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SAULT STE. MARIE -- The Sault Tribe has nnounced that Dr. Thilak Chander, MD, has joined its medical team at the Sault Tribe Health Center in Sault Ste. Marie. Dr. Chander will begin offering primary care services at this location in the very near future.
Before joining the Sault Tribe Health Center, Dr. Thilak Chander was an internist affiliated with MyMichigan Medical Center, also located in Sault Ste. Marie. He received his medical education from Madras Medical College and the University of Illinois and has been in practice for more than 20 years. Dr. Thilak Chander is highly recommended by his patients, and "we are lucky to have him," stated Joel Lumsden, acting CEO, for the Sault Tribe Health Division.
Former patients of Dr. Chander may be eligible to continue receiving care at the Sault Tribe Health Center. Eligibility extends to tribal members and their spouses, as well as health center employees, their spouses and dependents.
Additionally, Dr. Kevin Connolly, MD, who has already been practicing at the Sault Tribe Health Center as a locum, recently accepted the role of medical director. Dr. Connolly was previously Chief of Staff for multiple Veterans Affairs Health Care Systems with locations in Mississippi, Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio. Dr. Connolly is also a retired U.S. Air Force Colonel with decades of experience in military and medical leadership. Clinically, he is trained in family medicine, aerospace medicine and occupational medicine, serving as a chief flight surgeon and flying in numerous USAF aircraft. His education includes a Doctor of Medicine degree, a Master of Public Health from Harvard University, and two additional master’s degrees.
"Providing quality, accessible health care for our tribal citizens remains one of the Tribe's highest priorities," said Sault Tribe Chairman Austin Lowes. "Dr. Chander has been a trusted physician in our community for decades, and we're thrilled to welcome him to the Sault Tribe Health Center. His addition helps ensure his experience and commitment to patient care remain right here in Sault Ste. Marie. We're also grateful to have Dr. Connolly step into the role of Medical Director and thank Dr. Styer for his time as director and continued service to our tribal citizens."
The Sault Tribe Health Division has nine health centers providing various levels of medical services across a seven-county service area in the Upper Peninsula. There are five primary clinics in Sault Ste. Marie, St. Ignace, Manistique, Munising and Marquette and four satellite locations in DeTour, Gladstone, Hessel and Newberry.