Dr. Joel Phelps was the first in his family to graduate from college, earning a B.S. in Cellular Biology from the University of Wisconsin Superior in 2012, where he was a Swenson Family Scholarship recipient. He pursued his medical education at A.T. Still University Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, graduating in 2017 as a Still Bright Scholarship recipient.
Dr. Phelps completed his residency in Family Medicine at Upper Peninsula Health System in affiliation with Michigan State University College of Human Medicine in 2020, where he served as Chief Resident, participated on the Curriculum Committee, and represented the program at national AAFP conferences. His work earned him numerous honors, including the 2020 Resident Teacher Award, 2020 Resident Research Award, and the 2018 Bo Rowan Humanism in Medicine Award. He went on to complete a Hospitalist Medicine Fellowship at Deaconess in Evansville in 2021.
Dr. Phelps recently completed an M.S. in Medical Physiology and Pharmacology from the University of Florida while working full-time as a hospitalist. His academic involvement includes leadership roles within the Society of Hospital Medicine, serving as Vice-Chair and Executive Committee Member of the Hospitalist Fellowship Special Interest Group, as well as the Indiana State Chapter Membership Director (2023–25).
Outside of work, Dr. Phelps enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking, kayaking, and disc golfing, and spends time volunteering with the local Humane Society. He and his wife Alyssa have been together for over 14 years.
