University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine faculty members Mary Cushman, M.D., and Richard L. Page, M.D., were honored with the Council on Clinical Cardiology (CLDC) Distinguished Achievement Award at the Couawards at the American Heart Association (AHA) 2018 Scientific Sessions in Chicago.
Mary Cushman, M.D., M.Sc. (left), and Richard L. Page, M.D. (Photos: UVM Larner College of Medicine)UVM
The American Heart Association (AHA) awarded its Population Research Prize to Mary Cushman, M.D., professor of medicine at the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont, during the opening ceremonies at the AHA Scientific Sessions 2018 at McCormick Place convention center in Chicago on November 11. In addition, UVM Larner College of Medicine Dean Richard L. Page, M.D., was honored with the Council on Clinical Cardiology (CLDC) Distinguished Achievement Award at the Council’s Annual Business Meeting and Dinner on November 10, 2018.
Page is a Fellow of the AHA and a former chair of the CLDC, which aims to achieve the objectives of the AHA in the field of clinical cardiology, promote excellence in clinical care and foster the professional development and education of clinical cardiologists. He received his medical degree from Duke University School of Medicine in 1984. Prior to joining the UVM Larner College of Medicine as dean on October 1, 2018, he held faculty positions at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Washington School of Medicine, and University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.
AHA President Ivor Benjamin, M.D., of the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, presented Cushman’s prize, a citation and $5,000 honorarium, which recognized her “contributions to our understanding of the causes of cardiovascular diseases, including heart disease, venous thrombosis, stroke and risk factors for these diseases, with emphasis on understanding racial disparities.” The annual prize honors important studies of cardiovascular disease patterns in populations.
“Dr. Cushman has led critically acclaimed research utilizing biomarker assessments in population studies to elucidate pathways of disease etiology for the three most common vascular diseases – coronary heart disease, stroke and venous thromboembolism - as well as their risk factors,” said Benjamin, who also mentioned that Cushman’s recent findings include a new understanding of the role of inflammation in cardiovascular diseases and how it relates to racial disparities in disease. “She has also shown the importance of the connection between vascular health and brain health, particularly risk factors and biomarkers pointing to age-related cognitive dysfunction” and is a leader in scientific publishing and communicating science, he said.
Cushman received her medical degree from UVM’s Larner College of Medicine in 1989 and joined the UVM faculty in 1995.
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(This article was adapted from a news release produced by Carrie Thacker of the AHA News Media Office.)