SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. —Dr. Thilak Chander MD has joined the medical team at Sault Tribe Health Center in Sault Ste. Marie. Chander will begin offering primary care services at this location in the very near future.
Before joining the Sault Tribe Health Center, 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.
Chander is highly recommended by his patients and “we are lucky to have him,” Health Division Acting CEO Joel Lumsden said.
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. Connolly previously served as Chief of Staff for multiple Veterans Affairs Health Care Systems in Mississippi, Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio. Connolly is also a retired U.S. Air Force (USAF) 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. 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 remains right here in Sault Ste. Marie,” Sault Tribe Chairman Austin Lowes said. “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.”
Dr. Lowell Styer MD will continue to work as Medical Director during the transition, and then increase his hours as a primary care physician at the Sault Health Center. Styer is a board-certified family medicine physician with over 45 years of experience in the medical field and continues a long favorable tenure at the Sault Tribe Health Center.
The health center also welcomes Kim Cushman and Cary Espinoza as new physician assistants, Suzanne Caldwell as a Certified Medical Assistant II, Scarlett Krichbaum as a new Optician I, Kendra Baskowski as a new Dental Assistant II and the Health Divisions’ new health recruiter, Connie Manning.