Department of Psychiatry

The Larner College of Medicine medical Class of 2023 Honors Night on May 15 featured recognition and awards for graduating medical students, faculty, and staff.

(MAY 17, 2023) Jeremiah Dickerson, M.D., assistant professor of psychiatry at Larner College of Medicine and a child psychiatrist at the UVM Medical Center, was interviewed by WCAX-TV for a story on social media and teen mental health.

(MAY 10, 2023) Natasha Withers, D.O., clinical assistant professor of family medicine, will soon start treating depression with a mind-altering drug that’s shown promise in helping people who don’t respond to traditional medicine — despite lingering questions about the drug’s long-term safety and effectiveness — Seven Days reported.

(MAY 5, 2023) Whether or not the COVID-19 pandemic is over, the mental health crisis for young people that spiked over the past two years continues, child psychiatrist Andrew Rosenfeld, M.D., associate professor of psychiatry and pediatrics, told WCAX-TV.

(MARCH 18, 2023) Psychiatrist Terry Rabinowitz, M.D., D.D.S., professor of psychiatry and family medicine, who has been providing mental health care by video to a rural nursing home in upstate New York since 2002, was quoted in a USA Today article on mental health telemedicine.

The Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont hosted the fourth annual Celebration of Gender Equity in Medicine and Science on March 2, 2023.

The University of Vermont’s Center on Rural Addiction has launched a new free program called Clinician Office Hours to help providers access specialists in prevention and treatment of substance abuse disorders. The program is available virtually to any health care provider in the U.S. located in an area designated as rural by the Health Resources & Services Administration.

(JANUARY 24, 2023) Addiction specialist Peter Jackson, M.D., assistant professor of psychiatry, provided suggestions for alcohol-free activities for individuals aiming to refrain from alcohol consumption in a Washington Post Well+Being article on “Dry January.”

(JANUARY 12, 2023) Sara Pawlowski, M.D., assistant professor of psychiatry and division chief of Primary Care Mental Health Integration, published an article on bipolar disorder screening in MDedge Pediatric News.

Psychiatrist Greta Spottswood, M.D., M.P.H., a Class of 2011 alum of the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, directs and helped launch the Vermont Child Psychiatry Access Program to connect Vermont pediatric primary care providers with much-needed child psychiatry services.

(DECEMBER 17, 2022) Neuropsychologist Sharon Leach, Ph.D., and child psychiatrist Feyza Basoglu, M.D., both clinical assistant professors of psychiatry, will challenge participants to diagnose psychiatric or neurological disorders as part of the 14th annual Vermont Brain Bee neuroscience competition to be held at the Larner College of Medicine on February 11, Seven Days reports.

(DECEMBER 2, 2022) Clinical Professor of Psychiatry David Fassler, M.D., commented in a Washington Post article about a study showing that the stress of pandemic lockdowns prematurely aged the brains of teenagers by at least three years, and in ways similar to changes observed in children who have faced chronic stress and adversity.

Located in a rural state with a population among the oldest in the nation, the Larner College of Medicine has long been committed to finding innovative ways to provide and improve access to health care for not only the elderly, but also all residents, regardless of location or socioeconomic status. Several research initiatives at the college focus on new approaches to help patients in these regions.

(NOVEMBER 7, 2022) Stacey Sigmon, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry and director of the Center on Rural Addiction, was quoted in VTDigger discussing the increasing use of the animal sedative xylazine as a sought-after dilutant for opioids due to its effect of prolonging the “high” from using opioids.

A study by UVM researchers of nearly 2,000 children found that those who reported playing video games for three hours per day or more performed better on cognitive skills tests involving impulse control and working memory compared to children who had never played video games.

(OCTOBER 18, 2022) Julie Dumas, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry, joined Gayle Guyardo, the host of the nationally syndicated health and wellness show "Bloom," to discuss the impact menopause has on the brain and its connection to Alzheimer’s disease.

On September 8, 2022, the University of Vermont held a formal ceremony at the Larner College of Medicine to invest Professor of Psychiatry Judith Lewis, M.D., as the Robert A. Pierattini, M.D. Green & Gold Professor of Psychiatry.

(SEPTEMBER 7, 2022) Stephen Higgins, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry, explained in an Associated Press story that the same dopamine reward system that’s the basis for addictions can be used to promote healthy behavior change.

University of Vermont Associate Professor of Psychiatry Robert Althoff, M.D., Ph.D., has been appointed chair of the Department of Psychiatry and health care service leader for psychiatry, effective August 1, 2022.

(JUNE 17, 2022) A study published in JAMA Psychiatry and authored by Matthew Albaugh, Ph.D., University of Vermont assistant professor of psychiatry, and colleagues, was featured in a HealthDay article, titled "Pot Use May Change the Teenage Brain, MRIs Show."