Next stop, clerkships! Members of the Class of 2017 celebrated a major milestone in their medical student career – completion of the Foundations level of the Vermont Integrated Curriculum – with a reception and awards ceremony on January 29, 2015. Designed to equip students with clinical skills and a comprehensive understanding of the body’s systems, the 20-month-long curriculum also provides training in professionalism, leadership, communication, and community engagement.  

This month, students are preparing for and will take the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 Exam – the first of the three-step examination required for medical licensure in the United States, which is administered by the National Board of Medical Examiners.

Class of 2017 members will officially begin the Clerkship level of the curriculum with a bridge week course on March 16, following which they will break up into their flight groups for training at one of the College’s five clinical training sites – The University of Vermont Medical Center, Danbury Hospital in Connecticut, Norwalk Hospital in Connecticut, St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, and Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor.

On March 19, the students will officially launch into the next phase of their education – the Clinical Clerkships – at the Student Clinician Ceremony, an annual event that marks both the entrance of a new class of medical students into the patient care realm and the third-year class’ completion of the clerkships. The event also recognizes the teachers who have worked with third-year students now transitioning into the final level of the curriculum.

The following awards and recipients were announced at the Class of 2017 Foundation awards event:

Outstanding Foundations Course:
Cardiovascular, Respiratory and Renal Systems (CRR)

Foundations Course Director Award:
William Raszka, M.D., Professor of Pediatrics and Director, Attacks & Defenses

Foundations Teaching Award:
Rebecca Wilcox, M.D., Assistant Professor of Pathology The recipient of this award will be hooding the Class of 2017 at their graduation and will be recognized with other Teachers of the Year from the past.

The Dean Warshaw Integration Award:
William Raszka, M.D. This award recognizes the faculty member whose teaching best captured the spirit of the VIC.

The Silver Stethoscope Award:
William Hopkins, M.D., Associate Professor of Medicine This award recognizes the faculty member who had few lecture hours, but made a substantial contribution to students’ education.

Above and Beyond Award:
Ellen Black, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Neurological Sciences and Director, Human Structure and Function This award recognizes the faculty member who went above and beyond the call of duty to help the students in their learning objectives.

Best Support Staff (Non-teaching):
Michael Goedde, M.D., Instructional Designer, Office of Medical Student Education This award recognizes the staff member who best supported students in areas besides teaching.

Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award:
Albert Emery, M.D.’14

In addition, members of the Class of 2017 also presented these awards:

AMWA Gender Equity Award:
Pamela Gibson, M.D., Associate Professor of Pathology and Co-advisor, Gender and Sexuality Alliance This award honors a male or female faculty member who promotes a gender-fair environment for the education and training of physicians and gender diversity in the field.

Standardized Patient Award:
Edward Stone

Wellness Award:
I-Hsiang Shu This award recognizes a student who went above and beyond to help class members.

American Medical Student Association Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching
Ellen Black, Ph.D.

The event also featured the announcement of three $500 Medical Alumni Association-supported summer research fellowship awards, which were presented by Michael Toth, Ph.D., associate professor of medicine to: Jameson Loyal (colon cancer research); Alejandro Velez (neuroblastoma research); and Jacqueline Wade. (breast cancer research).

In addition, two Department of Pathology awards and one Department of Pharmacology award were presented to the student with the highest grade point averages in courses with a significant amount of content related to the mentioned subject area. Rebecca Wilcox, M.D., presented the Woll and Buttles Awards and John McCormack, Ph.D., professor emeritus of pharmacology, presented the Durwood Smith Award.

The Ephraim Woll Award for excellence in General Pathology:
Joshua Weaver

The Ernest H. Buttles Award for excellence in Pathology:
Joshua Weaver

The Durwood Smith Award for excellence in Pharmacology:
Joshua Weaver

PUBLISHED

02-09-2015
Jennifer Nachbur