Andrea Wendling, MD
- Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
- Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
Bio
Andrea Wendling, MD, is a professor of family medicine and senior associate dean for academic affairs.
Dr. Wendling is a passionate advocate for students, a well-loved and effective teacher, and a respected scholar. She has also served in several other important roles for the college, including Director of Rural Medicine, Director of the Advanced Skills and Knowledge course sequence, and as Chair of the Curriculum Committee. Dr. Wendling's research focus is primary care and rural physician workforce studies, and she created a continuum of nationally-renowned, innovative programs designed to address the shortage of physicians in rural communities.
Dr. Wendling has received several college-wide teaching awards, including Outstanding Community Volunteer Faculty, Outstanding Curriculum Contribution, and has twice received the college's Arnold P. Gold Humanism Award. In 2026, she received the Michigan State University Institute Champion Award for Community Engagement Scholarship. She is an inductee of the Arnold P. Gold Humanism Society and Alpha Omega Alpha National Honor Society. She was Michigan’s Rural Health Professional of the Year in 2018 and the National Rural Health Educator of the Year in 2020.
She has published 71 articles in peer reviewed journals, working with teams at Michigan State University and across the nation. Eight of these publications have been honored as selected or distinguished papers. She has received creative writing awards and has published poems and short stories. Dr. Wendling has led over 100 national or statewide presentations during the past five years, most regarding rural medical education, the rural programs she designed, or rural and primary care workforce studies. She serves on the Rural Health Transformation Grant committee for the state of Michigan and on the LCME Strategic Visioning Committee for the AAMC Medical Education Senior Leaders. Dr. Wendling is an Associate Editor for Peer Reviewed Reports in Medical Education and Research (PRIMER) and is a past Assistant Editor for Family Medicine.