August 14, 2019

Wayne State graduate is Michigan Academy of Family Physicians’ Resident of the Year

Less than three years out of medical school, Wayne State University School of Medicine alumna Cara Crawford-Bartle, M.D. ’17, is already earning recognition from her peers for a job well done.

Cara Crawford
Cara Crawford-Bartle, M.D. '2017, was honored by the Michigan Academy of Family Physicians as Resident of the Year for 2019.

Dr. Crawford-Bartle was named the 2019 Resident of the Year by the Michigan Academy of Family Physicians at an Aug. 3 celebration dinner, part of the MAFP’s Conference and Expo, held at Shanty Creek Resort in Bellaire, Mich.

MAFP, the largest medical specialty organization in the state, presents the award each year to a resident physician in recognition of exemplary patient care, leadership, commitment to the community, contributions to scholarly activity and dedication to the specialty. She was nominated for the award by faculty at the UP Health System Marquette Family Medicine Residency Program, from which she will graduate in July 2020. She was also recently elected by her peers as the 2019-2020 chief resident.

"I have had the privilege of knowing many residents through our program for the past 14 years. You get to know the learners who complete the essentials, but you never forget the ones who put in more than is required. Cara is a resident I will never forget. We are truly blessed to have her in our program," said Rachel Bush, the Marquette Family Medicine Residency program coordinator.

Dr. Crawford-Bartle describes herself as a patient-focused physician who finds importance in communicating with patients about their understanding of events, expectations for care and overarching goals, “doing my best to come up with a treatment plan that best meets their needs while also following evidence-based medicine recommendations,” she said.

She credits her experience at Wayne State for making her the physician she is today.

She entered medical school as a National Health Service Corps Scholar, and was involved in the Rural Medicine Interest Group and Family Medicine Interest Group, and completed a Family Medicine elective rotation in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. She also served as the assistant director of fundraising for the Robert R. Frank Student-Run Free Clinic, completed 150 volunteer hours through the Medicine and Political Action in the Community program, and addressed public health issues through her role as coordinator with the student organization Raising Our Community’s Knowledge.

“Working with the underserved populations of Detroit both in and out of the hospital has given me the confidence needed to work with patients who have complex medical conditions compounded by even more complex social circumstances. I will forever be grateful to the Wayne State University School of Medicine and the Detroit community for the unparalleled education it provided me,” she said.

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