There’s No Place Like Home: Healing Northern Michigan Communities
May 9, 2026
Madiline McNamara is a Yooper through and through. Growing up in Iron River, her dream of becoming a doctor unfolded as she experienced rural healthcare disparities firsthand. “After a type 1 diabetes diagnosis when I was 10, I wanted to be able to help others just as all of my doctors helped me,” said McNamara.
Her journey to medical school started as a pre-med student at Northern Michigan University (NMU), where she spent her time volunteering at a nearby hospital, participating in research at the Upper Michigan Brain Tumor Center, and focusing on her academics.
After a gap year during the COVID-19 pandemic, McNamara applied to the College of Human through the Early Assurance Program at NMU and was thrilled to get accepted. “I am a first-generation student, so navigating my path to medical school was not without trials and tribulations, but my journey as a whole was such a great experience,” McNamara said.
The opportunity to spend her third and fourth years of medical school at the Upper Peninsula Region Campus was among the highlights of her time at MSU.
“It allowed me to move back home close to family and friends, which was fantastic, but most importantly, it allowed me to train in a familiar community…a community I am hoping to continue to practice in,” she said.
McNamara also credits the expertise of the faculty and the smaller size of the campus for giving her the chance to gain autonomy as a student, getting the chance to work one-on-one with preceptors and first-assist surgeries. “The faculty and staff at the UP Campus are incredible. They truly made me feel welcome and felt like we were a family.”
As she moved through medical school, she realized family medicine was her calling. “The best part of family medicine is that we get to do a little bit of almost everything,” McNamara said. “I value long-term relationships with patients, being able to care for generations of families, and being the ‘backbone’ of patients’ health care.”
Her Upper Peninsula roots will stay planted after graduation. McNamara matched in family medicine at UP Health System-Marquette, a familiar place she’d already worked at during medical school. “I was immediately drawn to UPHS-Marquette because of the warm and welcoming faculty and residents,” she said. “The Upper Peninsula is always the place I’ve called home, so I am very thankful for the opportunity to continue my training here.”
McNamara didn’t get to where she is alone. She attributes her success to the many supporters and mentors she’s had during her education journey.
“My high school biology and anatomy teacher, Joel Vanlanen, played a huge role in my passion for science. My research mentor at NMU, Dr. Amber Lacrosse and my pre-medical advisor Dr. Erich Ottem, were both huge inspirations to me during undergrad. At MSU, I spent a lot of time with Dr. Chelsea Ray in her outpatient clinic, and did a big research project with Dr. Meredith Buck. They’ve both influenced me in deciding the type of physician I want to be,” McNamara said.
“And to my family, my parents Patrick and Mari Kay McNamara, my sister Katrina McNamara, and my fiancé Kellan Buddy, thank you for being the best support system I ever could have asked for.”
By Claudia Price
