About Us
Message from the Chair
The Department of Pediatrics has a record of achievement in the areas of education, research, clinical care and advocacy. Faculty have received teaching awards on campus and at the national level from organizations such as the Association of American Medical Colleges, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Academic Pediatric Association. They serve as Editor-in-Chief and Assistant Editors of Pediatrics, the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. They are directors of national and international quality improvement and research networks and hold leadership positions in national medical educational organizations, including the National Board of Medical Examiners, the American Board of Pediatrics, the Council on Medical Student Education in Pediatrics and the Association of Pediatric Program Directors.
Lewis R. First, M.D.
Professor and Chair
Location & Facilities
Located in Burlington, The University of Vermont Medical center serves as Vermont’s academic medical center. In the UVM Medical Center resides The University of Vermont Children's Hospital with both inpatient and outpatient facilities. Learn more about living in Burlington.
Our History
The Department's history began with Dr. R. James McKay, who was the first official full-time pediatric faculty member recruited to UVM in 1950. Dr. McKay was Chairman of the Department for 33 years and was a former President of the American Academy of Pediatrics. He continues to play an active role in our Department's growth and development — past, present and future. Dr. Carol Lee Phillips, a national leader in pediatric infectious disease, then served as Chair for 10 years, turning it over to Dr. Lewis First in 1994 with her retirement. She too remains a vibrant resource for all of us in the Department.
Photo at left (L to R): Dr. Lewis First, Dr. Carol Lee Phillips, Dr. R. James McKay
Our Research Beginnings
Dr. Jerold Lucey, at left, joined the Department shortly after Dr. McKay's arrival and under his leadership established our neonatal division. Dr. Lucey's research in Neonatology has led to such innovations as phototherapy for hyperbilirubinemia and the first surfactant trials for premature infants. Dr. Lucey served as founder and president of the Vermont Oxford Neonatal Network (which has a membership of more than 950 neonatal intensive care units around the world), focused on clinical outcomes studies on high risk newborn infants. Dr. Lucey also served as Editor-in-Chief of the journal Pediatrics — a role he held for more than 35 years.