Dr. Laura Champion

Biography

Dr. Champion is the medical and administrative director at Calvin Health Services. She received a B.S. in Biology from San Diego State University and her medical degree from University of Washington School of Medicine. Dr. Champion completed her residency in Family Medicine at the Grand Rapids area Medical Education and Research Center and remains Board Certified in Family Medicine. Dr. Champion teaches at the local medical school and holds an appointment as Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. In 2010 she became the Grand Rapids Director of the Mentor Program at the medical school. She served as the regional faculty leader of Christian Medical and Dental Association (CMDA) at CHM for several years. Dr. Champion practiced in Grand Rapids as a primary care provider with Trinity Health for 15 years before joining Calvin ‘s Health Services team. Dr. Champion was appointed director of Calvin Health Services in August of 2011. She has privileges at Corewell Health and Trinity Health. She was recently appointed as the first physician suicide prevention trainer for the state of Michigan by MDHHS. She leads suicide prevention training with therapists, social workers, and physicians who care for Kent County’s K-12, and the region’s college/university students.  Since arriving at Calvin University, Dr. Champion has become active in the American College Health Association (ACHA) and has served on ACHA's Benchmarking Group and the Mental Health Coalition. Her professional interests include mental health care, preventive mental health care, women’s health, epidemiology, and public health.

Dr. Champion has a teacher’s heart and brings that level of engagement into each encounter with her students, “I consider it an honor to care for students, faulty and staff on Calvin’s campus. The Health Services staff are each radically hospitable and highly qualified, and our patients come from all over the country and all over the world eager to become autonomous in their own wellness. I love helping each patient to learn to share in decisions related to their own health and wellness. Many students with ADHD/ADD and other ongoing conditions transfer care to this office, and we walk beside them as they learn how to manage their symptoms while tackling a rigorous academic load and emerging into adulthood. It is a privilege to be part of the care team on campus!”

Dr. Champion and her husband have three active daughters who are recent alumni of Calvin University. When not working, she enjoys spending time with her family: cooking, camping, and kayaking. In her quiet time, she enjoys watercolor painting and reading.