In Vermont, health care is personal. Our communities are small, our connections are strong, and the people caring for us are often the same people we see at the grocery store or on the sidelines of a school game. That’s why programs that support those clinicians – our doctors, pharmacists, nurses, and care teams – are so essential.
The Vermont Academic Detailing Program (VTAD) does exactly that. Run by the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine’s Office of Primary Care and supported by the Vermont AHEC Network, it helps health professionals make confident, evidence-based decisions that keep patient care front and center.
What Is Academic Detailing?
Academic detailing is continuing education – done differently. Instead of attending a long lecture or webinar, providers connect directly with a trained clinical educator, known as an academic detailer, for a short, focused, and free session.
These sessions are designed to be interactive, practical, and completely independent of pharmaceutical industry influence. The goal is simple: to promote high-quality, cost-effective, and patient-centered treatment decisions across Vermont’s healthcare system.
Each conversation blends evidence with real-world experience – helping clinicians stay informed without the sales pitch.
How It Works
- Flexible format: Sessions are offered one-on-one or in small groups, in person or over Zoom.
- Free and accredited: Eligible participants can earn CME/CE credits at no cost.
- Locally grounded: Topics are chosen with Vermont clinicians in mind – addressing the realities of rural practice, limited resources, and close community ties.
- Collaborative approach: Providers bring their own questions and leave with strategies they can put into practice the same day.
Current sessions cover the following topics:
- Management of Type 2 Diabetes
- Management of Obesity
- Preventing and Managing Alcohol Use Disorder
- Management of Migraines
- Updates in Infectious Disease (HIV PrEP, Hepatitis C)
- Safe Opioid Prescribing and Pain Management
- Understanding Fibromyalgia
Each is designed to translate current medical evidence into meaningful, actionable care for Vermonters.
Why It Matters
In a healthcare landscape that’s constantly changing, clinicians need more than access to new information – they need context and clarity. Academic detailing bridges that gap.
By offering short, targeted learning that’s free from commercial bias, the program ensures Vermont’s healthcare providers can focus on what truly matters: the patient in front of them.
It’s also a uniquely Vermont solution. In a state where many providers practice in rural areas and wear multiple hats, these sessions bring trusted expertise directly into the care setting – without requiring travel, tuition, or time away from patients.
Each session contributes to a stronger, more connected statewide network of care – one that supports smart prescribing, consistent outcomes, and better health for every community.
Who Can Participate
The program is designed to support Vermont’s primary care prescribers – physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and naturopathic doctors – with up-to-date, evidence-based education.
It also engages with other healthcare professionals including pharmacists, nurses, behavioral health providers, and care coordinators when sessions align with their professional needs. Teams interested in learning more are encouraged to reach out to discuss how academic detailing can be integrated into their setting.
How to Get Started
Ready to schedule a session?
- Visit the Vermont Academic Detailing Program webpage to explore current topics.
- Choose your preferred session format – virtual or in person.
- Sign up through the program’s SignUpGenius form or contact:
Alicia Poquette
Program Coordinator
(802) 656-9297
alicia.poquette@med.uvm.edu
Part of the Vermont AHEC Network
The Vermont Academic Detailing Program is one of many initiatives supported by the Vermont AHEC Network, which works to strengthen Vermont’s health workforce pipeline from high school through professional practice. Together, UVM and regional AHEC centers help build a future where every Vermonter has access to well-trained, well-supported healthcare professionals.
Because caring for Vermonters starts with supporting the people who care for them – and programs like Academic Detailing turn that belief into action, one conversation at a time.