Since 1971, nearly 4,000 physicians and health care professionals across the United States have received their degrees from the UMKC School of Medicine. As a lead up to our Gold Jubilee 50th anniversary event on June 4, we are spotlighting some of our alumni who embody the school’s spirit and excellence in medical education and patient care.
Today, we catch up with Timothy Martin, M.D., ’84, chief of pediatric anesthesiology, anesthesiology residency program director and associate chair for education at the University of Florida College of Medicine.
Where are you living and working now?
I currently live and work in Gainesville, Alachua County, Florida, home of the main campus and health science center of the University of Florida. I practice at the University of Florida Health locations including Shands Hospitals and the Children’s Surgery Center in Gainesville.
Tell us about your current role?
I am professor of anesthesiology and associate department chair for education, as well as core Anesthesiology Residency Program Director and chief of the Division of Pediatric Anesthesia at the University of Florida, roles that I have filled since 2015 when I was recruited to UF. I began my post-UMKC medical career with 10 years of active duty service in the U.S. Air Force in San Antonio, Texas, and then served on the faculty and as Chief of Pediatric Anesthesia at Arkansas Children’s Hospital and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in Little Rock, Arkansas for more than 20 years.
What is your primary focus in medicine?
My primary clinical specialty is pediatric anesthesiology and pain medicine although the Shands Hospital perioperative areas serve a mixed adult and pediatric patient population. So, I do frequently care for adult surgical patients. Approximately 50 percent of my time is devoted to clinical practice, while the other 50 percent is allocated to fellow, resident and medical student education due to the large number of programs that I oversee at UF.
Share one of your most fond memories of the UMKC School of Medicine?
My “tongue in cheek” response would be the many wonderful Saturday morning activities at the UMKC School of Medicine such as the Saturday morning Correlative Medicine series in years 3 and 4, and the Quarterly Profile Examinations (QPE). Seriously though, my most fond memories are of faculty members and class friends who inspired and motivated me to pursue a career in medical education and research through various activities and events. I recall sitting on my roommate, John Whitfield’s and my apartment floor the day of graduation in 1984 thinking I had just experienced the best years of my life. In many ways, I still believe this is so 38 years later, although I have been very fortunate throughout my career.
What do you think is the greatest lesson you learned at the UMKC School of Medicine?
There were many great lessons learned, but I think the most valuable may have been learning to appreciate, train and work alongside, and engage colleagues from diverse backgrounds and experiences. This has proven to be extremely helpful throughout my career in medical leadership.
What is something about you that people may not know?
Aside from my obvious interest in medicine, I have been a lifelong student of all things historical — particularly early American and native American history. Throughout my years in Arkansas, I consistently worked to support and held a variety of leadership roles in the Historic Arkansas Museum, and more recently the Museum of Florida History in Tallahassee.
