Laredo Sports Medicine Clinic is proud to announce our spotlight athlete for April 2016…Dr. Fernando Sosa, MD! Our spotlight athlete’s life is an inspirational story of athleticism, following your dreams, and pursuing your passion.
Dr. Sosa grew up in Laredo in a close knit family with three other siblings. The four of them were raised by a single mother who always instilled in them the importance of education. From the time he was a young boy, Dr. Sosa was driven to do well in school. While he dedicated time to his academics, he made time for sports as well. He found cross country to be a passion outside of the classroom throughout his high school years. After graduating from Martin High School in 1981, our featured athlete then went on to pursue a degree in Aerospace Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin. His love for exercise continued throughout college. Our athlete made sure to make time to take a few conditioning classes while attending UT Austin.
It has been said that running is like life, it’s a long journey, but well worth it. Dr. Sosa’s journey after finishing his degree at UT Austin, led him to NASA’s doorsteps. From 1985 to 1994, Dr. Sosa worked as an Aerospace Engineer for NASA and was a part of the Space Shuttle Day-of-Launch Loads and Performance Team. Despite a hectic work schedule with NASA, he also devoted time to being a member of the Rockwell International Running Club and Intramural Softball and Intramural Football teams at NASA.
After nine years working for NASA, Dr. Sosa decided to take a drastic turn and change his career path towards medicine. He moved to San Antonio and attended medical school at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. He then completed his residency program in Pediatrics at the Santa Rosa Children’s Hospital and University Hospital. Throughout his time at UTHSCSA, Dr. Sosa continued to run during his spare time, his first passion never dormant for long.
After graduating from UTHSCSA in 1998 and completing his residency in 2001, Dr. Sosa returned to his hometown of Laredo, Texas as a Doctor of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine. He has had his own practice open since 2001 and is passionate about treating patients with the care they deserve. When asked why he ultimately decided to go into pediatrics he said,
“I just felt like I was meant for this career. Once I was done with my residency I just knew pediatrics was a perfect fit for me. Kids are very honest and grateful, so it’s always very rewarding when I know I’ve helped a child.”
Dr. Sosa and his staff are dedicated to giving back to the community by making their office a learning environment. His office sponsors the Alexander High School Magnet students as well as the United High School students by allowing them to shadow and do their rotations there during the week as he visits with his patients. College students studying to become Nurse Practitioners at TAMIU also complete their rotations at Dr. Sosa’s office.
When he is not busy treating patients, Dr. Sosa also enjoys devoting time at various local schools giving presentations as part of their Career Day. His presentations are on topics such as wellness and what his day as a Pediatrician entails. He loves getting the student’s engaged as he uses the stethoscope to check their heart beat and answers their eager questions. Dr. Sosa’s most recent Career Day presentation was to the young learners at School of Wonder. Aside from speaking at various schools, for the past nine years he has been lending his time to be on the panel of judges for UISD’s Science Fair.
Even with his schedule packed to the brim, Dr. Sosa makes exercise a daily priority. He is committed to working out between 2 to 3 hours per day and has his strict weekly workout regimen planned out.
Since as long as he can remember, Dr. Sosa has enjoyed going to the gym and lifting weights. A few years ago while lifting weights, he suffered a shoulder injury at the gym. Listening to his doctor’s orders to help heal his shoulder injury, Dr. Sosa took up more cardio for cross-training, and thus his love of cycling was born.
He vividly remembers getting invited by a friend to his first cycling race a few years ago. Remembering that his doctor had recommended to take up cardio, he decided to give it a try. From then on, he was
“hooked on mountain biking.”
A year after his first mountain bike race, Dr. Sosa got invited to compete in his first road bike competition. Though he is passionate about both mountain and road biking, he has put more emphasis on road biking in the last few years.
For the past five years, Dr. Sosa has been a part of Level X, a local independent and non-profit multi sports club that competes in Mountain Biking, Road Biking, and running triathlons and Xterras. The Level X team trains year round to excel in their competitions and Dr. Sosa loves being a part of them.
When he is not cycling, Dr. Sosa still actively runs and participates in 5K’s. His most recent 5K was the WBCA Founding Fathers’ 5K Fun Run & Health Fair where he placed second in his age group.
These days, Dr. Sosa is happy with where he is at in life. His mother’s strict upbringing and words of wisdom continue to resonate in his mind ‘til this day. He never forgets how she lead by example and is thankful for the journey life has taken him on. When asked if he feels he has reached his ultimate goal, he says,
“I don’t know if there is such a thing where you just say ‘This is it.’ I’m happy where I’m at, but it’s all about striving forward. I feel that this is my passion [pediatrics].”
Wrapping up our interview with Dr. Sosa, he stands to put on his white coat and swings his stethoscope over his shoulder as he prepares to treat his first of numerous patients of the day. It is apparent that you are in the presence of a man who has accomplished so much and yet remains grounded.
Blessed with his mother’s determination, Dr. Sosa keeps that persistence in mind when he exercises or trains for an upcoming 5K or cycling competition. Whenever Dr. Sosa is faced with adversity, he keeps his favorite quotes from Albert Einstein in mind,
“Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.”
It is evident that Dr. Sosa has become a multi-talented man who is using his value to lead by example.
LSMC congratulates and is proud to recognize Dr. Fernando Sosa, MD PA as April’s Spotlight Athlete!
Article Written by:
Jessica Rubio
Liquid Studio Group