On May 13, 2014, Cheyney alumna Martina Randall will graduate from the Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine as a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine. This makes her the second Bond Hill Scholarship recipient to attend and graduate from medical school.
Before applying for a Bond Hill Scholarship, Randall deferred medical school for one year to support a project conducted by Jefferson University Hospital and the Philadelphia Department of Public Health. During that time, she assisted with a research study focusing on the complications of maternal obesity during pregnancy and postpartum.
After her experience at Jefferson University Hospital, Randall had mentioned her exposure to gestational diabetes, which sparked her interest in diabetes as a whole. As a foot and ankle specialist, Randall will play a vital role in the education, and treatment of diabetic patients; particularly those with neuropathy, which is a complication found in underlying medical conditions.
“I chose podiatric medicine because of the coalescence of various aspects of medicine,” says Randall, who is constantly searching for opportunities that will provide her with additional field experience and knowledge in her area of expertise.
“As I learned more, I became interested in reconstruction surgery for those who suffer from congenital deformities, as well as traumas such as ankle fractures, calcaneal fractures and Pilon Fracture (distal tib/fib),” said Martina Randall. “With all the surgery that is done, it was important to me to maintain an inlet to the sports medicine world. The foot is the beginning and end to the Gait cycle and many foot and ankle specialists are involved with professional teams, athletes, and shoe companies such as New Balance.”
A member of Cheyney University of Pennsylvania’s Class of 2009, Randall was a Keystone Honors Academy scholar, biology major, and a member of the Cheyney Wolves women’s basketball team.
During her time at Cheyney, Randall received the Academic Excellence and Pennsylvania Athletic Scholar Awards on an annual basis and her achievements, in the classroom and on the court, were featured in The Philadelphia Tribune, Westside Weekly and The Inquirer.
As a former-Lady Wolves basketball MVP, Randall has continued to pursue her love of basketball as a Temple student, and has led her podiatric team to intercollegiate championships. Furthermore, during her time at Temple University, Randall has traveled to hospitals in Chicago, Pittsburgh, Boston, Arizona, Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia to shadow and work with the country’s best podiatric surgeons.
She also served as president of the Temple University Sports Medicine Club and as a medical volunteer during the 2013 Boston Marathon. This fateful event was the unfortunate site of the terror attack that killed three people and injured at least 264 others according to reports by CNN news.
During the marathon, Randall was stationed at the finish line medical tent, less than 200 feet from the first bomb. There she and her classmates received the experience of a lifetime as they worked a triage, rather than the basic runner foot care they initially expected to perform. The team worked to handle an onslaught of patients during the confusion caused by the explosives until medical teams arrived from nearby hospitals.
The experience from the Boston Marathon of 2013 however would not be without reward. Her dutiful effort and advanced knowledge of foot and ankle care recently allowed Martina to participate in a two-week mission trip to the Central American country of Nicaragua, where she assisted those in need by performing foot and ankle surgeries.
After graduating from Temple, Martina Randall plans to complete residency as a foot and ankle surgeon at Palmetto General Hospital in Miami, Florida. As a podiatric physician, she will treat conditions affecting the lower extremities, providing palliative, acute, and chronic care.
Martina is the daughter of Tina Randall, who previously attended Cheyney University for graduate studies in Administration and Supervision, as well as Elementary and Special Education.
Tina Randall says, “I am extremely proud of Martina. She is such a humble person and sets a great example for all of us, especially her sister Jordyn. I am so grateful and appreciative to Cheyney University and will continue to give back because of all that my child has received. I enjoy sharing Martina’s story with youth and letting them know that, with hard work, it is possible for them too.”
Active members of the Cheyney University Delaware County Alumni Chapter and The Cheyney “C” Club, the Randalls consider Cheyney to be “extended family.”
Currently, Martina’s aunt Terri Tyler serves as an adjunct professor with Cheyney’s School of Education, and Martina’s younger sister Jordyn volunteers during The Cheyney “C” Club Wade Wilson Golf Tournament annually.
According to Jordyn, Martina is her idol. The youngest Randall says, “She makes me want to work even harder to be as successful as she is. I am proud of Martina and I know she will do great in Miami.”