Research - Department of Family Medicine | College of Medicine

Department of Family Medicine Research Division Mission

The mission of the Department of Family Medicine Research Division is to advance the science of social connection, healthcare communication and application of socially just conversation analytics in healthcare redesign. We leverage our interdisciplinarity, our joy of collaborative discovery and commitment to fostering a just and compassionate world. We manifest our work in high quality peer reviewed publications, dedicated mentoring of learners, and full engagement with government, non-profit and industry funding partners to support our mission. As with good science, we welcome the opportunity to evolve as a cohesive Division as we continue to learn.

The Vermont Conversation Lab is the centerpiece of our departmental research efforts. The mission of the “VCL” is to understand and promote human connection among those affected by serious illness. Our recent research efforts focus on scalable conversation analytics for in-person and telehealth settings, and on public health interventions that support caregivers, reduce loneliness of grief, and improve serious illness communication in the routine practice of medicine. Our inter-disciplinary faculty represent several UVM Colleges, including the College of Engineering & Mathematical Sciences, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, and College of Arts & Sciences. Our inspirational learners are engaged in pre-college, undergraduate, graduate and post-doctoral education within a wide range in fields of study.

Core Research Faculty

Bob Gramling, M.D., D.Sc. is a tenured Professor of Family Medicine and the Holly & Bob Miller Chair in Palliative Medicine. I am a family physician, palliative care physician and epidemiologist with research expertise related to the study of conversations. I lead the Vermont Conversation Lab (www.vermontconversationlab.com) of multi-disciplinary scientists dedicated to understanding and promoting human connection. I have authored more than 100 publications and received extramural research funding from the American Cancer Society, the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the National Palliative Care Research Center, and the Greenwall Bioethics Foundation. I enjoy advising, mentoring, coaching and collaborating with research colleagues at all levels of training. I graduated from Colby College (Liberal Arts), Dartmouth Medical School (Doctorate of Medicine) and Boston University School of Public Health (Doctorate of Science in Epidemiology).

NIH Biosketch: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/robert.gramling.1/cv/494054/

Complete List of Published Work: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/robert.gramling.1/bibliography/public/

Director of Research

Bob Gramling, M.D., D.Sc.
Email: Robert.Gramling(at)med.uvm.edu
Phone: (802) 656 4330

Dr. Maija Reblin is an Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine in the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont.

Trained as a social and health psychologist, her research focuses on understanding the social context of family caregivers of those with serious illness and using this knowledge to develop strengths-based interventions. Specific areas of focus include relationship quality, social support, and interpersonal communication. Dr. Reblin has over 100 peer-reviewed publications and has completed and ongoing funding as PI and co-I from the American Cancer Society, the National Cancer Institute, and the National Institute of Nursing Research.

NIH Biosketch: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/1FmrP6faCaU5h/cv/578583/

Complete List of Published Work: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/1FmrP6faCaU5h/bibliography/public/