Enduring values ~ Transformative innovation
For more than 75 years, the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine has partnered with the communities it serves to improve child health through compassionate clinical care, exceptional education, innovative research, meaningful advocacy, and continuous improvement. As the academic home of Golisano Children's Hospital at UVM Health, we provide nationally-recognized, family-centered care to infants, children, and adolescents throughout Vermont and northern New York, ensuring that families in our rural region can access the comprehensive pediatric care they deserve -- close to home.
Every UVM pediatrician is an educator. Educating for the future of child health is both true to our roots and our reach upward, as mentors and role models for the students, residents and fellows who join us to care for children and discover the cures of tomorrow.
Our work is rooted in values and service leadership. That commitment was recognized through the Golisano philanthropic gift—the largest donation in UVM Health history —which was awarded in recognition of our collaborative culture, outstanding quality and safety, and dedication to delivering academic health care in rural communities. This investment strengthens our ability to innovate, expand access to care, and improve outcomes for children across the region.
Partnership with the community is central to who we are. Every faculty member not only strives for national impact, but also serves in a community-facing role, working alongside schools, health care organizations, public agencies, and community partners to improve child health. Patient and family advisors actively help shape our strategic priorities, clinical programs, and operations, ensuring that the voices and lived experiences of children and families inform every aspect of our work.
The Department has a long history of developing programs with national and global impact. The Vermont Oxford Network, founded at UVM, has transformed neonatal quality improvement and continues to enhance outcomes for newborns around the world. ImproveCareNow, launched at UVM’s Department of Pediatrics, similarly used collaboration and improvement science to reshape pediatric inflammatory bowel disease care and outcomes. The Vermont Child Health Improvement Program (VCHIP) brings together scientific expertise, clinical care, quality improvement, and public health to promote prevention, implement evidence-based best practices, and improve outcomes for children throughout Vermont—contributing to the state's longstanding recognition as one of the nation's healthiest places for children.
The department’s research programs have contributed to advances in rural health care delivery, care for children with medical complexity, vaccinology and global health, pediatric cancer, cystic fibrosis, heart disease, patient safety, and implementation science. Scientific collaborations across UVM and with partnering centers mean our investigators participate in basic, translational, clinical and community-based research, advancing knowledge that improves the lives of children locally, nationally, and globally.
As we look ahead, we believe that the future of child health will be shaped by innovation and discovery while remaining rooted in traditional practices of compassionate care, education for the future, relationship-building, earned trust, and a culture of professionalism. We are committed to fostering an environment where every interaction reflects our respect for one another, our commitment to lifelong learning, and our shared responsibility to the children and families we serve.
Please explore these webpages to learn more about our department, our programs, our teams, our learning environment, our “hospital without walls” and our commitment to a future where all children receive the care they deserve. You are welcome to email, call, and visit us.
Judy Schaechter, MD, MBA
Professor and Chair of the Department of Pediatrics