The Vermont Medical Society recognized five Vermonters for their outstanding contributions to the health and well being of the state’s residents during its 203rd annual meeting held November 5, 2016 in Burlington, Vt., including two faculty members from The Larner College of Medicine at The University of Vermont. In addition, two medical students were honored by the Vermont Medical Society’s Education and Research Foundation at the event.
Lewis First, M.D., professor and chair of pediatrics at The Larner College of Medicine at The University of Vermont and UVM Medical Center, was awarded the Distinguished Service Award – the highest award VMS can bestow upon one of its members. The Distinguished Service Award recognizes meritorious service in the science and art of medicine and outstanding contributions to the medical profession, its organizations, and the welfare of the public. First was honored for his outstanding work as chair of the Department of Pediatrics and chief of the UVM Children’s Hospital, as well as his profound influence in encouraging a generation of University of Vermont medical students to pursue vocations as pediatricians.
David Halsey, M.D., clinical professor of orthopaedics and rehabilitation at the UVM Larner College of Medicine and an orthopaedic surgeon at UVM Medical Center, was named the Physician of the Year. The Physician of the Year Award is granted annually to a physician licensed in the state of Vermont who has demonstrated outstanding performance in the quality of care given to his/her patients; skillful and compassionate patient care; and, dedication to the welfare of his patients in accordance with accepted principles of good medical practice. Halsey was recognized for his outstanding work in patient-centric orthopedic care and surgical risk reduction strategies, as well as research in patient outcomes, health policy, arthroplasty and arthritis care.
The Vermont Medical Society’s Education and Research Foundation (VMSERF) also awarded $5,000 scholarships to UVM Larner College of Medicine Class of 2018 students Margaret Graham and Grace Adamson at the meeting.
Each year, VMSERF gives one or more scholarships to medical students who are committed to practicing medicine in Vermont and caring for Vermonters. The scholarship program was created to encourage young doctors to return to Vermont after completing their residency training and is named in honor of Mildred Reardon, M.D., professor of medicine emerita at the UVM Larner College of Medicine, who was instrumental in forming the foundation. The scholarship is funded through generous contributions from the University of Vermont Medical Center, members of the Vermont Medical Society, and the Chittenden County Medical Society.
Graham earned a Master of Science degree in epidemiology from the University of Iowa College of Public Health and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Women’s studies from the University of Iowa. She served as a research assistant at the University of Iowa Hospital, and Iowa City Veterans Affairs Medical Center, studying numerous clinical topics such as infection control and prevention, smoking cessation, blood pressure maintenance, and telehealth. She is the 2016 recipient of the Freeman Foundation Legacy Medical scholarship and is in training to become a certified birth educator. After initially assuming she would return to Iowa to practice medicine, she now hopes to live and practice medicine in Vermont, citing the state’s collegiality, professional opportunities and the emphasis on primary care in the state. Also paramount is Vermont’s culture and how it embraces her family. Graham hopes to dedicate her career to caring for underserved communities, including LGBTQ youth, people struggling with addiction, and young parents and families.
Ever since attending Middlebury College as an undergraduate, Adamson has dreamed about making Vermont her full-time home. Fourteen years later, she fulfilled that dream when she enrolled at the UVM Larner College of Medicine. Adamson entered medical school after a successful 12-year career as an attorney in Washington, D.C. A graduate of the George Washington University Law School, upon deciding to leave law and pursue a career in medicine Adamson earned a graduate certificate in Public Health and Health Services from GW, and served as an emergency room shadow and clinician’s assistant at George Washington University Hospital. Currently the president of the Winooski Coalition for a Safe and Peaceful Community, Adamson plans to practice family medicine in the state upon her graduation and completion of her residency.
About the Vermont Medical Society
The Vermont Medical Society is the leading voice of physicians in the state and is dedicated to advancing the practice of medicine by advocating on behalf of Vermont’s doctors and the patients and communities they care for. The Society serves its 2,000 members through public policy advocacy on the state and federal levels, as well as by providing legal, administrative and educational support, producing a rich flow of news and information and offering member benefits that increase medical practice effectiveness and efficiency. For more information, visit www.VTMD.org.
(This article was adapted from a press release written by Justin Campfield of ThinkSpark Media for the Vermont Medical Society.)
