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In January, the Larner community gathered to celebrate at the Class of 2027 Public Health Poster Session, which engaged attendees in lively discussion around several pressing public health issues. More than a dozen projects explored many of Vermont’s most timely health and social needs among people of all ages, in many areas connecting public health and health care. Some of these student projects will be submitted to the American Public Health Association Annual Meeting’s abstract competition. 

Both Larner Dean Richard L. Page, M.D., and Associate Dean for Public Health and Health Policy Jan Carney, M.D., M.P.H., addressed the attendees during the event. “Many of the projects that you’ve done add to our ability to take a piece of a very challenging problem and do something about it right here in Vermont,” Carney said.

Public Health Projects, a required course in the Vermont Integrated Curriculum at the Larner College of Medicine, teaches medical students to apply the principles and science of public health while working to improve the health of the community. Each year, with help from longstanding college partner United Way of Northwest Vermont, 16 groups of second-year medical students are matched to community projects identified by local community agencies. Using practical research methods, students work together with faculty and community agency mentors to find creative ways to translate science into practice.

The following 16 community-initiated public health projects by the medical Class of 2027 were celebrated on January 29, 2025, continuing Larner’s strong and enduring community academic partnerships:

Vermont Public School Preparedness for Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA)
Community Agency: American Heart Association of Vermont
Students: Mohamed Ahmed, Jake Ayisi, Brian Canova, Michael Hermanto, Syed Jafri, Anthony Jeong, Isaac Sellinger, and Kelly Tran
�պ����� Faculty Mentor: Paula Tracy, Ph.D.

Transforming Disability Services: A Study on Large Language Model Acceptance and Utilization Among Support Staff
Community Agency: Champlain Community Services
Students: Neelia Abadi, Naomi Burhans, Edward Harrington, Margret Joos, Eryney Marrogi, Aiden Masters, Jai Narain, and Curtis Plante 
�պ����� Faculty Mentor: Stephen Everse, Ph.D. 

Health Professionals’ Awareness of Accommodations for Deaf/Hard of Hearing Patients at �պ����� Medical Center
Community Agency: Department of Disabilities, Aging, and Independent Living
Students: Lajla Badnjević, Marina Cannon, Joselvin Galeas, Hamza Mirza, Elizabeth Pendlebury, Lauren Schiff, Genevieve Wakeman, C. Oliver Young 
�պ����� Faculty Mentor: Shamima Khan, M.B.A., Ph.D. 

Home Based Palliative Care: Qualitative Analysis of Provider Attitudes
Community Agency: Department of Vermont Health Access
Students: Elliot Cullen, Anna Gorbacheva, Abigail Mercier, Petergaye Murray, Kevin Peters, and Jake Reigle
�պ����� Faculty Mentor: Shamima Khan, M.B.A., Ph.D. 

Addressing Social Isolation and Loneliness amongst Older Vermonters 
Community Agency: Give Way to Freedom
Students: Anastasia Arvin-DiBlasio, Jonathan Chen, Oona Davies, Jonathan Palmer, Benjamin Rubin, Matthew Saunders, Zachary Wheeler, and Garrett Wu
�պ����� Faculty Mentor: Karen Lounsbury, Ph.D. 

Examining the Adolescent Mental Health Crisis in Vermont Through the Experiences of Healthcare Providers
Community Agency: Mental Health Initiative–United Way of Northwest Vermont 
Students: Cliff Bauman, Jeff Heithmar, Ryan Marawala, Jill Rogers, Evelyn Thomas, Alex Vitali, and Kyra Weaver 
�պ����� Faculty Mentor: Victoria Zhou, M.D. 

Prevent Child Abuse Vermont Demonstrates the Long-Term Benefits of the Nurturing Parent Program in Improving Parents’ Attitudes Toward their Children 
Community Agency: Prevent Child Abuse 
Students: Tanner Baroni, Clara Goebel, Grace Kim, Elizabeth Medve, Sung Bin Roh, Benjamin Sebuufu, Eunice Suberu, and Shannon Wasley 
�պ����� Faculty Mentor: Elzerie de Jager, M.B.B.S., Ph.D. 

Evaluating Best Practices in LGBTQIA+ Healthcare: A Vermont Diversity Health Project Initiative 
Community Agency: Pride Center of Vermont and Vermont Diversity Health Project 
Students: Sasha Bonesteel, Cassandra Chin, Julia Geaghan-Breiner, Lindsey Gleason, Marie Kim, Anne Lindholm, and Camila Salcedo
�պ����� Faculty Mentor: Katherine Mariani, M.D., M.P.H. 

Understanding Barriers to Equitable Care for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disability
Community Agency: Special Olympics Vermont 
Students: Alexia Amaio, Dalton Dowd, Michael Greenberg, Thomas Khodadad, Harsimran Multani, Sarah Pfreundschuh, Selin Tukel, and Leena Ziane
�պ����� Faculty Mentor: Thomas Griffin, Ph.D. 

Community-Sponsored Cannabis Education for Older Vermonters: An Investigation of Community Needs and Available Resources 
Community Agency: United Way of Northwest Vermont–Northwest VT Prevention Network 
Students: Ivan Davis, Raihan Kabir, Benjamin Koren, Maxime Lapointe-Gagner, Isabel Thomas, Merisah Trisciuzzi, Serena Verma, and Andrew Warfield 
�պ����� Faculty Mentor: Abigail Hielscher, Ph.D. 

Healthcare Workforce Implications of State Reproductive Health Policies 
Community Agency: Vermont Area Health Education Centers 
Students: Varsha Pudi, Jeremiah Bates, Jonathon Woo, Kristin Reed, Ian Kent, Oliver Koch, Nicholas Khoo, Claudia Tarrant 
�պ����� Faculty Mentor: Charles MacLean, M.D. 

Barriers and Facilitators to Improving Free Menstrual Product Distribution in Vermont Schools Post-Legislation
Community Agency: Vermont Commission on Women 
Students: Claire Baptiste, Kimberly Bau, Mikayla Howie, Julia Hurley, Sulekha Kilas, Nicki Nikkhoy, and Rhea Puthumana 
�պ����� Faculty Mentor: Elizabeth Woods, Ph.D. 

Antibiotic Stewardship in Vermont: Prescribers’ Attitudes and Perceptions 
Community Agency: Vermont Department of Health 
Students: Andries Feder, Arya Kale, Saim Ali, Francisco Cordero, Erin Manogaran, Martin Briche, Ranya Moshashaian, Sarah Chiavacci 
�պ����� Faculty Mentor: Jan K. Carney M.D., M.P.H. 

Understanding Veterans’ Preferences for Firearm Safety Conversations: Developing Culturally Conscious Approaches to Suicide Prevention 
Community Agency: Vermont Department of Mental Health 
Students: Shannon Bennet, Sean Britton, Joseph Du, Nick Jowkar, Taylor Krause, Carlos Montejo, Jaime Rodriguez, and Amir Zafaranian
�պ����� Faculty Mentor: Thomas Delaney, Ph.D. 

PCP Attitudes: Understanding of Cancer Risk from CT Imaging 
Community Agency: Vermont Public Health Association 
Students: Evan Baugh, Caitie Beattie, Caroline Johnston, Noah Manz, Max Pendleton, Chloe Ruscilli, Zaymee Syeda, and Eli Zettler 
�պ����� Faculty Mentor: Kenneth Allen, Ed.D., M.B.A.

Understanding the Challenges and Motivations for Dentists to Practice in Rural Vermont: A Study on Recruitment and Retention in Windham County
Community Agency: Windham Aging Collaboration with Southern VT Area Health Education Center and Brattleboro Mutual Aid Association
Students: Kartheek Batchu, Ali Chivers, Aaron Dees, Kiersten Donovan, Matthew Mullen, Estefania Obando, and Harjas Sabharwal 
�պ����� Faculty Mentor: Carolyn Taylor-Olson, M.D.