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 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.
Dr. Marker currently serves as the Vice-chair of the Board of Directors of the Community Hospital of Bremen and Chair of that hospital’s Quality Committee. He is the Vice-chair of the Beacon Health System Quality Committee and Chairs the Beacon Medical Group’s “Our New Normal” taskforce envisioning what the future of care delivery in our health system “looks like.” He is also engaged in many community leadership activities including serving as the Vice President of the St. Joseph County Board of Health and providing 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 the Health Services Management curriculum.
Dr. Marker and his wife Kirsten both grew up in north-central Indiana and are blessed to have their extended families nearby. They have three daughters – one married, one in graduate school and one in college. Jason and Kirsten are enjoying their early “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 substitute teacher in their local school district, is engaged in several community service opportunities. She is a Region Leader for the international children’s cancer support project called “Magic Yarn Project” and is a volunteer coordinator for the local organization “Cultivate Food Rescue.” 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!!
