Marshall M. Parks
American ophthalmologist (1918–2005)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Marshall Miller Parks (July 6, 1918 – July 25, 2005) was an American ophthalmologist known to many as "the father of pediatric ophthalmology".[1]
Early life
Parks was born in Old Mission, Michigan to Ruth E. and Reuben Elvin Parks.[2] In 1939, he earned a BS from Illinois College and in 1943 graduated from the Saint Louis University School of Medicine.[2] His success in medical school gained him induction into Alpha Omega Alpha Society.[3] During World War II, Parks served as a medical officer on destroyers in the United States Navy,[2] including the USS Gamble and USS Terror during the battle of Iwo Jima.[4]
Professional career
Parks studied under the guidance of Frank D. Costenbader, the first ophthalmologist to dedicate his practice solely to the care of children.[5] At Children's Hospital in Washington, D.C., now known as the Children's National Medical Center, they began the first ophthalmology fellowship training program of any subspecialty.[6] This evolved from the rotation of Heed Fellowship ophthalmologists who had trained with Costenbader for many years.[5] The first Children's Hospital of Washington fellow was Leonard Apt in 1959.
Parks' scientific contributions include:
- Elucidation of monofixation syndrome[7]
- Description and refinement of numerous eye muscle surgical techniques, particularly the fornix incision approach to strabismus surgery
- Recognition of the benefits of very early strabismus correction (by age 1 year)
- Innovation in surgical techniques for pediatric cataracts
Positions
From 1974 to 1975, Parks was the first president of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, a professional association of which he was a founding member.[8][9] In 1982, he was president of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.[9]
- Chairman, Department of Ophthalmology at the Washington Hospital Center and the Children’s National Medical Center
- Founder, president and chairman of the board, Children’s Eye Care Foundation
- Director and chairman, American Board of Ophthalmology
- Director and chairman of the board, Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology
- Advisory Council for Ophthalmic Surgery of the American College of Surgeons
- Chairman, Scientific Committee of the Retina Foundation of the Southwest
Editor / Assistant Editor
- American Medical Association Archives of Ophthalmology
- Clinical Proceedings
- Survey of Ophthalmology
- American Orthoptic Journal
Awards
- Founder of the Costenbader Society
- Recipient of the Lucien Howe Medal from the American Academy of Ophthalmology
- Senior Honor Award from the American Academy of Ophthalmology
- Life Achievement Award and the Laureate Recognition Award 2004 from the American Academy of Ophthalmology
- Superior Public Service Award from the US Naval Department
- John Carroll Society Medal
- Best Ophthalmologist in America award from Ophthalmology Times
- Leadership Award from The National Eye Care Foundation
- Leslie Dana Gold Medal from the St. Louis Society for the Blind
- Induction into the Knights of Malta
- Vicennial Medal from Georgetown University
- Arthur Linksz Award from the International Strabismological Society
- Professional Service Award, the Society for the Prevention of Blindness
Legacy
Parks trained over 160 fellows in pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus; many of his former fellows later held leadership positions in the field.
Dr. Kenneth Wright, a former Parks fellow and current director of Pediatric Ophthalmology Research and Education at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, published a tribute to Dr. Parks in the medical text Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus, calling him “the driving force that has led to the development and maturation of our specialty, pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus.”[10]