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2020 Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient

Susan Mockus Parks, M.D.

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Susan Mockus Parks graduated from Haddonfield Memorial High School in 1986.  She excelled academically and athletically.  She, like her daughter, Molly, is a former #1, singles player and varsity captain in tennis at Haddonfield. Susan and Molly were both coached and mentored by Jeff Holman.  

Susan attended Ursinus College from 1986-1990, where she was a double major in Biology and Spanish.  Susan played first singles for the Ursinus tennis team all four years.  Next, Susan decided on a career in medicine and went to New Jersey Medical School in Newark, NJ.  During medical school, she developed a passion for family medicine and chose that as her residency.

Dr. Parks joined the Department of Family and Community Medicine as a resident at Jefferson Medical College, now known as Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University in 1994.  After her residency, she did a 2-year Fellowship in Geriatric Medicine at Jefferson, where she focused on dementia caregiving. She has maintained an interest in dementia and caregiving throughout her career.  Following her Geriatric Fellowship, she joined the faculty at Jefferson’s Department of Family and Community Medicine.  Her initial work in the Department focused on long-term care.  She was the Medical Director at Chandler Hall in Newtown, PA, then at The Hill at Whitemarsh in Lafayette Hill, PA.  In addition to long-term care, Susan also focused on geriatric education.  She served as Director of the Geriatrics Fellowship Program from 2002 through 2013.  Dr. Parks helped enhance the popularity and prestige of the Geriatrics Fellowship program at Jefferson.  Dr. Parks has also helped the development of palliative care services at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. More recently, Dr. Parks has helped develop an outpatient geriatric practice called the Center for Healthy Aging that is dedicated to providing patient and family-centered care for older patients.  Dr. Parks serves as Medical Director of that outpatient practice. 
 
Since 2012, Dr. Parks has served as the Director of the Division of Geriatric Medicine and Palliative Care at Jefferson in the Department of Family and Community Medicine.  This leadership role has given her the platform and opportunity to advance care of older patients and those with serious illness.  Throughout her career, Dr. Parks has achieved success in the areas of education, clinical care and research.  Her work embodies the mission of the Division:
“To improve the lives of older persons and those with serious illness by partnering with all patients, all families, and all communities. “ 

Dr. Parks’ work has extended beyond Jefferson into the regional and national arenas.  Regionally, she has served on the Board of Directors of The Hill at Whitemarsh, a Continuing Care Retirement Community since 2014.  She has served on the Board of the Association of Geriatric Academic Programs (ADGAP) since 2015 and was recently named Chair of ADGAP.  ADGAP is a national organization for Division Directors and Chiefs of Geriatrics.  Philadelphia Magazine has recognized her on multiple occasions as a “Top Doc”.  Importantly, Dr. Parks is dedicated to her colleagues and helping advance their careers.  She has served as a mentor for multiple faculty members in her department.  She is committed to supporting team-based care.

Dr. George Valko, the Gustave and Valla Amsterdam Professor of Family and Community Medicine, Executive Vice-Chair provided the following thoughts about Dr. Parks:

“What does it take to be worthy of a lifetime achievement award, especially from an institution of learning? Is it one’s body of work? All the accomplishments? Strength of character? Lifelong service to family and others? Dedication to one’s craft?

Any one of these would certainly qualify a person for this prestigious award. Dr. Susan Parks possesses all of these and more, including the hard work that belies the fact that she makes this all seem so easy!

Haddonfield Memorial High School honors an outstanding physician and person. I am proud to call her my friend and colleague. My hope is that those who see her name on this award will view her for as what she ultimately is, a role model to be emulated.”

Susan, her husband, Jay, and daughter, Molly, reside in Haddonfield, NJ.  Susan’s mother, Fran Mockus, also resides in Haddonfield and remains an avid tennis fan – having watched many of Susan and Molly’s tennis matches at Centennial Courts.  Susan enjoys playing tennis and golf with her family.