Andrea Green, M.D.
Name: Dr. Andrea Green
Education:
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Asian Clinical Tropical Medicine Training – Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand and Angkor Hospital for Children, Siem Reap, Cambodia, in conjunction with University of Ottawa and Medical College of Georgia (2014)
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Mastery Certificate in Global Mental Health Trauma and Recovery, Harvard Global Health Institute, Cambridge, MA (2012)
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Pediatric Internship and Residency, University of Colorado Health Sciences/The Children’s Hospital, Denver, CO (1994)
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B.A. of Arts, Major in Neurobiology and Behavioral Sciences, Minor in Art History, Cornell University, College of Arts and Sciences, Ithaca, NY (1986)
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M.D., C.M., Doctorate in Medicine with Master in Surgery, McGill University, Faculty of Medicine, Montreal, Quebec, Canada (1991)
With UVM Since: 2012
Title(s):
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Associate Professor of Pediatrics, The Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine at The University of Vermont, Burlington, VT (2012-present)
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Director, New American Clinic, The University of Vermont Children’s Hospital, Burlington, VT (2006-present)
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Pediatrician, Pediatric Primary Care, The University of Vermont Children’s Hospital, Burlington, VT (2004-present)
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Burlington School Health Consultant: Responsible for educating and supporting school nurses and teaching health/sexual education classes (2012-present)
Department/College: College of Medicine
Research areas/interests:
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Pediatrics, specifically all pediatric refugee work at the Pediatric New American Clinic
Dr. Andrea Green joined UVM as a professor in 2010 but has been working as a pediatrician with the Pediatric New American Clinic at the UVM Medical Center since 2004. Her career has focused heavily on clinical work and medical projects. Her first formal research project examined the difficulties New Americans face in terms of mental health upon arrival and resettlement. Currently, she is working on multiple projects centered on issues facing New Americans. Dr. Green is studying the body mass index (BMI) of patients over three years while looking at how New Americans make choices regarding food and feeding their families. Other projects she has worked on have examined the use and misuse of car seats and booster seats among refugee families and has also explored the benefits of yoga and meditation. Dr. Green also plans on seeing how refugees in the pediatric office understand instructions they are given at departure, and whether or not they are followed.
As a pediatrician, Dr. Green brings an intimate approach to the study of refugee-related issues because of the deep personal relationships cultivated with refugee children and families over the years. These relationships, however, do not come without difficulties. Communication with children can be difficult in its own, but when communicating with a vulnerable, non-English speaking population, the difficulty becomes amplified. Dr. Green also notes the difficulty of gathering true consent from refugee families because of the communication barrier. Cultural differences stress relationships between medical providers and refugee families because clinicians do not have the training or the time to feasibly do the cultural work. Going forward, Dr. Green believes the role of the medical field is to improve refugee-medical provider relations and bridge the gap between the two communities. A major step toward improving this, Dr. Green believes, is for associations like the American Academy of Pediatrics to publish and disseminate information in networking with organizations that have the ability to influence the political structures within their field.
She has seen the urge of students to get involved in the refugee crisis, including working with South Burlington High School to help students create a ‘safe space symbol’ to let refugees know they are welcome. For students hoping to work with refugees first hand, Green stresses the importance of knowing yourself and being able to recognize your own assumptions. Since most students working with refugees have not come from a background of vulnerability, it is crucial that they focus on empowering other people through their projects.