Marquette Family Medicine Residency Program

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!

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.

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!

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.”

Fresh air, sandy shores, rolling waves, and great company. Residents enjoyed a relaxing beach wellness event, taking time to recharge, connect, and appreciate the natural beauty that makes the Upper Peninsula such a special place to live and learn.

SPOTLIGHT - Meet the Residency Team

L. Raquel Clary-Lantis, DO, is board-certified in Family Medicine, Hospice and Palliative Medicine, and Geriatric Medicine. She attended the Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine before her residency and fellowship at Florida Hospital-East Orlando and the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, respectively. Dr. Clary-Lantis provides a gentle, patient, and thorough explanation to residents, making them comfortable asking questions. Her expertise is a great asset that she shares with all our learners. Dr. Clary-Lantis is known for her dependable, sure, and steady approach, as well as her participation in community outreach activities.

Fun Facts: Dr. Clary-Lantis enjoys playing pickleball, outdoor activities, and spending time with her family and dog.

Why I teach: “Early on, I wanted to be a teacher as much as a physician. Being part of the residency allows me to do both. Sharing my training and work experiences will hopefully enrich residents' learning experience and help benefit our patients and community.”

Third-year resident Dr. Chelsea Travis and second-year resident Dr. Hannah Marasch represented our program well at the 2026 AAFP FUTURE Conference in Kansas City! Before diving into networking, learning, and sharing their experiences, they joined Program Director Dr. Suzi Clarke in creating stuffed animals for donation to a children's hospital. A meaningful way to kick off the conference experience! 🧸❤️

SPOTLIGHT - Meet the Residency Leadership Team

Meredith Buck, MD, our residency Associate Program Director, joined the residency program in 2021. She earned her medical degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. She trained at the Mayo Clinic Family Medicine Residency in Eau Claire, WI. In addition to broad spectrum family medicine, her interests include obstetrics, office procedures, Global Health, medications for Opioid Use Disorder, breastfeeding medicine, and community health.
Dr. Buck is a strong advocate for community health events that residents partake in. Her focus on community outreach is an inspiration to residents and medical students alike who have opportunity to volunteer their time and skills to support the community. Dr. Buck is approachable, enthusiastic and thorough in her training, balancing high expectations with a supportive and compassionate approach. Residents value her ability to connect educational topics to real-world practice and appreciate the outreach clinics and community events she leads.

Fun Facts: Dr. Buck is a UP native who enjoys spending time with her two girls, family and friends, traveling, playing basketball, and outdoor activities including biking, skiing, hiking, and kayaking.

Why I teach: “I teach because I love helping learners discover what they are capable of. I want residents to leave training not only clinically competent, but confident, curious, compassionate, and prepared to care for the communities that need them. Teaching allows me to share what I love about family medicine while continually learning myself. In rural medicine, its impact extends far beyond an individual learner—every physician we train well has the potential to improve care for an entire community.”

SPOTLIGHT - Meet the Residency Leadership Team

Suzanne Clarke, MD, our residency Program Director, has been part of the residency program for 26 years. She earned her medical degree from Michigan State University, College of Human Medicine, and completed her residency training at MidMichigan Regional Medical Center Family Medicine Residency in Midland. Prior to her tenure with our program, she practiced rural family medicine in Ironwood, MI. Recognizing a passion for guiding medical students and residents, she joined the Marquette Family Medicine Residency Program, where she could turn that passion into practice.
Dr. Clarke shares her enthusiasm for Women's Health, Obstetrics, and Physician Wellness with residents, mentoring and supporting them throughout their training. Learners value her thoughtful, patient teaching style and her involvement in Global Health experiences. They are grateful for her expertise, guidance, and steady leadership.

Fun Facts: Dr. Clarke enjoys hiking, spending time with friends and singing in a Praise Band at church.

Why I teach: “The best part of my job is watching someone go from a nervous intern to a confident, competent, and compassionate physician. The UPHS - Marquette Family Medicine Residency is a family which makes it all that much better!”

The UP Summer Day felt like the perfect extension of our annual Welcome Picnic, bringing together multiple generations of our residency family for a day filled with connection, laughter, and UP tradition.