Randy Martin, a Tarrant County College alumnus recently appointed to the Texas State Board of Pharmacy, landed in the profession by accident — literally.
When a broken collarbone suffered in an auto accident sidelined his career as a drummer, his mother, a nurse at a Fort Worth hospital, suggested he apply for an open position as a pharmacy technician. That sounded okay as a temporary gig, but he soon found himself fascinated by this new world.
“I loved it,” he said, “and I developed a passion for pharmacy. Plus, I found some really good mentors who encouraged me to go to pharmacy school.”
Martin began taking classes at TCC in 2002 and by 2005 had completed the 70 credit hours necessary to apply. He was encouraged along the way by several faculty members, notably Kaveh Azimi and Robert Taafe in chemistry and Janice Yoder Smith in microbiology, with whom he still maintains contact.
“TCC was such a wonderful experience,” he said. “The faculty were amazing and made a huge impact. They made going to college very easy, and it was a great kickoff to my career. I’m just so grateful. They helped provide the knowledge I needed, but they also taught me how to be a critical thinker.”
Martin went on to earn a master’s degree in health care administration from Louisiana State and a Doctor of Pharmacy from Texas Tech. He’s now a clinical pharmacist and clinical services manager at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital in Fort Worth and is active in numerous professional organizations.
He didn’t think so at the time, but that auto accident proved to be a lucky break.
Funny how things tend to work out.