01 Nov Michael D’Urso, MD: A 2024 Unsung Hero

Dr. D’Urso has been exclusively serving the patients of northern rural NY as one of the University of Vermont Health Network’s (UVMHN) stellar academic community practice attending physicians since 2022. Staffing rural hospital emergency departments (EDs) with board certified, residency trained emergency physicians has proven challenging nationwide. Within the UVMHN, the EDs on the NY side, north of the Adirondak Park and separated from the University’s academic hub in Burlington, VT by Lake Champlain are particularly unique staffing challenges due to geographic isolation. Dr D’Urso embodies the gold standard of the highest quality, experienced, well-trained, selfless ED doc devoting himself to local patients, colleagues and community. He and his family reside locally nearby both hospitals in which he practices (Alice Hyde Medical Center in Malone, NY and Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital in Plattsburgh, NY). In addition to his clinical responsibilities, Dr. D’Urso is regarded as an outstanding educator and mentor by our trainees and is the quintessential “lead’s by example” standard.

His practice environment demands that he work solo in an isolated, resource-poor but extremely busy ED environment as well as in our larger network partner hospital while teaching residents and medical students and providing clinical oversight to advanced practice clinicians. This breadth of practice mandates an extraordinary ability to practice with the same high standards but in polar opposite practice environments requiring next-level problem solving skills, flexibility, and calm. Dr D’Urso excels in this regard all while volunteering significant time acting as medical director for multiple local EMS services and contributing to the Network’s mission to improve access to care for hundreds of thousands of patients in our underserved catchment area.

Recipient Bio:
Following completion of his medical degree at Thomas Jefferson University, Dr. D’Urso pursued his residency training in emergency medicine at New York Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital. He previously worked as an attending physician at Ellis Hospital in Schenectady, NY prior to joining the UVM Health Network in 2022. Dr. D’Urso is a board-certified emergency physician through the American Board of Emergency Medicine.

– Gary Starr, MD