March 20, 2026

Lowell Community Health Center | Tufts Medicine | Family Medicine Residency Program Announces First Class of Residents on National Match Day

The Lowell Community Health Center | Tufts Medicine | Family Medicine Residency Program today announced the six physicians who will make up the program’s inaugural resident class, marking an important milestone for the residency program and the Greater Lowell community.

The announcement took place during National Match Day, when graduating medical students across the country learn where they will complete their residency training. The six new Residents will begin their training on June 29.

The Lowell Community Health Center | Tufts Medicine | Family Medicine Residency Program offers rigorous, community-based training focused on clinical excellence and primary care.

Based at Lowell Community Health Center and developed in partnership with Tufts Medicine and Tufts University School of Medicine, the program prepares future physicians to deliver care that is compassionate, evidence-based, and grounded in the realities of patient care.

Residency Faculty: (L-R) Jen Wolf, MD, Associate Program Director, Majed Abbas, MD, Faculty, Cara Marshall, MD, Program Director, Marian Younge, MD Faculty, Jessica Fournier, MD, Faculty
Susan West Levine, CEO of Lowell Community Health Center, speaking during the health center’s Match Day celebration. 
Kari E. Roberts, MD
Vice President for Education, Tufts Medicine
Associate Chief Medical Officer for Graduate Medical Education, Tufts MC Academic Dean for Tufts Medicine and Associate Professor of Medicine Tufts University School of Medicine 

Residents train alongside Lowell Community Health Center physician faculty who also serve as faculty of Tufts University School of Medicine, combining academic strength with meaningful connection to patients and the community. In addition to their outpatient continuity clinic at Lowell CHC, residents complete inpatient training at Tufts Medicine Lowell General Hospital, ensuring a well-rounded experience across care settings.

“Match Day is always an exciting moment in medicine,” said Cara Marshall, MD, Program Director, Family Medicine Residency at Lowell Community Health Center and Clinical Associate Professor of Family Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine. “For our program, it marks the beginning of something truly meaningful. Our residents will train in a setting where they can build lasting relationships with patients and families, caring for people at every stage of life while learning what it means to practice medicine in partnership with a community.”

Leaders involved in the program noted that the residency represents a critical investment in the future of primary care in the region. With the United States projected to face a shortage of more than 68,000 primary care physicians by 2036, programs like this are essential to strengthening the workforce pipeline. Once fully established with 18 residents in training, the program will create capacity for approximately 5,000 primary care patients at Lowell Community Health Center and will graduate six new Family Medicine physicians each year.

Residents care for a medically and socially complex patient population in a high-volume setting, developing the clinical skills and adaptability required to serve people with a wide range of health needs and life experiences. The program offers a collaborative learning environment where behavioral health, substance use treatment, infectious disease care, and trauma-informed care are integrated under one roof.

Inaugural Resident Class
The first class of residents in the Lowell Community Health Center | Tufts Medicine | Family Medicine Residency Program includes a group of six individuals who bring a wide range of clinical, academic, and life experiences.

Together, this inaugural class reflects a strong commitment to community-based care. The group includes individuals who have trained and worked across the United States and internationally, including in Ghana, India, Vermont, Massachusetts, and New York City. Their backgrounds span leadership roles in hospital settings, public health training at UMass Lowell, volunteer work in pediatric oncology and rural health education, and hands-on clinical experience as physician assistants. They have also contributed to research in addiction care, mentored young people through programs like Big Brothers Big Sisters and Teach for America, and supported community initiatives both locally and abroad. This breadth of experience will help shape a strong, community-focused residency program from its very first year.

The residents will begin their training on June 29 and will care for patients at Lowell Community Health Center while completing inpatient training at Tufts Medicine Lowell General Hospital.

February 22, 2024

February is American Heart Month!

By Dr. Cara Marshall, Program Director for the Lowell Community Health Center | TuftsMedicine | Family Medicine Residency Program

Doing things like moving around more and eating healthy food can really help your heart stay strong. Here are some tips from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to keep your heart healthy.

Take Action for Your Heart: Get Started!

The following tips are from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s “Take Action for Your Heart: Get Started!” toolkit. Download the full National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute toolkit here.

  1. Get Enough Sleep: Try to sleep 7-9 hours each night and go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Avoid exercise close to bedtime and stay away from caffeine and nicotine.
  • Stay at a Healthy Weight: Choose healthy snacks like fruits and veggies, drink lots of water, do exercises like walking or running, and keep track of what you eat.
  • Eat Better: Eat balanced meals with less saturated fat, salt, and sugar. Try to eat more fish, less meat, and more meatless meals.
  • Be Active: Adults should exercise for about 2 ½ hours each week. Use the stairs, walk more, and do muscle-strengthening activities. Even short 10-minute activities count!
  • Stop Smoking: Quit smoking as it’s bad for your heart. Set a quit date, ask for help from your healthcare provider or support groups, and get extra support if needed.
  • Control Cholesterol and Blood Sugar: Eat heart-healthy foods and manage your weight. If you have diabetes, watch your blood sugar levels closely.
  • Manage Stress: Use relaxation techniques, consider meditation or yoga, and find ways to lower your stress.
  • Control Blood Pressure: Keep track of your blood pressure, use a home monitor, and maintain it in a healthy range.
  • Practice Self-Care and Find Support: Do something good for your heart every day, go to your healthcare provider when needed, get support from family and friends, and join groups for exercise or weight management.

For more detailed information, you can visit hearttruth.gov.

January 30, 2024

Dr. Cara Marshall Named Inaugural Director of Family Medical Residency Program

LOWELL, MA — [1/30/24] — Lowell Community Health Center (Lowell CHC) is pleased to announce Cara Marshall, M.D., as the Inaugural Director of its planned Family Medical Residency Program. Dr. Marshall’s extensive academic and professional journey, particularly in social medicine and community health, positions her ideally for the directorship.

Read the article in The Sun for news coverage of this announcement.

The Family Medicine Residency Program will be a key component of Lowell Community Health Center’s planned Health Justice Learning InstituteÓ and is set to become only the second accredited Teaching Health Center in Massachusetts operated by a Federally Qualified Health Center.

“Dr. Marshall’s addition to our team is a significant milestone for Lowell CHC. Her background in family medicine, commitment to equity and community health, and her dedication to fostering educational rigor are exactly what we need,” stated Dr. Kumble Rajesh, Chief Medical Officer of Lowell CHC. “Our program will emphasize a healthcare education that is grounded in community needs, practitioner leadership, and antiracism, and Dr. Marshall will be instrumental in embedding these values into our new residency initiative.”

A graduate of the University of Florida College of Medicine through an accelerated B.S./M.D. program, Dr. Marshall completed her residency at Montefiore Medical Center’s Residency Program in Social Medicine. She has been recognized with several accolades, notably the Family Medicine Educator of the Year by the Massachusetts Academy of Family Physicians. Dr. Marshall brings experience in curriculum development and resident supervision from her previous roles. She has contributed to several initiatives on diversity and health equity.

Dr. Marshall noted, “joining Lowell CHC is an extraordinary chance to impact the future of family medicine and the delivery of healthcare within the community. We will be training doctors in Lowell, for Lowell.”

The residency will occupy a state-of-the-art 16,000-square-foot facility on the 5th floor of Lowell CHC, opening its doors to six residents annually starting in 2026. By year 3, the Family Medicine Residency program will provide more than 5,000 residents of Greater Lowell with 18 new Primary Care Providers.

Program residents will hone their skills, fully aware of the impacts of the social determinants of health such as racism and privilege, alongside other members of the care team. Our distinctive programs and innovative modelÓ will empower our next generation of physicians to be collaborative and committed to equity in their practice. The Residency will help prepare a diverse workforce to meet the growing need for cultural proficiency in healthcare settings – meaningfully & sustainably. Earlier this year, Lowell CHC received a $500,000 planning grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for this residency program, developed in collaboration with Tufts Medicine. Collaborating with Tufts Medicine will enable Lowell CHC to meet rigorous accreditation standards which require resources beyond the health center, including inpatient hospital rotations for rounding, access to a medical library, and on-call rooms for residents to sleep during rotations. The medical residents will rotate between Lowell CHC and Tufts Medicine-affiliated hospitals, including Lowell General Hospital.