Dr. Erica Martin has been with our team at the South Bend Medical Foundation since 2015. By the American Board of Pathology, she is board certified in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology and Cytopathology. She is a crucial part of our team, and we were able to sit down with her to discuss her role as a pathologist and why she loves working with our team.
1. Where are you originally from and how did you come to be interested in pathology?
I grew up in Lakeville, Indiana, and attended the University of Notre Dame, so I have lived in this area for most of my life. Growing up, we were family friends with Dr. Hoover’s family, who still works for SBMF now, and he introduced me to the field of pathology. I was also a big fan of the show The X-Files, and I found the character of Dr. Scully fascinating, who is a forensic pathologist. Then when I started medical school and was able to actually study the field of pathology, I knew it was the right choice for me. Pathology is such an integral part of medicine and guides so much of the diagnosis and treatment of disease, and I wanted to devote my career to that.
2. What led you to work at SBMF?
My parents actually met while working in the lab, and my father spent his entire career at SBMF as a cytotechnologist. I grew up coming to see him at work and knew many of the staff and pathologists that work here, so I guess you could say I’m a legacy! He continued to work for a few years after I started before he retired, so I was able to work with him for the first few years of my career, which was really special to me.
3. What makes SBMF a special place to work?
For me, my ties to SBMF make it a special place to work. I have many co-workers that are also family friends, so it feels like one big family. I also really feel like I am giving back to my community by being able to practice in the area that I am from and where my family lives.
4. You completed residencies and fellowships in a number of pathological areas. Which one’s your favorite and what do you wish more people knew about it?
My biggest interest would be breast pathology, which was my concentration during my surgical pathology fellowship. Breast cancer is so common, almost everyone either has been affected by breast cancer or knows someone who has been affected, and I hope that I am helping to better our understanding and management of it through my contributions to diagnosing and staging cancers in our local patients. Every day we learn more and more about breast cancer, and so many amazing discoveries are being made.
5. Why is SBMF’s work an important part of providing healthcare in the area they serve?
The laboratory is such a crucial part of medical care. What we do supports so much of healthcare, and the population we serve is our own community. By providing anatomic pathology services, we help our patients get a diagnosis so that they can receive the care that they need, and by providing local blood banking services, we are able to support our local hospitals so that they can care for our community.
6. What do you like to do in your spare time?
My husband and I love to travel as much as possible. I also love to read and am a video game enthusiast. In nice weather, we enjoy taking our dog for long walks in the local parks.
