Susan Tincknell, student programs administrator for Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, UP Campus, left, presents the award to Dr. Laura Santoro, of UP Health System-Marquette, Lakewood Family Medicine.

MARQUETTE, — Dr. Laura Santoro, of UP Health System, Marquette – Lakewood Family Medicine, was recently awarded  the Department of Family Medicine Community Faculty Award.

The award was presented by Susan Tincknell, student programs administrator for Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, UP Campus.

The MSU CHM Department of Family Medicine solicits nominations from students in each of the eight community campuses. Each community then selects one physician preceptor to receive the award.

Emily Jaberi, MD, recent graduate of the UP Campus submitted the nomination of Dr. Santoro.

“Dr. Santoro embodies the College of Human Medicine mission by providing outstanding primary care, promoting the dignity and inclusion of all people, and responding to the needs of the medically underserved,” wrote Jaberi. “She is passionate about providing comprehensive, patient-centered care to all persons she meets. From a teaching standpoint, Dr. Santoro is one of the best preceptors I have ever worked with. Dr. Santoro makes the UP community and the world at large a better place with her presence.”

The Department of Family Medicine has granted the award since 2016. Family medicine preceptors provide a big part of UP Campus student’s medical training and education.

“We are so grateful to Dr. Santoro for teaching and mentoring our students,” said Susan Tincknell, “she has been a stand-out preceptor since she began teaching. She  is passionate about her field, her patients, and  imparting her valuable knowledges to our medical students.”

Currently, 329 medical students have graduated from the MSU College of Human Medicine UP Campus. As part of the Leadership in Rural Medicine, the UP Campus Rural Physician Program has made significant impact on the rural physician workforce of our region.

Nearly 30 percent of the graduates have practiced in the Upper Peninsula, helping achieve the mission to educate medical students to become competent and compassionate physicians, skilled to care for the citizens of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.