Renée Crichlow, MD, Appointed Inaugural Mac Baird Chair in Family Medicine Advocacy and Policy

We are excited to announce the appointment of Renée Crichlow, MD, assistant professor and director of Advocacy and Policy in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health (DFMCH), as the inaugural Mac Baird Endowed Chair in Family Medicine Advocacy and Policy.

Created by the DFMCH and named for former Department Head Dr. Macaran Baird, the fund will serve to assist the University in recruiting, supporting, and retaining outstanding faculty members who specialize in family medicine, primary care, and healthcare delivery. The holder may use dollars from this fund to further education, research, and specialized training to promote advocacy and policies that positively affect family medicine, community health, and primary care.

In 2018, the DFMCH established an Advocacy and Policy program, naming Dr. Crichlow as its director. Dr. Crichlow has embraced this role with vigor, resolve, and creativity. She has parlayed her public roles as president of the Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians and board member of the Society for Teachers of Family Medicine into a well-deserved state and federal reputation for her promotion of family medicine and its principles.

A charismatic leader and outstanding communicator, Dr. Crichlow is highly regarded by students, residents, and faculty. The departmental program in Advocacy and Policy has grown under her direction and is now poised to have an even greater impact with the extra time and resources that will be provided by the Mac Baird Chair. Dr. Crichlow is an obvious choice to be the inaugural holder of this endowed chair, which is the highest academic award a university may bestow upon a faculty member.

As many of you know, Dr. Baird is an esteemed physician and valued mentor, known for his passion for family medicine and respected by medical colleagues and community leaders across Minnesota. This endowed chair is a fitting tribute to his brilliant career.

Please join us in congratulating Drs. Baird and Crichlow on this honor.