He received his medical degree in 1973 from the University of Texas Medical School in San Antonio and completed his three-year residency at Bexar County Hospital, where he became the administrative chief resident in 1976. “I had never heard of the American Academy of Family Physicians until I was almost through my residency,” Martin says. A physician in his community introduced him to the local and state chapters and helped him get on his first committee, the Liaison Committee with Medical Schools. “I enjoyed that, but it was the only thing I did for about six or seven years … it wasn’t until the late 80s that I realized that this takes more responsibility than an hour meeting once or twice a year.”

According to Martin, in the mid 80s, a core group of leaders in the TAFP began to express themselves in a more aggressive political fashion. “That’s when I was told to either shut up and quit complaining or become part of the change process and commit to it,” Martin says. At the time, the physicians in the department of family medicine at the UT medical school had no hospital privileges, so they had to refer patients to an internist. Because Martin was their liaison to the TAFP, the leadership of the department went to him with the complaint. TAFP had connections to the UT Board of Regents, so with a little work, the family physicians gained the admitting privileges they desired. “It was the first time I had seen political clout work like that,” Martin says.

Soon after, TAFP began to push for mandatory third year clerkships in family medicine, an effort academy leaders hoped would increase medical students’ exposure to the specialty. The struggle to achieve this mandate and subsequently secure funding for it would become a major campaign, in which Martin played an integral role. “That’s when it really gelled for me,” Martin says, adding, “I began to see that we had a good message that would resonate with the public and with the legislators, and we could be successful if we worked hard.”

And work hard, he has. Martin has held numerous positions in the academy, both at the state and national levels. Aside from his term as TAFP President, he has served on 16 TAFP committees, chairing the Committee on Legislation and Public Policy from 1991 to 1998. During those years, the TAFP worked as part of the effort to increase Medicaid reimbursements for family physicians, pass a patient’s bill of rights and improve family physicians’ recourse in cases of managed care grievances.

Among his many committee and commission appointments with AAFP, Martin has chaired the Committee on Health Education and the Parke-Davis Teacher Development Committee, as well as three reference committees for the Congress of Delegates. He earned the degree of Fellow from the AAFP for distinguished service and continuing medical education. For the past three years, he has served on the AAFP Board of Directors.

For five years, Martin represented the AAFP as a member of the American Board of Family Practice. He has been a longtime examination writer for the board and in 1997, he was elected president of the ABFP. He is also a past family practice representative to the American Board of Medical Specialties.

Looking back, Martin says one of the proudest moments of his professional life came in 1992, when the University of Texas Health Science Center recognized him as an Outstanding Medical School Alumnus. Just one year earlier, the TAFP held its annual session in Arlington, Texas. Martin and some of the physician leaders he credits with first encouraging him to get politically involved slipped away for some fun at Six Flags Over Texas. The group, comprised of Martin, Tim Lambert, M.D., of Garland; Glen Johnson, M.D., and Lewis Foxhall, M.D., both of Houston, along with a few other physicians, made a hilariously silly music video to the Isley Brothers’ hit, “Shout.” They danced around and pretended to play instruments while the backdrop swirled with psychedelic colors. That video still exists and it served as comic relief in the Texas hospitality suite at the 2001 AAFP Congress of Delegates this past October.

Traditionally, some delegations host theme parties on a particular night during the conference and the TAFP usually participates. Since this night falls before the date of the presidential campaign speeches, delegations running candidates use their hospitality suites as meet-and-greet campaign functions. The Texas delegation has a reputation for doing things in a big way, and on this night, the TAFP delivered.

The spacious hall had been transformed into the main street of a western town of old, with a swinging-door storefront façade, a corral full of animals for petting and a margarita bar. Guests lined up three and four abreast to get in. Martin’s tall, handsome children, Jeremy, Blake and Hailey, greeted them at the door. Inside, the line stretched all the way across the room. First, it wound to the left where Dr. Martin and his wife, Mignon, received the guests with handshakes and hugs. The line continued past a slide presentation detailing some of Martin’s accomplishments, then it passed the now famous video playing in a continuous loop. By the time guests arrived at the storefront where they could get a plate of food, they had seen some different sides of the candidate.

Milling about the scene were western-clad Texans welcoming guests and talking about Martin. People kept streaming in, filling the hall for a couple of hours. After the lights had come up and everyone had left, the Texas delegation pulled chairs into a circle and held one of many caucuses that took place during the conference. Martin was the picture of concentrated effort. He folded his arms across his chest as he thanked the group of almost 30 physicians for their efforts. He talked about the focus of the speech he was to give the next morning and then each doctor in turn gave Martin words of council and encouragement.

“Let your passion show through,” Tim Lambert said.

“When you ran for the board [of directors], you were worried you might appear too charismatic,” said TAFP Treasurer David Schneider, M.D. “Now is the time for that charisma.” 

There was very little talk of politics, and a lot of talk about passion and commitment. When conversation turned to analyzing how the votes might go between the three possible candidates and what might happen in a run off, they realized the importance of the next day’s speeches.

“Tomorrow will decide the election,” Glen Johnson said. “Tomorrow, the score is 0-0.”

The Congress floor began to fill early the next morning. Staffers from campaigning chapters placed token gifts bearing slogans at the places of each of the delegates, who would make their decisions and vote the following day. AAFP members and spouses mingled in the back of the hall by tables with coffee and pastries.

When the Congress resumed business at 10 a.m., there was not a seat to be had in the hall and people were standing in the aisles. Martin was in excellent form—relaxed and focused. His speech was well delivered and well received. He spoke of a new strategy for the academy, with increased priority on advocacy, public relations and state chapter legislative committees. He talked of the great source of commitment and will that exists in the combined passions, skills and hopes of the academy’s membership. He said that in this time of pain and shock, recession and layoffs, the country is reexamining its priorities. “I believe that there will be a new social and perhaps even political will to address the health care needs of our country,” he said. “This is the time.”

He closed by saying the members of the academy do not have to be mere pawns in the tide of human events, but that they have the potential to shape their future. “I want you to elect a leadership that will set a tone, an attitude and a commitment to change the political role of our academy forever,” Martin said.

As 2001 draws to a close, Martin is excited about the challenges the next three years will bring. He is scheduled to assume the presidency in October of 2002, and then to chair the board of directors in his term as immediate past president. He says he is delighted by the positive reaction he has received from the academy leadership as well as the AAFP staff to the vision he described in his speech.

In the past, the position of president-elect has been one of learning. The newly installed president, Warren Jones, M.D., referred to himself as “president in training wheels” during his term as president-elect. But Martin expects the role may broaden during his tenure. According to him, the three main emphases of the AAFP today are budget prioritization, a change in the academy’s strategic plan, and the Future of Family Medicine Project. “All those will happen this year,” Martin says, “and I will chair at least two of those committees.”

According to his staff at CHRISTUS Santa Rosa, his already tight schedule has gotten even busier since the October conference. Martin expects to be on the road between 50 and 60 days this first year, 150 to 180 days in his year as president, and 50 to 70 in the last year. However, much of what needs to be done he can accomplish from his desk in San Antonio. Already he has participated in several conference calls about the budget prioritization process.

When asked about his personal goals for the next three years, Martin says he hopes they are the same as the academy’s goals. “I will feel like we have not been successful if we have not done something to effectively change health care accessibility in this country,” he says. “Where people who right now do not have the financial means to see a doctor—that we will be able to address that and in some way affect that over the next three years.”

Martin says he is overcome with emotion when he thinks of the Texas delegation in the days leading to the election. Certainly the diversity of talents and backgrounds combined with the passion and commitment of Martin’s supporters helped him carry the day, but for Martin, his gratitude goes deeper still. “When I look at my success, it is absolutely based upon the education I gained from that group and by their support. I would not have done the things I have done had not the people in that room encouraged me starting in the 1970s and 1980s, so it really was, to me, a group success,” Martin says.

After the votes were counted and Martin’s election had been announced, the Texas delegation joined Martin and his wife, Mignon, for a private celebration. The entire group crowded into the Martin’s hotel suite and toasted the memories they had made together. Some toasts were inspiring, some were funny and some were poignant. Mignon toasted her husband, and he toasted her. At some point, Martin raised his glass and shared his yearlong prayer with the group. “If experiences I’ve been able to have will make health care in this country better, and that’s your will God, then I want to win.”

Cheers, Dr. Martin. Good luck to you.