Judy A. Shea, 70, of Ardmore, Pennsylvania, passed away on Thursday, March 14, 2024, at home with her family.
Judy was born on February 2, 1954, in Fort Riley, Kansas, and was welcomed into this world by her parents, Richard “Dick” and Muriel Shea.
Education was always a driving force in Judy’s life. She began her education in a one-room school in rural Dawson County, Nebraska. After graduating from Lexington High School in 1972, she completed a B.S. in Psychology from Kearney State College in 1975; a M.S. in Family and Human Development from Utah State University in 1978; and a Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies from Pennsylvania State University in 1981. She went on to work at Penn Medicine, eventually becoming the Leon Hess Professor of Medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine (DGIM).
Judy received numerous prestigious awards at Penn and nationally. At Penn, she received the FOCUS Award for the Advancement of Women in Medicine (2009), the Arthur K. Asbury Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award (2018), and the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching (2020), the University’s highest teaching honor. Nationally, she received the Society of General Internal Medicine Career Achievement in Medical Education Award (2011), the Hubbard Award from the National Board of Medical Examiners (2011), the AAMC NEGEA Distinguished Educator Award (2016), and the AAMC Merrell Flair Award (2018). These are among the highest national awards in medical education. To win one of these awards is an amazing accomplishment; to win multiple is beyond exceptional.
Judy dedicated her entire career to working with faculty and fellows to design and execute research projects. Much of Judy’s work focused on the psychometric properties of evaluation tools and developing measures to assess components of health such as health literacy, patient satisfaction, and health-related quality of life. She was PSOM’s go-to expert in quantitative survey research and qualitative methods including focus groups and interviews and critical to the success of Penn’s reputation as a leader in the field of medical education research.
The loves of Judy’s life were her lifelong partner, John Norcini, and two sons, Shea and Michael. She enjoyed good food and drink, Eagles football, travel, and mentoring others in her work at Penn Medicine. Her desire to travel and experience life led her to visit most continents and many countries throughout the world. She also took the time to visit many major and minor league baseball parks across the U.S.
Judy is survived by her partner, John Norcini, and her sons, Shea and Michael Norcini. She is also survived by siblings, Susan Burch and Doyle (Georgiann) Shea; sisters-in-law Joyce Norcini and Sue Stevenson; nieces and nephew, Brandy (Todd) Fogarty, Brent Burch, Grace Norcini and Helen Norcini; as well as a great-niece and two great-nephews.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to DGIM Judy A. Shea, Ph.D. Faculty and Fellow Development Award Fund.
