s future. The professorship will provide Dr. Charles with support in his role as vice chair for faculty development in the Department of Surgery—fueling the growth, mentorship, and success of faculty across the department. 

“Since his arrival here in 2025, exactly a year, Doctor Charles has exemplified all of the characteristics that we expect in an academic, surgeon and leader,” stated Dr. Norotsky.

An endowed professorship is one of the highest honors the university can bestow upon a faculty member. At the Larner College of Medicine, named professorships are critical in marking the successful trajectory of high-achieving faculty members. By providing dedicated resources for research and scholarly opportunities, these positions enable the college’s most gifted faculty to excel and help the college recognize its most distinguished researchers, scientists, clinicians, and physicians, and recruit and retain leaders in medicine.