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Leadership Profile
Meet David Martin!

Leadership position in ICHP: I currently hold two leadership positions within ICHP. I am the director-elect of the ICHP Educational Affairs Division. In this role, I assist the director in leading the committee in carrying out its tasks and responsibilities, including planning the ICHP annual and spring meetings, Champions webinars, and any other education-related topics that arise out of town hall comments from ICHP members. I am also the treasurer for the Northern-Illinois Society of Health-System Pharmacists (NISHP), which is an affiliate chapter of ICHP. In this role, I am responsible for managing finances as well as assisting in the planning of our continuing education programs throughout the year.

Practice site: I am currently a Medical Science Liaison representing GlaxoSmithKline’s vaccine portfolio. My primary roles and responsibilities include delivering educational programs, providing both on and off label education to healthcare professionals (HCPs), and educating HCPs about the products in my portfolio. I also help to facilitate and align company and HCP research interests in order to further the pursuit of scientific knowledge. Prior to becoming an MSL, I was an infectious diseases clinical pharmacist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, and I remain on staff as a part-time clinical pharmacist.

I made a difference: When I was an infectious diseases pharmacist, I had a young patient on clinical service who was suffering from a viral infection for which there are limited treatment options. The medications that we were using were causing toxicities that were severely limiting our ability to both treat the infection and keep the patient alive. As a result, I researched and acquired an unapproved, investigational product as part of a compassionate use program. This medication had activity against the virus but lacked the toxicities of the current therapies we were using. The patient was able to be started on this investigational medication and clinically improved.

Pharmacy issues that keep me from sleeping at night:

I think the biggest pharmacy issue that keeps me up at night is the lack of awareness or appreciation for what pharmacists are capable of, both in the general public and among other healthcare professionals. I find myself constantly explaining my education background, training, and skill sets. I think until the profession is broadly recognized for its contribution to the healthcare system that goes beyond dispensing medications, we will continue to have to fight for a seat at the table when important decisions are being made.

ICHP is _____ because

ICHP is great because it provides a venue for pharmacy professionals from across the state with different backgrounds and experiences to come together and share ideas. I always enjoy learning what other people are doing in order to keep pushing the profession of pharmacy forward and improve patient care throughout the state of Illinois.

First time joining ICHP:

I was advised by my PGY-1 research mentor to submit and present my research project at an ICHP spring meeting. That was my first encounter with ICHP, and I continued to get more and more involved as the years (and time) allowed. I met the people who would later become my first employers post-residency, and I can thank ICHP for the networking opportunities that allowed that to happen!

Special thanks to ______ for making me who I am today in my career:

The person I most look up to in the profession of pharmacy is Noelle Chapman, who was my manager at NMH. Despite being pulled in a million directions, she maintains a positive attitude and always makes time for you. Noelle cares about the people around her on both a personal and professional level, and she pushes you to do your best at all times. I will never forget Noelle running around in yoga pants for (what I think was) 24 hours during a recent electronic medical record conversion at NMH. Her dedication to the organization she serves and the people who work there is beyond anything I would have expected from a manager. I challenge myself each day to emulate those characteristics that Noelle displays in her daily life.

Advice for a student:

The biggest piece of advice I would give to students is “don’t say no to [almost] anything”, especially as you are first starting out in your career. The profession of pharmacy provides so many different opportunities, from professional involvement to research, to education. If you are too afraid to try something new or different, you may be left behind or with regrets. Push yourself, be yourself, and be true to yourself.

My special interests or hobbies outside of work:

My hobbies outside of work include competing in triathlons and marathons (I ran the 2017 Chicago Marathon), traveling to new and exotic places (e.g. Hong Kong and Ecuador), and learning Spanish (FYI, I am horrible at it!).

You may not know this about me:

I have a severe weak spot for baking competition shows. My most favorite binge-worthy recommendations include the Great British Bakeoff, Spring Baking Championship, and Cupcake Wars. As a result, I spend most Sundays after playing kickball baking things like swiss rolls, genoise sponge cakes, tarts, and cupcakes.