Hometown: Mishawaka, IN
Dr. Marker joined the Memorial faculty in 2017 after operating a busy rural private practice in Wyatt, IN for more than 15 years. During that time he hosted nearly 90 students and residents in his office, teaching rural healthcare and practice management. He has served as the President of the Indiana Academy of Family Physicians, as a member of the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Family Physicians, and as President of the medical staff and Chief Medical Officer of the Community Hospital of Bremen. Dr. Marker is a Past President of the American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation and is the Founder and Lead Faculty for the AAFP Foundation’s Emerging Leader Institute. He also serves as the General Chair of the AAFP’s Leading Physician Well-being program and for this work was recently selected as an AAFP “Boundary Breaker” – an honor bestowed on a small group of family physicians in place of the 2021 AAFP Family Physician of the Year. His latest extra-curricular work has been to develop and co-host the AAFP’s Inside Family Medicine “CME On the Go” podcast.
Dr. Marker currently serves as the Vice-chair of the Board of Directors of the Community Hospital of Bremen the Vice-chair of the Beacon Health System Quality Committee. He served as the Vice President of the St. Joseph County Board of Health through the COVID pandemic and provides leadership within the Michiana Opioid Task Force and related groups. Dr. Marker is the Clinic Director of the E. Blair Warner Family Medicine Center and the faculty lead for both the Health Services Management curriculum and the Rural Curriculum.
Dr. Marker and his wife Kirsten both grew up in north-central Indiana and have three grown daughters and a granddaughter. Jason and Kirsten are enjoying their “empty nest” years by camping, backpacking, cooking and catching up on their leisure reading. They are active in their church and community. Kirsten Marker is a coach for Rock Steady Boxing, a Parkinson’s Disease support group that uses boxing skills to stabilize muscle and coordination loss for these patients. She also volunteers in a variety of local programs that support food insecurity and is becoming an accomplished pickleball player! Dr. and Mrs. Marker support many philanthropic organizations with their time, talents and treasure and were named the 2021 AAFP Foundation Philanthropists of the Year.
Why Memorial: Memorial’s long-standing reputation for high-quality care delivered by high-quality physicians has been known to me since I was a child. Getting to know the institution as a resident and then community physician, I’ve also been impressed with the commitment that Memorial makes to supporting our community – in huge ways, but with quiet humility.
Clinical interests: Geriatrics, practice management skills, and the critical interface between public policy, public health and primary care.
Favorite quotes: “For to whom much is given, much is expected in return” – Luke 12:48
Advice for Interns: Take care of yourself – never let your bladder get more full than your stomach.
Favorite thing to do/place to go in South Bend/Mishawaka: Potato Creek State Park – coming soon: a lodge!!
