Simha Ravven, MD was named president of the Vermont Medical Society (VMS) during its 207th annual meeting November 7th. Dr. Ravven is the Chief Medical Officer of the Howard Center in Burlington, VT and Assistant Clinical Professor in Law and Psychiatry at the Yale University School of Medicine.
As president of VMS, Dr. Ravven will take a leading role in the Society’s public policy efforts in Montpelier and Washington, D.C. Priorities during the upcoming year include: promoting policies to address and mitigate COVID-19, prioritizing evidence-based public health strategies, advancing health equity measures to improve health outcomes, ensuring adequate reimbursement rates to establish the resiliency of Vermont’s health care facilities, reducing administrative burdens facing Vermont’s physician and physician assistant practices and developing recruitment strategies to ensure a sustainable health care workforce in Vermont.
Dr. Ravven said, "I am honored to serve as the new VMS President in these tumultuous times. In the midst of a global pandemic, and a time when we have witnessed the erosion of fundamental human rights, I will do everything in my power to live up to this honor. I will endeavor to safeguard and improve the health and healthcare of all Vermonters, especially those who are marginalized in the public discourse. The VMS membership’s choice of a psychiatrist to serve as the President of the Vermont Medical Society speaks to their commitment to mental health. It is an acknowledgment that mental health is central to overall health, and an acknowledgment of the importance of mental health and substance use treatment, especially as we grapple with the increased need brought on by the current pandemic.”
Dr. Ravven was a studio art major as an undergraduate at Hamilton College and decided to pursue medicine after serving in the United States Peace Corps in Morocco. She graduated from the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, completed her psychiatric residency at Harvard Medical School. She went on to train in Forensic Psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine. Dr. Ravven is Board Certified in General Adult and Forensic Psychiatry. She has a private practice in forensic psychiatry and frequently lectures on clinical violence risk assessment and other forensic mental health topics. Her passion is caring for adults with serious mental illness and conducting research and policy consultation that support evidence-based care for this population.
Also, during the meeting, VMS members elected Patricia Fisher, MD and Ryan Sexton, MD as president-elect and vice president, respectively.
Dr. “Patti” Fisher is the Chief Medical Officer at the Central Vermont Medical Center (CVMC) in Berlin, VT. Formerly, she served as the medical director for Case Management and Medical Staff Affairs, as well as Family Medicine Inpatient Service/Ambulatory Care Unit at the University of Vermont Medical Center.
Dr. Fisher was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio. She attended undergrad at Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana, Medical School at University of Texas in Houston, did her family medicine and chief residency at Forbes Family Medicine in Pittsburgh, and she is currently finishing her Masters in Healthcare Administration at Cornell University.
Ryan J. Sexton, M.D. is an emergency medicine physician and serves as Medical Director of Emergency Services and President of Medical Staff at Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital (NVRH) in St. Johnsbury, VT.
Dr. Sexton graduated from the University of Vermont College of Medicine and completed residency in Emergency Medicine at UMDNJ Cooper University Hospital in Camden, NJ. He completed a fellowship in Disaster Medicine and EMS at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University in Camden, NJ. After completion of fellowship training, Dr. Sexton practiced clinically at Cooper Hospital as an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine before returning to Vermont to work at NVRH. Dr. Sexton is double board certified by the American Board of Emergency Medicine in the specialties of Emergency Medicine and Emergency Medical Services. Dr. Sexton serves as Medical Advisor to VT District 5 EMS, as the President of the Vermont Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians, and also sits on the Vermont Board of Medical Practice. He also serves as Medical Advisor to the Vermont Healthcare Emergency Preparedness Coalition (VHEPC) and just started as Chair of the VT Emergency Department Medical Director Committee.
About the Vermont Medical Society: The Vermont Medical Society is the leading voice of physicians in the state and is dedicated to protecting the health of all Vermonters and improving the environment in which Vermont physicians and physician assistants practice medicine. The Society serves its 2,400 members through public policy advocacy on the state and federal levels, as well as by providing legal, administrative and educational support, producing a rich flow of news and information and offering member benefits that increase medical practice effectiveness and efficiency. For more information, visit www.VTMD.org.