This year's Richard Stafford, MD and Bob Telander, MD Exceptional Care Lecture was presented by Michael D’Amico, MD.

Dr. D’Amico was born and raised in the NYC area, the oldest of 2 boys.  He had very early influences toward medicine with his mother a nurse and father a physician.  He attended Colgate University, receiving a BA in Biology before heading to the nation’s Capital for medical school at the George Washington University School of Medicine.   He then returned to NY for both residency and fellowship at what at the time was known as Babies’ Hospital – now the Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of NY at Columbia University Medical Center.  After fellowship, Dr. D’Amico had an abbreviated stint in private practice in Springfield, MA before heading to the Green Mountains of Vermont and the UVM Children’s Hospital (now the Golisano Children’s Hospital at UVM Health).  There he has worn many hats clinically and administratively, practicing as the only clinical pediatric gastroenterologist in the state and region for many years until the division could grow and expand (we now have 3 physicians and an NP).

Professionally, Dr. D’Amico most enjoys being a busy clinical general pediatric gastroenterologist but spends a lot of his time in leadership roles within the division, department and medical center.  His involvement in national roles with NASPGHAN committees (Clinical Care & Quality and IBD), work with CCFA, authoring and editing questions for the AAP’s PREP GI program and more recently training and getting certified in Intestinal Ultrasound with International Bowel Ultrasound Group (IBUS) have been very rewarding.

When not at the hospital or on a Zoom appointment or meeting, Dr. D’Amico can usually be found on one of the ski slopes of Vermont, on his paddle board in Willsboro Bay in Lake Champlain or hiking in the High Peaks of the Adirondacks with his wife or one of his 3 (sort of almost) adult kids and Cocker Spaniel, Nero.

Richard Stafford, MD and Bob Telander, MD Exceptional Care Lecture

The Dr. Richard Stafford and Dr. Bob Telander Exceptional Care Endowment was established in 2015 to provide support for an annual honorary lecture in pediatric gastroenterology. This fund was created through the generosity of the Frey family, after their grandson Adam's life was saved. Adam was diagnosed with Total Colon Hirschprungs Disease shortly after birth, and during his stay at Children's St. Paul, he received exceptional care from Dr. Stafford, Dr. Telander and the nursing staff.