From a young age, Dr. Devona Martin knew her calling was to medicine. Her personal experience as a patient at Texas Children’s Hospital, where she was treated for hyperthyroidism, sparked a lifelong passion. She fondly remembers the joy of choosing a gift from the hospital gift shop after each visit and was deeply impressed by her pediatric endocrinologist. This early exposure ignited a dream of becoming a doctor herself, a dream that has guided her journey ever since. While a brief childhood fascination with becoming an astronaut after a visit to The Space Center flickered, her aversion to flying quickly grounded those aspirations, reaffirming her commitment to medicine. Today, Dr. Martin cannot envision herself in any other profession, a testament to her enduring childhood ambition.
Growing up in the close-knit community of Livingston, Texas, Dr. Martin embraced small-town life and was an active member of her high school, proudly identifying as a “band nerd” and achieving the leadership role of drum major. Coming from a family deeply rooted in cattle ranching, she values the principles of hard work and community spirit instilled in her upbringing.
Her pursuit of higher education led her to Baylor University, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in University Scholars. During her undergraduate studies, Dr. Martin seized a transformative opportunity to participate in a medical study abroad program in the Netherlands. This enriching experience included exploring the history of medicine and visiting the first medical school in Italy. Backpacking through Europe for a month proved to be a profoundly formative chapter in her life. As she often reflects, true life experience includes navigating unexpected challenges, like missing a train and spending a night in the snow on a train station bench in a country where you don’t speak the language.
During a dinner following her return from Europe, a sponsoring physician made predictions about each student’s future medical specialty. He foresaw pediatrics for Dr. Martin. Her initial reaction was surprise and hesitation. Pediatrics, the field focused on the health and well-being of children, seemed daunting. She felt apprehensive about the responsibility of caring for such vulnerable patients. Among all medical fields, pediatrics was the one she felt least suited for at the time.
While in college, Dr. Martin obtained her Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certification and dedicated her nights and weekends to serving her community. She found immense fulfillment in her role as an EMT, despite her self-deprecating admission of lacking a good sense of direction and struggling with maps.
Fate intervened when she met her husband while working as a camp nurse at a church camp. This connection influenced her choice of medical school, leading her to Texas Tech University Medical School in Lubbock, as it was geographically convenient to her husband’s studies at ACU.
Dr. Martin commenced her medical education at Texas Tech University Medical School and married after her first year. In a surprising turn, echoing her mentor’s prediction, she discovered a deep passion for pediatrics during her rotations. She decided to continue at Texas Tech for her pediatric residency, ultimately serving as chief resident. Adding to the demands of residency, she welcomed her first two children into the world during this incredibly busy period. Looking back, she marvels at how she and her husband managed those demanding years.
After completing her residency, Dr. Martin remained at Texas Tech as faculty in the pediatric department, working as a hospitalist and providing care to hospitalized children. While her family enjoyed their time in Lubbock, a desire to be closer to home led them to seek new opportunities.
In 2012, Dr. Martin joined the Cook Children’s family, initially working as a hospitalist. In July 2016, she transitioned to a Primary Care Physician (PCP) role at the Willow Park office. She expresses immense joy in caring for the children within her community and cherishes the opportunity to watch them grow and develop over the years. Seeing her patients at school events and football games further strengthens her connection to the community she serves.
Dr. Martin’s enthusiasm for her profession is palpable. She genuinely looks forward to spending time with her patients each day, emphasizing that “snuggling newborn babies never gets old!” Her guiding principle is to treat each patient with the same level of care and dedication she would give her own children.
Beyond her practice, Dr. Martin contributes to the education of future physicians as an Associate Professor with the new TCU/UNTHSC School of Medicine, regularly teaching medical students in her office.
Dr. Martin resides in Aledo with her husband, their three children who attend Aledo schools, their large and lovable Newfypoo dog named Silas, and their bearded dragon, Noodle.
The positive impact Dr. Martin has on her patients and their families is evident in testimonials like this from a patient family: “We love Dr. Martin and her staff. We have always felt comfortable with the care we have received each and every time we have been in the office. I recommend Dr. Martin to friends and family any time I am given the chance. She is amazing and truly shows she cares about her patients and their well being! Dr. Martin’s nurse is always very kind and polite and welcomes my son with a smile from the moment she calls him back. She eases any nervousness about being at the doctor.”
Note: Please replace image-url-placeholder.jpg with the actual URL of Dr. Martin’s image from the original website. For the alt text of the image, consider: Dr. Devona Martin, a compassionate pediatrician at Willow Park's The Boot Doctor clinic, smiles reassuringly in her office, embodying patient-centered care. (This is just an example; adjust based on the actual image content and surrounding text).
