As a second-year physical therapy student, Juan Martin is forging a path that blends his passion for athletics, helping others, and fostering community.
Originally from Cookeville, Tennessee, and the son of Guatemalan immigrants, Martin is navigating the challenges and accomplishments of being a first-generation student, while simultaneously building a thriving running club at UT Health Science Center.
Martin’s academic journey began in his hometown at Tennessee Tech University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in exercise science. Growing up in a family with no formal higher education background, Martin became accustomed to learning how to navigate the world of academia and finances on his own.
“Being first-generation, I had to figure things out more quickly than other people,” he says. “I had to learn how to cope with educational and financial challenges without much guidance.” Despite these obstacles, he thrived, managing to balance his education with part-time work to cover expenses.
It was during his time at Tennessee Tech that Martin’s interest in physical therapy blossomed. Having grown up playing soccer, he was deeply passionate about sports and athletic recovery.
“I enjoy helping others, rehabbing people, and seeing other people get better, so mixing my interest in sports and helping others, I felt that physical therapy was just my calling,” he says. His decision to pursue a career in the field was solidified after shadowing professionals in his community, where he discovered how rewarding it could be to help others heal.
Choosing UT Health Science Center for his graduate studies was a natural step for Martin. What drew him to the program was its holistic approach to education, which focuses not just on academic achievements, but on the personal values and experiences of its students. “It resonated with me because treating patients isn’t just about fixing the issue; it’s about building strong relationships and understanding the whole person to help them get better,” he says.
As a first-generation student, Martin has found the support he needed to thrive at UT Health Science Center. He highlights the resources available to students, such as the first-gen scholarship he received, which has helped reduce his stress. He says his professors and their willingness to support students both academically and personally has also played a role in his success. “They are amazing,” he says. “It’s not just a professor-student relationship; they understand me as a student and as a person.”
“Juan has an incredible attitude and the work ethic to succeed at anything he tries,” said Barry Dale, PhD, DPT, program director and chair of the Department of Physical Therapy. “He has been a tremendous resource serving as a work-study student for the Department of Physical Therapy, and he will go far in life and in his future career as a physical therapist.”
While Martin’s academic journey has been fulfilling, it is his extracurricular involvement that showcases his leadership and passion for creating a supportive community. He started the UT Health Science Center Running Club to bring students together and offer a space for runners of all levels to train, relieve stress, and bond. The inspiration for the club came from his experience of training for the St. Jude Memphis Marathon, where he noticed a lack of organized running opportunities for students.
“I was training and running all the time and thought, why is there no running community on campus?” he says. “I felt it would be very beneficial for students who want to run but may not know where to start or who just need someone to run with.”
What began as a simple idea quickly gained traction, and the club’s group message now has more than 100 members. “I started a GroupMe and sent the link to a bunch of students on social media, and a bunch of them were interested and started joining,” Martin says. “Now, we have regular runs on Friday mornings, and when the weather’s nice, we meet for evening runs on Thursdays.”
With the help of medical student Nicholas Yanek, the club’s vice president, Martin navigated the logistics of turning the idea into an official student organization. Exec member and medical student Lauren Donnelly has also helped the club’s success by spreading the word on social media and leading group runs.
Along with the weekly runs, the club offers resources for members, such as a consolidated race calendar and training plans. “With my running experience, I focused on the training plans,” Yanek says. “We had another physical therapy student, Dyrell Lyles, help with the strength training exercises to serve as a career-centered learning opportunity, too.”
The club has attracted a variety of members, providing a unique opportunity for students from across the university’s six colleges to meet each other. Martin emphasizes that the group is open to all in the UT Health Science Center community, whether they are runners or walkers, students, faculty, or staff. “It’s a friendly, no-pressure environment,” he says. “It’s also a great way to help relieve stress. As students, we always have a bunch of things to study for and stress about, and running is a way to get away from that while also doing something good for your body.”
In addition to running, Martin is involved in the community through his volunteer work at Clínica Esperanza, a primary care clinic serving uninsured and underserved, Hispanic or Latinx patients in Memphis. There, he uses his knowledge of the Spanish language to help provide care. “It’s a rewarding experience to go there and help patients the best that I can with my background and knowledge,” he says. “It’s also a great learning opportunity to go out there and work hands-on with patients outside of the classroom.”
After graduating in 2026, Martin hopes to start his career in a setting where he can combine his love for athletics with his skills in rehabilitation, whether that is in sports medicine or in a general orthopedics setting. Long-term, Martin dreams of having a family and owning a physical therapy clinic, where he can mentor future students and continue to serve his community. “It’s a blessing to even have this opportunity, so as a PT, it’s definitely one of my biggest goals to own or run a clinic where I can give back.”
Those interested in joining the running club can join the club’s GroupMe.