Dr. Suzanne Martin’s love of biology and desire to help others led her to become a doctor. “I took an Advanced Placement class in Biology during high school and just loved it. I also knew when I was younger that I wanted a career that would allow me to help people, so putting those two things together made medicine a natural choice for me,” she explains.

Dr. Martin is a nephrologist, a physician who specializes in diseases of the kidneys. “I find studying the physiology of the kidneys fascinating. Understanding kidney problems involves a lot of chemistry and math, and treating chronic kidney and dialysis patients is very complex. However, you have a real chance of improving people’s quality of life with the right treatment.”

In her work as a nephrologist, Dr. Martin treats kidney stones, electrolyte disorders, chronic kidney disease from hypertension and diabetes, and many other problems. “Whatever the issue is, you have to piece the puzzle together and try to figure out what is causing the problem. That’s why it’s important to partner with the patient so you can make decisions that will make the most sense for them, and hopefully prevent problems in the future.”

Dr. Martin enjoys working in a collaborative environment and sharing information with other physicians. “The advent of the electronic medical record and online journals has made it easier to share information and communicate with other doctors. It also streamlines the process of getting to know patients, understanding their history and problems, and helping to coordinate their care.”

During her free time Dr. Martin enjoys going hiking and camping, running, and being with her family. She also enjoys traveling and has been to Greece, Australia and New Zealand, and hopes to visit more countries in the future.