Marquette Family Medicine Residency Program

10/22/2026

SPOTLIGHT - Meet the Residency Team

Erica Darner, is the Faculty Administrative Assistant and Institutional Contact. She earned a Bachelor of Science in English Writing degree from Northern Michigan University in Marquette, MI. She lends a grounded and reliable hand to everything she does at the residency office, and that quality is appreciated by the residents, faculty and staff alike.

Erica’s intelligent and thought-provoking quotes inspire reflection and conversation throughout the office. An avid reader with a goal of finishing 100 books and graphic novels each year, she brings insight, curiosity, and a calming presence to those around her. Thanks to her background as a librarian and her love of reading, she is always ready with the perfect book recommendation.

Fun Facts: Erica leads a podcast under her moniker Erica Goodwitch! She also enjoys playing video games and running Dungeons & Dragons sessions.

10/20/2026

A big congratulations to our Rural Health Showcase poster award winners!
First-place honors went to second-year residents Dr. Hannah Marasch and Dr. Emily Owens for their project examining nursing-physician communication and inpatient handoffs, which led to a practical action plan for quality improvement.

Tied for second place were Dr. Claire Bester, who explored ways to increase fluoride varnish use during well-child visits, and Dr. Chelsea Travis, whose quality improvement addressed housing insecurity as a critical factor affecting patient health.

The Rural Health Showcase highlights how resident-led quality improvements can drive real-world changes in primary care. Shoutout to all presenters, notable mentions, and prize winners for sharing their work and advancing patient care.

10/19/2026

SPOTLIGHT - Meet the Residency Team

Lindsay Stafford, is the Residency Administrative Assistant, she attended Northern Michigan University in Marquette, MI. Lindsay is the first person you will see at the office. She manages the onboarding of residents, completes the office ordering, lunch ordering, maintains the residency management software and so much more. There are very few days without communications from Lindsay.
Residents, faculty, and staff value her warm welcome, attention to detail, and ability to keep things running smoothly and efficiently. She is a cherished member of our team, known for her kindness, dedication, and ever-present smile. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, experimenting with new recipes, and planning her next adventure with her husband, Tate.

Fun Facts: Lyndsay and her husband’s dog, Darrow, was crowned king of the doggy prom this past May. He is a handsome black lab with bundles of personality— pretty obvious choice if you ask us!

10/16/2026

Family medicine residents from the UP Health System Marquette Family Medicine Residency Program and residents from the MSU Psychiatry Residency Program UP Rural Track, recently presented research posters as part of their scholarly activity and quality improvement work, connecting with healthcare partners from across the Upper Peninsula. MSU College of Human Medicine UP Region students also joined the event, building valuable presentation experience and sharing their work.

The day featured discussions on the future of rural healthcare and opportunities to connect with health system leaders from across the region.

Thank you to all of our presenters, participants, and partners for supporting rural health, research, and the next generation of healthcare professionals!

10/14/2026

A big shoutout to second-year resident Dr. Hannah Marasch for taking part in Ask the Doctor! Thank you for helping educate and empower our community through thoughtful discussions on women’s health. Well done!

The latest episode of Ask the Doctors on WNMU-TV PBS is all about women’s health. 💗

Host Jennifer Dehlin, MD, is joined by Jorrie Houle, DO; John Rajala, DO; Hannah Marash, MD, resident and Abby Zitnik, PT to answer viewer questions and discuss important women’s health topics.

From HPV and cervical cancer to pregnancy, pelvic pain and more, the panel shares expert insights, practical guidance and information to help women make informed decisions about their health and wellness.

Curious what questions were answered? Watch the full episode to hear the conversation and learn more from local healthcare providers.

▶️ Watch now: https://wnmuvideo.nmu.edu/video/womens-health-j2kjyb/

10/08/2026

SPOTLIGHT - Meet the Residency Team

Marin Olson, PhD, recently stepped into the role of Behavioral Medicine Educator for the residency program. She earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Mississippi State University and a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology from Minnesota State University, Mankato. A proud Northern Michigan University alumna, she graduated cm laude in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in in psychology. Following in her father's footsteps, Dr. Olson found her calling in the field and now brings her enthusiasm, fresh perspective, and commitment to wellness education to our residents and medical students.

Fun Facts: I grew up on a small hobby farm in Skandia and I love knitting, reading, and gardening.

Why I teach: “I hope to expand upon my father's work with the residency program in creating education and wellness support opportunities for residents that both complement and highlight Marquette's culture of community connection and fun."

10/01/2026

Dr. Suzanne Clarke, Program Director, joined by Dr. Marin Olson, Behavioral Medicine Educator, and first-year resident Dr. Nathan Wachsmuth, proudly represented our residency program at the recent Walk to End Alzheimer's. Together, they helped raise awareness and support for those affected by Alzheimer's disease while contributing to ongoing care, advocacy, and research efforts. Great work, team!

09/29/2026

SPOTLIGHT - Meet the Residency Leadership Team

Shannon McNabb, a native Yooper, is the Residency Program Coordinator. She earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Northern Michigan University in Marquette. She helps coordinate events for residents, attends recruitment opportunities, does resident schedules, and oversees much of the daily activities of the program. Shannon provides practical advice for residents as they navigate through their family medicine training. She loves helping the next generation of physicians find their passion and blossom into confident and compassionate young professionals.

Residents, faculty and staff appreciate Shannon’s unruffled ability to process and fulfill complex requests. Her sure and steady ways help everyone meet their goals and contributes to the strong foundation of our program.

Fun Facts: Shannon enjoys reading, cooking, gardening, and spending time at the lake with family.

09/24/2026

Some of the best learning happens through hands-on practice. Our residency workshops help residents gain practical skills and techniques— we are thankful for our nurses who play a key role in this interprofessional training!

09/22/2026

SPOTLIGHT - Meet the Residency Team

Lize Stefanac, MD, earned her medical degree from Wayne State University College of Medicine in Detroit, MI, and completed residency training at the University of Kansas Family Medicine Residency at Ascension Via Christi in Wichita. Dedicated to community health, Dr. Stefanac has extensive volunteer experience caring for underserved and unhoused populations. Residents work with her to do home visits at the domestic violence shelter, as well as community health outreach at Salvation Army. Dr. Stefanac embodies passion, compassion and drive, teaching our residents and inspiring all of our learners. She brings enthusiasm for Obstetrics and point-of-care ultrasound to her teaching, while helping residents better understand healthcare access challenges and the care of individuals experiencing homelessness.

Outside of the office she enjoys rock climbing, biking, backpacking (and any other method of enjoying the great outdoors!), gardening and watching musical theatre.

Fun Facts: Dr. Stefanac teaches salsa and swing dancing!

Why I teach: “I enjoy seeing residents grow in their medical abilities and confidence. I hope to mentor them in a way that keeps their curiosity and joy of discovering and understanding the human body alive, as well as to remind them to see the person behind each medical problem. Working with residents also helps me stay current in my medical knowledge.”