We recognize that we are enriched as a community and better able to serve children and families when we include voices from all perspectives. We value a compassionate and collaborative work environment that promotes diversity, inclusiveness, and cultural humility of our faculty, staff, and trainees. We are committed to advocacy initiatives that allow children and their families to thrive in safe environments free from bias and discrimination. We will work to reduce barriers to health equity for all children and families.
UVM Children’s Hospital is the only children’s hospital serving a large geographic area including very rural areas of Vermont and Upstate New York. Burlington is also a federally established refugee resettlement site. Although Vermont has the reputation for being a racially homogenous state, the youth population is quite different. ~20% of VT middle and HS students do not identify as white. During your residency training, you will care for children and families from a variety of diverse backgrounds.
The Pediatric Faculty and the Pediatric Residency Program are committed to ongoing professional development in areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We have added several recent initiatives. During all didactic teaching sessions throughout the year, we ensure they include how health disparities and inequities relate to the topic. Our “rural” primary care month requirement includes “underserved” populations in order for residents to focus their experience to specific populations such as New Americans or youth in transition, for example. We collaborate with many community organizations as well (see below).
Medical Home for New American Children:
Over the past 30 years, about 8,000 Vietnamese, Bosnian, Somali, Sudanese, Congolese, Bhutanese and Burmese refugees have resettled in the Burlington and Winooski area through USCRI VT, a federal refugee resettlement program. Since 2004, the Pediatric New American Program (PNAP) has provided domestic medical examinations and primary care to refugee children and other children in immigrant families with the help of a network of interpreters. Recognizing that immigrant status is a social determinant of health, PNAP strives to provide equity through a family centered medical home where special consideration and care is given to support acculturation and integration as well as advocacy. Providers have extensive knowledge of refugee health and adjustment and practice in a manner attuned to cultural respect and safety. PNAP is embedded within the UVM Children’s Hospital’s Primary Care at 1 South Prospect in Burlington and in the community 20 Allen St in Burlington.
The Building Strong Families Clinic, a PNAP community embedded partnership with the Janet S. Munt Family Room, a parent child center, provides group well child care to children age 2 weeks to 5 years with the support of bilingual bicultural Family Strengthening Workers.
Residents in the UVM Pediatric Residency Program serve crucial roles both in the acute hospital setting for this patient population
as well as primary care providers in the PNAP.
Residents and faculty have also been involved in establishing school-based health clinics in Winooski and Burlington.
Kids Fest teaches kids how to have fun while being safe!
#allarewelcome
Burlington has an active and welcoming LGBTQ community. The Larner College of Medicine, the University of Vermont Medical Center, and the Vermont Children’s Hospital all proudly participate in Burlington’s annual pride parade and festivities. Residents also have opportunities to participate in the multi-disciplinary transgender youth program which was initially developed by a former resident. Residents also have the opportunity to work as medical staff and participate in Camp Outright, a summer camp program for queer, trans, questioning, and allied youth during an advanced adolescent rotation.
More About Diversity in our Burlington Community
Although Vermont is not known for diversity as a state, Chittenden County is quite different, especially Burlington and surrounding towns. Here is a link to Burlington’s 2019 Equity Report; our town cares about evaluating and addressing disparities, and you can read more about it here.
UVM Medical Center Names Health Care Equity High Performer
Human Rights Campaign's 2024 Healthcare Equity Index evaluates health care organizations' policies and practices related to patients, visitors, and employees.
Burlington, Vt. – Inclusive health care practices – from building a focus on diversity with its Patient-Family Advocacy team, to promoting inclusivity through patient electronic health record practices and data collection procedures – have earned UVM Medical Center national recognition for its commitment to advancing health equity in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning (LGBTQ+) community.
The Human Rights Campaign named UVM Medical Center a health care equality high performer in its 2024 HealthCare Equality Index (HEI) – an annual survey which measures a variety of criteria to determine how inclusive a health care organization or facility is – from nondiscrimination policies and staff training programs, to patient services and support, patient and community engagement, and employee benefits.
“We are committed to creating an environment that reflects the diversity of UVM Medical Center and ensure every patient across our region receives exemplary care in an environment of compassion, trust and safety,” said Marissa Coleman, PsyD, Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at UVM Medical Center. “Patient-centered care and health equity go hand-in-hand. Reducing health disparities is central to the work we do each day, and surveys like the HEI are important tools that help us evaluate ourselves and continue to improve.”
UVMCH New American Safety Fair
Burlington Pride Parade
Larner College of Medicine Office of Diversity and Inclusion.