Senior Oscar Marin found his passion for physical therapy unintentionally. During the first football game of the season, Marin tore a ligament in his leg and fractured his fibula. For Marin, it was not just a moment of pain, but also of guidance.

“[Our team] was running a play, and while I was blocking one of the players on the opposing team, their running back came up from behind me,” Marin said. “He fell over me, and I felt a sharp pain in my lower leg.”

Due to his injury, Marin was out for the rest of season. With his newfound free time, he decided to look at other extracurriculars. Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA) caught his eye.

“I’ve always been interested in the medical field, but I never really got to explore it because football took up the majority of my time,” Marin said. “[Sitting out] for the season gave me the opportunity to become involved [in HOSA].”

When initially joining HOSA, Marin was unsure of what competition appealed to him. However, his recollection of his experiences while going through physical therapy persuaded him. After receiving surgery to repair his leg, he entered rehabilitation. It was during those stretches and workouts that he knew he wanted to become a physical therapist.

“[The physical therapists] always helped me out and created a comfortable environment, even when I was at a low point,” Marin said. “It’s something I want to do for my future patients.”

At first, Marin was worried he made the wrong decision. However, he said he studied the best he could and focused on his goal of placing in the area competition. On Dec. 10, he succeeded.

“I came in ninth place out of 57 testers,” Marin said. “I was astonished. It showed me that [physical therapy] was the career for me.”

Now that Marin has found his passion, he is working toward carving his path for the future.

“I plan on going to Texas Women’s University or the University of North Texas in the fall,” Marin said. “I’ll always love football, but as of right now, I’m focused on my career.”