Dr. Julie Norris passes board test for pediatrics

Dr. Julie (Lauritzen) Norris said that she was pleased when she recently learned that she passed her board examination for certification by the American Board of Pediatrics.

Dr. Norris is a graduate of Fremont High School and Cedarville College. She received her MD degree from Michigan State University in 2004 and completed her residency training at DeVos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids in 2007. She joined Pine Medical Group in August of 2007 as the group’s newest pediatrician on staff.

“I worked in Pine Medical Group’s Medical Records Department in the summers during my college years,” Norris said. “Seeing the behind-the-scenes activity of a medical practice made me realize becoming a physician was something that would come naturally for me. I truly had a heart for it and it was an easy decision to make. I knew Pine Medical Group would be a good fit for me.”

Dr. Norris is married to Dale Norris, a dairy farmer from Hesperia. They are expecting their first child in June.

She said that her upbringing in Newaygo County and their close connection to their families are what led her to return to Pine Medical Group after completing her residency.

“Family and community have always been important to us,” she explained. “Our families and friends are deeply rooted here, and it was important to me that I would be able to care for the children of the people we grew up with and went to school with. I want to make an impact on the health of the children I already know, as well as the ones I’m looking forward to meeting.”

Dr. Norris also has a passion for missions. While in college, she went on medical missions trips to Chad in Africa and El Sembrador, Honduras. She said that the experiences left a lasting impression on her and made her even more committed to improving the health and well-being of children of all ages and nationalities.