• Associate Professor, Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, East Lansing, Mich.
  
• Director of Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics rotations, Hurley Pediatrics Residency, Flint, Mich.
• Pediatric Psychologist

So you scored high on your exams, and your clinical skills are shaping up nicely. But how do you talk to kids about … well, about tough topics? Who can guide you and help to build a child’s trust and confidence in you? And who can help kids through trying times?

At Hurley, expert advice and guidance comes from pediatric psychologist Crystal Cederna, PsyD, a faculty member at Michigan State University, East Lansing, former director of both the Pediatric Psychology Fellowship and Hurley Pediatric Behavioral Services.

Her role as faculty member in the Hurley Pediatric Psychology Fellowship enables her to guide post-doctoral fellows through an enriching educational experience at Hurley that prepares them for a variety of high-demand pediatric psychology positions across the country.

A charismatic, innovative, and culturally humble pediatric psychologist, Dr. Cederna loves coming to Hurley to watch her patients (and their families) grow strong and healthy. And she cherishes the chance to help learners incorporate the art of medicine into the science of it, develop the capacity to function and thrive within interprofessional settings, and to appreciate the psychosocial aspects of child health.

This academically active faculty member also pursues many scholarly projects. Dr. Cederna was named 2019 Hurley Medical Center Faculty Investigator of the Year and won the APPIC Excellence in Psychology Training Award in 2022.

Education

• Bachelor-of-science degree, psychology: Northern Michigan University, Marquette, Mich.
• Master-of-arts degree, clinical psychology: University of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Ind.
• Doctoral degree, clinical psychology: University of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Ind.
• Predoctoral internship, clinical psychology: May Institute, Boston, Mass.
• Post-doctoral pediatric psychology fellowship: Michigan State University at Hurley Medical Center, Flint, Mich.

Professional Interests

• Medical education
• Health promotion and behavior change
• Coping with chronic medical conditions
• Organizational wellness
• Equity, diversity, & inclusion

Favorites

Outside of work, Dr. Cederna enjoys being active and just about anything outdoors (especially Michigan’s Great Lakes). Dr. Cederna also loves spending time with her family, who is scattered throughout the United States and across the globe.

• Favorite season: Spring, but I'll find something amazing about each one!
• Favorite Great Lake: Lake Superior
• Favorite Great Lakes beach: Little Presque and Wetmore’s Landing (both beaches along the coastline of Lake Superior near Marquette, MI). “Lake Superior is my favorite Great Lake.”
• Favorite food in Flint: It’s a tie between The Crepe Company and Taboon.