Paving the Path: Dr. Marcus Martin's Legacy
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When Marcus Martin, MD, walked across the stage at Eastern Virginia Medical School in 1976, he made history as the first Black graduate of the school. A member of the medical school’s inaugural class, Dr. Martin's journey from Covington, Virginia, to becoming one of the most respected figures in academic medicine is a testament to perseverance, leadership and the power of community.
Dr. Martin’s story began in Covington, a small town where he attended segregated schools until the Supreme Court’s decision in Brown v. Board of Education forced integration just before he graduated high school. Despite the challenges, he thrived, becoming the first Black student to play varsity football at NC State University and later working as a production engineer at a local paper mill.Yet, it was Eastern Virginia Medical School — today part of Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University — that truly shaped Dr. Martin’s future.
“I wouldn’t be where I am without my experience at Eastern Virginia Medical School,” Dr. Martin said.
As one of 24 students in the school’s charter class, he recalls the camaraderie and sense of responsibility that defined the early days of the institution.
“We were treated royally by the faculty and the staff — and we also knew we could not fail,” he said. “We were the first class, and we had to represent the school.”
The small, tight-knit community of students and faculty created an environment where mentorship and mutual support flourished, and Dr. Martin quickly found his footing in the school’s early days. The lack of formal facilities didn’t deter him.
“We were a school without walls,” he said. “We were in a former nursing dorm, and books were kept in bathtubs. But it didn’t matter — we were building something together.”
That sense of collective purpose and determination carried Dr. Martin through his education and set the stage for the decades of leadership that would follow.
Dr. Martin was the first Black graduate of the University of Cincinnati's Emergency Medicine residency program and went on to help establish the Emergency Medicine residency at Allegheny General Hospital. He later became residency director at that hospital and served as department vice chair and chair before going to the University of Virginia (UVA). At UVA, he made history again as the first Black chair of a department in UVA’s School of Medicine. He also served as the first Black president of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine and first Black president of the Council of Emergency Medicine Residency Directors. In addition, UVA established the Marcus L. Martin MD Distinguished Professorship of Emergency Medicine in his honor.
Throughout his career, Dr. Martin faced the challenges of being a trailblazer, but he always viewed these moments as opportunities. As vice president for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at UVA, he worked to foster widespread progress in those areas, leading initiatives like the creation of a monument to enslaved laborers on UVA’s campus.
His commitment to Eastern Virginia Medical School never wavered. Dr. Martin is an active member of his alumni community and has been involved in philanthropic initiatives to help support scholarship efforts. He also has served in leadership roles, including rector of the Board of Visitors. He credits his determination and willingness to serve to his commitment to “faith and community,” and the support of his family.
“My wife, Donna, and I were both born in 1948, just 10 miles apart,” he said, noting that the couple now has four children and five grandchildren. “We both went to local universities — she went to ODU while I attended EVMS — and we’ve been partners ever since.”
Looking back, Dr. Martin’s advice to young medical and health professions students is clear.
“Be competitive, be organized,” he said. “Seek mentors, and always strive to elevate yourself. But most importantly, be equity oriented. Fairness and inclusivity must be at the heart of everything you do.”