MEMBER SPOTLIGHT ,CPhT Crystal Martinez
When I was in high school my goal was to become a doctor. I actually fell into phar- macy. I was originally a customer service cashier at a local store and the store man- ager loved my personality. He decided to move me to the pharmacy as a pharmacy cashier, and well the rest is history! I worked retail for most of my career, moved into the clinical setting doing prior authorization then moved to benefit verification. After that went back into retail for a little while, then went to another company working clinical on a patient retention and compliance team then moved to technician translation (data entry). I was able to eventually start teach- ing in a technical school an worked as a scribe concurrently. There I was able to start my CPR business, eventually work at the medical examiners office and lastly started teaching health science/pharmacy practi- cum at the high school level in their Career, Technology, Education department. WHEN DID YOU FIRST BECOME INTERESTED IN BECOMING A PHARMACY TECHNICIAN?
“ Networking is key—LinkedIn is a great place to start! Remember, your current situation isn’t your final destination. ”
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TELL US ABOUT YOUR CURRENT POSITION/CAREER.
I was born and raised in Dallas, Texas, and now live in Garland. I’m a proud mom of two amazing kids—my daughter Alyssa, 21, who graduated from Texas A&M with a degree in Marine Biology and is now working on her master’s in Epidemiology, and my son Tristen, a high school junior taking advanced courses like Aerospace Engineering and Robotics, aiming to become an engineer and inventor. I’m a diehard Dallas Cowboys and Texas Rangers fan and have three dogs: Bo, Milo, and Rocco. I run a CPR Training Center, offering certifications from basic to advanced levels, and work as a vendor for Too Faced and Smashbox Cosmetics, helping people feel beautiful. Though I originally wanted to be a plastic surgeon, life took me through various pharmacy roles—retail, clinical, teaching, and even the medical examiner’s office—where I realized my passion for becoming a Forensic Chemist. I have multiple degrees, including a Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Science with a concentration in Forensic Science. I've been a Certified Pharmacy Technician since 2001 and a Certified Phlebotomy Technician since 2013. I love traveling, especially to the beach, and plan to visit Italy next year to explore my roots!
I currently work for Futuro Health as the Associate Program Manager for the Pharmacy Services Pathway. I’m helping to shape the future of the pharmacy workforce by devel- oping programs that address critical needs. We focus on expanding access to education and training for pharmacy professionals, enhancing their skills, and promoting career advancement through micro-credentials. We work closely with educational institutions and community organizations to build a more skilled and diverse workforce, ultimately improving patient care and healthcare outcomes.
WHAT WAS THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS YOU TOOK TO GET WHERE YOU ARE TODAY?
I had always planned on going to medical school, but life had different plans for me, so I changed my path, and I couldn’t be more in love with where I am today and the roads I traveled to
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