Medical Student Admissions

Dear Class of 2028,

Dear Members of the Larner College of Medicine Class of 2028,

Congratulations and welcome to the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont! I am delighted that you have chosen our program for your medical education. We are a college dedicated to serving patients, the medical profession, and the local community. We strive to provide a positive learning environment and a culture of professionalism, focused on cultural humility, kindness and respect for one another and for our patients.  Your health, wellbeing, and sense of belonging within our community is extremely important to us and guides us in our daily interactions, communication, and decision-making here at LCOM.

Certainly the current Coronavirus Pandemic has impacted all of our lives personally and professionally in many ways, yet those of us in medical education are dedicated to balancing the demands of clinical care with the importance of educating our future physician workforce.  Our team has spent the last several months working collaboratively with our state, university, and clinical colleagues to provide you with a meaningful on-campus educational experience that will allow you to acquire the knowledge and skills to be proficient in the competencies necessary for your medical degree and to fulfill your responsibilities as a physician.

As a UVM College of Medicine ’99 alum, I have fond memories of my first day of medical school. This is an exciting moment for all of you and for those of us who work in medical education. We look forward to getting to know you, contributing to your education, and supporting you throughout your time here. Our goal over the next four years will be to provide you with innovative and outstanding teaching and to prepare you to achieve excellence in your chosen specialty so that you can provide exemplary care and compassion to your patients.

Up until now, most of you have primarily had contact with Medical Student Admissions. As you approach Orientation, you might also begin to connect with the following Larner College of Medicine curriculum support units:

• The Office of Medical Student Education (OMSE) will be your primary point of contact for most administrative matters as you enter the Larner College of Medicine and make your way through medical school. Our wonderful faculty and staff value the scholarship of teaching and are committed to your education.  If you have any questions, please email the student services team at StudentCOMServices@med.uvm.edu.
• The UVM Center for Health and Wellbeing offers health services tailored to the specific health needs of UVM students. Student Health Services (SHS) will be your primary contact for completing mandatory immunization and health insurance requirements.
• Disability Services at UVM Student Accessibility Services (SAS) provides Accommodations, Consultation, Collaboration, and Educational Support Services to students with documented disabilities or those seeking accommodations to meet the expectations of the medical education program. Please visit the Larner College of Medicine Medical Student Handbook Policy 300.00 Technical Standards for Admission, Advancement and Graduation and Policy 310.00 Support for Disabilities: Technical Standards Procedure for Admission, Advancement & Graduation for Students with Disabilities Seeking Accommodation for more information on seeking reasonable accommodation. If you think you might be eligible for accommodations during your medical education, please contact SAS prior to your arrival to ensure that eligibility for accommodations is determined and accommodations are in place prior to the start of medical school.
• Larner College of Medicine Technical Services (COMTS) provides a wide range of technology-based resources and activities including the College of Medicine Education Tools (COMET), email, and all COM Intranet resources. Your access privileges to these resources will be automatically expanded as you begin your medical education.

Prior to your arrival, we will provide you with information about Orientation and access to resources and materials available. Over the next few weeks, you will receive email communication from OMSE, including the Medical Student Services and Curriculum teams. Please be aware that email is the official means of communication for the Larner College of Medicine and students are expected to check their e-mail accounts daily. Please see the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine Medical Student Handbook Policy 940.00 Official Communication for additional details.

Medical school begins with Orientation, which is a course with a Pass/Fail grade. Attendance is required except where indicated as optional in your Vermont Integrated Curriculum (VIC) Calendar. Attire is business casual except where otherwise indicated.  You will be interfacing with many members of the Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont Medical Center, and Burlington communities throughout the week and professional actions and attire are expected. The attached documents provide answers to questions related to your arrival on campus and the format of classes for the fall.  We will be sending more information in the weeks ahead.

We are eagerly anticipating your arrival on campus. I had a wonderful experience here, and my hope is that each and every one of you does as well. If there is anything we can do to assist you, please do not hesitate to contact us at StudentCOMServices@med.uvm.edu. See you soon!

Sincerely,

Christa Zehle, M.D.
Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education