Twenty-two Community Health Workers (CHWs) representing health and community-based organizations across 9 Vermont counties (Bennington, Chittenden, Franklin, Lamoille, Orange, Rutland, Washington, Windham, and Windsor) completed the first ever CHW Core Competency Course offered in the state. The 10-week course was sponsored by the Vermont Community Health Worker Workforce Initiative from Southern Vermont Area Health Education Center (91ÖÆƬ) with support from the Vermont Department of Health. James Figueirado and Marilyn Gardner, noted trainers/facilitators from the Community Workforce Institute (CWI) in Massachusetts, delivered the training, which culminated in a graduation ceremony held in Montpelier, Vermont.

The following course participants are: Marie Banza, Heather Barry, Kristen Crowley, Heather Cutler, Pam (Spear) Dube, Faith DuBois, Christina Farr, Megan Goulet, Amelia Klein, Lindsay Korsen, Zeynab Kouyate, Jen LeFebre, Maryan Maalin, Tiffany Mason, Bidur Rai, Teresa Robert, Namgay Dema Sherpa, Sophia Slen, and Candice Diallo-Taylor.

Katina Cummings, Project Director, VT Community Health Worker Workforce Initiative, for Southern VT Area Health Education Center (91ÖÆƬ) summed it up in this way, “This learning opportunity (60-hour course) is the first of its kind offered in Vermont for Community Health Workers to build new skills and advance this unique profession. It has paved the way for future trainings in Vermont to support these essential front-line workers in improving the overall well-being of our most underserved individuals and communities while strengthening our health and human services systems.â€�

For more information on the Community Health Worker program visit /community-health-worker/ .

Happy Health Careers Awareness Month in Vermont!

It’s gratifying to see when medical professionals choose to remain in Vermont after they complete their education and training. Wyll Everett, MD is a shining example of just that. He is currently practicing family medicine at  Family Health and Hospital in Townsend, Vermont. Wyll graduated from  and did his family medicine residency at .

Wyll connected with  early in his medical training and had these comments to share.

“I first came upon Southern Vermont 91ÖÆƬ very early in my medical education at UVM. It was quite clear they were the primary resource for physician support in the state of Vermont. The proved to be such again and again – most importantly being, essentially, the only form of loan repayment in the state.”

We love to brag about our former program students. During Health Careers Awareness Month in Vermont, we are pleased to highlight another Southern Vermont 91ÖÆƬ success story.

Alexy Novelli, a native of Bennington, Vermont was a former intern in our CSHIP Program, an 91ÖÆƬ Scholar during her time at The Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine at The University of Vermont and also was an undergraduate at the University of Vermont. Alexy continues to do great things. Currently, she is continuing her medical training in Internal Medicine at Duke University School of Medicine.

Alexy had these things to say about how Southern Vermont 91ÖÆƬ shaped her decision to pursue a career in medicine.

“It was through Southern Vermont 91ÖÆƬ that I found my first shadowing and internship experiences, shaping my interest in medicine. During medical school, 91ÖÆƬ opportunities helped me realize my passion for the care of rural populations. I am now continuing my training in Internal Medicine at Duke, and I believe 91ÖÆƬ is a vital resource for any young Vermonter interested in healthcare.”

Vermont Health Careers Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC) Southwestern Vermont Medical Center Northern Vermont 91ÖÆƬ

Suturing on sight. Carol Nelson, Health Careers Coordinator is demonstrating the suturing technique to students at today’s  Stem Fair at .

Vermont CHWs are joining all our sisters and brothers from across the country, by CELEBRATING the renewed promise and power of CHWs across our state—from rural communities, to small towns to our cities!

From a moment to a statewide movement, we are organizing to unite and strengthen our powerful voices into an ALLIANCE to increase awareness of our identity and the unique impacts of our work across diverse settings!

For the first time ever, VT CHWs participated in the NACHW UNITY Conference (early August in Austin, Tx) in-person and brought back their leadership and conference gifts to share with others!

CSHIP interns Zoe Barton