Teaching tomorrow's surgeons

In collaboration with the University of Vermont Health Network, the Department of Surgery strives to recruit and retain the best faculty members to train our medical students.  The Department provides surgical services and training at the University of Vermont Health Network and is proud to be an integral part of this high quality, cost efficient health care center.  Our mission is to provide excellent patient care, superb resident and medical student training, and to foster research and innovation.   

Faculty and student practice microsutures

Education

From the entering novice medical student to the most experienced practitioner, the educational contribution of our department significantly and positively impacts the quality of care throughout Vermont and the areas throughout the country where our graduates practice. The major focus of our educational programs lies in Medical Student Education, Resident Education, Continuing Medical Education and Skills Labs.

Physicians in the skull base lab

Research

A broad spectrum of activities are directed toward improving the quality of our patient care and toward developing novel, innovative therapies. Through investigator-initiated trials, as well as national cooperative group, and industry-funded trials, department faculty are able to offer our patients access to cutting-edge treatments not otherwise available.

Department Highlights

Brian Sprague, PhD, Division of Surgical Research, was awarded a Health Services Research Pilot Grant from the Larner College of Medicine, for his proposal, “Evaluation of a cancer risk assessment questionnaire to guide cancer screening decision-making in primary care.”

Bruce Leavitt, MD (Cardiothoracic Surgery) and a team of 10 from UVM, are part of Team Heart, a nonprofit focused on bringing cardiac care to people in Rwanda.  Watch the WCAX segment. 

Departmental News

Department of Surgery Holds 48th Surgery Senior Major Scientific Program

April 9, 2018 by Michelle Bookless

On Thursday, March 29, 2018 the University of Vermont Department of Surgery held the 48th Annual Surgery Senior Major Scientific Program in the University of Vermont Medical Center’s Austin Auditorium. At an awards luncheon following the program UVM Larner College of Medicine Class of 2018 students Miles Grunvald, Brianna Spencer, and Samy Ramadan were honored with Senior Surgery Major Awards for their presentations.

Saurabh Patel '18, Autumn Reilly '18, Yazen Qumsiyeh '18, Ashley Deeb '18, Samy Ramadan '18, Miles Grunvald '18, Richard Mendez '18, Adam Petchers '18, Brianna Spencer '18, Soraiya Thura '18, Brittany Rocque '18, Brian Till '18

On Thursday, March 29, 2018 the University of Vermont Department of Surgery held the 48th Annual Surgery Senior Major Scientific Program in the University of Vermont Medical Center’s Austin Auditorium. Coordinated by Carlos E. Marroquin, M.D., Green and Gold Professor of Transplant Surgery and Immunology and chief of transplant, immunology and hepatobiliary surgery, the event showcases the scholarly work of UVM Larner College of Medicine students who will be specializing in surgery following their graduation in May. 

The objective of the event, according to the Department of Surgery, is "to provide [students] with the opportunity, through a library search or quality improvement project, a patient chart review and/or laboratory investigation, to complete a scholarly project, assemble and prepare the date in the form of a scientific article acceptable for publication in a professional journal and to present this research at a scientific seminar."

This year, presentations were given by twelve Class of 2018 medical students including Brittany Rocque, Autumn Reilly, Yazen Qumsiyeh, Ashley Deeb, Miles Grunvald, Richard Mendez, Saurabh Patel, Adam Petchers, Samy Ramadan, Brianna Spencer, Soraiya Thura, and Brian Till.

At an awards luncheon following the program, three students were recognized for their outstanding scientific projects and received Senior Surgery Major Awards. Miles Grunvald '18, earned first-place for his project "Utilization & Outcomes for Prothrombin Concentrate at UVM." His mentor on the project was UVM Assistant Professor of Surgery Loïc J. Fabricant, M.D.

Winning second-place honors was Brianna Spencer '18 with her presentation "Characterizing the Inflammatory Response in Patients with Breast Cancer Re-Excision and the Risk for Tumor Proliferation and Metastasis." She was mentored by UVM Professor of Medicine Mercedes Rincon, Ph.D. and UVM Associate Professor of Surgery Michelle Sowden, D.O.

The third-place prize was received by Samy Ramadan '18 for his presentation "Characteristics and Outcomes of Unplanned ICU Admissions in Trauma Patients." His mentor for the project was UVM Assistant Professor of Surgery Tim H. Lee, M.D., M.S.

Upcoming Events

Surgery Grand Rounds is held every Thursday during the academic year (September - June) in the Davis Auditorium from 7:30-8:30 am followed by M&M Conference from 8:30-9:30 am.

Visit the detailed department calendar >>