Functional Medicine vs Gastroenterologist for Gut Issues
When Your Gut Problems Keep Coming Back Your bloodwork looks fine. Your colonoscopy came back clean. And yet the bloating, reflux, cramping, or unpredictable
July 30, 2026
Founder & Lead Provider
Co-owner and Lead Provider at Monarch Functional Medicine, Marquette, Michigan
Julie McDonald, PA-C, FMACP, is co-owner and lead provider at Monarch Functional Medicine in Marquette, Michigan. She is a board-certified Physician Associate with more than two decades of clinical experience across emergency medicine, family medicine, and functional medicine. She earned her Master of Medical Science at Midwestern University.
Julie works with people who still feel unwell after being told their labs are “normal.” Her focus is hormone health, thyroid dysfunction, metabolic health, digestive wellness, and the overlapping causes of fatigue, brain fog, and weight gain. She pairs the diagnostic rigor of conventional medicine with a personalized, root-cause functional medicine model.
Patients know her for turning complex health information into clear, practical next steps, so they can make informed decisions and build a foundation for lasting health.
Credentials
Areas of focus
Written by Julie
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