COVER STORY · JULY 2018
ONE OF OUR OWN APPOINTED TO THE TEXAS MEDICAL BOARD
Interview with Dr . Robert D . Martinez
Your profile tells me you were born and raised in the Rio Grande Valley , can you tell me a little about what that was like ?
Yes , I was lucky enough to be raised in the Rio Grande Valley ; I have watched it go through an incredible transformation since I was a child going through the local public school system . The Rio Grande Valley , unfortunately , has dealt with a perception problem ; however , due to 15 years of growth , positive changes have occurred here that are now being recognized throughout the United States and the World .
What sorts of changes ?
Well , the medical community has grown significantly , and that has made a palpable difference . People no longer have to travel to Houston , Austin , San Antonio , or Dallas to receive top quality care . I experienced many of those challenges first hand , with relatives that had advanced disease and needed medical care that wasn ’ t available here . They either didn ’ t get it or had to travel far to get it . That simply was not acceptable . I thought a lot about this growing up as a young child , and ultimately it was the impetus to the development of my medical career .
So this has been a mission since all the way back then ?
As long as I can remember , I was always interested in medicine and science . My course has never changed , I was always meant to be a physician . Early on , I set my sights on what I wanted to do , and why I wanted to do it . I set my sights on getting there as soon as I could , but that involved years and years of sacrifice . I spent every single summer past 7th grade through all of high school at an enrichment program , a particular job or opportunities in the medical field to improve my knowledge base so I could get into medical school . I knew it was going to be difficult , especially coming from an area which had traditionally been underserved in resources compared to other metropolitan areas . But that didn ’ t stop me at all .
And what made you stay the course ?
It was one five minute call to home with my father that reminded me of why I was there , the only reason I was there , so that nothing could sway me . It ' s a conversation I ’ ll never forget . I was sitting on the steps of Perkins Chapel at SMU in Dallas at about Midnight . His comforting words were all I really needed . In fact , I never looked back from there and continued to improve scholastically from then on out .
So then what ?
After doing well in undergraduate school , I received acceptance from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston ( UTMB ) where I did my four years of medical school . It wasn ' t easy , but I gave it my all and followed through with three years of internal medicine residency training at UTMB as well . It was a long hard road - 11 to 12 years – and , obviously , a lot happens in that time . While I believe I am a driven individual , it was impossible to achieve those kinds of accolades over such an extended period of time without the help of the people who are closest to me , including my father , mother , brother and other family members . Their support during the time of transition between medical school and residency was vital ; it was also then that I was lucky enough to meet my lovely , beautiful and understanding wife , Christina .
12 HEALTHY MAGAZINE