The POSNA Hall of Fame provides an enduring history to honor those POSNA members who have displayed dedication to the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America, teaching and mentoring, studying musculoskeletal conditions in children and caring for children with musculoskeletal conditions. Nominations for inductees are taken each fall by the POSNA membership and selected by the Awards Committee and members of the Hall of Fame.
Hall of Fame Categories: Leadership, Diversity, Teacher, Humanitarian, Hero, Triumph over Adversity, Pioneer, Contributions to Literature, Home Person (one who does the real work while others go to meetings), Fox-Hole Buddy (reliable person when the stakes are high), Exceptional Clinician, POSNA Service
Eligibility:
Inductees:
Laura Lowe Tosi, MD
2024
In nominating Dr. Laura Lowe Tosi, Director of the Bone Health Program at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C, for the POSNA Hall of Fame, Dr. Kevin Shea emphasizes that “her focus upon rare bone skeletal disease has been remarkable, sustained, and impactful.”
Dr. Tosi is the first to admit that her route to orthopaedics was circuitous, as she always assumed she would be a general practitioner. After completing her undergraduate education at Boston University, she attended Harvard Medical School, while simultaneously completing course work for a Masters of Public Policy at the Kennedy School of Government. She started her residency training at Columbia in internal medicine and quickly realized, as Dr. Tosi says, “I am a ‘fix it’ sou.l” The hands on and direct impact of orthopaedic care was a much better fit, but her internist background helped her gain an appreciation for holistically treating complex patients. This shaped the trajectory of her career.
After completing her orthopaedic surgery residency at Columbia Presbyterian and pediatric orthopaedic fellowship at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Dr. Tosi began her career at Children’s National in 1984, with an academic appointment at the George Washington University School of Medicine. In 1992, she spent 3 months at the NIH studying osteogenesis imperfecta, which helped hone the focus of her clinical practice and collaborative research to patients affected by rare bone diseases.
As Director of the Bone Health Program, Dr. Tosi is a relentless advocate for at-risk children with primary musculoskeletal disorders and systemic disorders with musculoskeletal manifestations. From the program’s inception in 2003, it has been defined by the progressive thinking of “How do we help these children not only survive, but thrive?”, considering the quality of life of this unique patient population into adulthood. She continues to advance clinical care through diligent research, with over 80 peer reviewed publications, including landmark papers defining Proteus syndrome and the challenges faced by patients with osteogenesis imperfecta as they age. Dr. Michael Collins, principal investigator at the NIH, states, “Without hesitation or hyperbole, I can say that Dr. Tosi is one of the most important and committed leaders in the area of bone research and care for patients with bone disorders in the world.”
Dr. Tosi is additionally a pioneer for women in orthopaedics, advocating for professionals in the field as well as female patients affected by orthopaedic pathology. In 1983, she attended the first meeting of the Ruth Jackson Society, serving as a founding member and later as president 1991-1992. In 2000, she became the first chair of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ (AAOS) Women’s Health Issues Committee, driving a focus on consideration of sexual dimorphism in bone health and disease. She helped to develop and launch the “Own the Bone” campaign through the American Orthopaedic Association (AOA). This nationwide quality improvement initiative helps optimize patient care after osteoporotic fractures, which disproportionately affect the elderly female population. It is undoubtedly these collective efforts that earned her the AAOS Diversity Award.
In addition to her national advocacy and leadership, including years of service on the POSNA Board of Directors, Dr. Tosi has helped to grow the field locally through her unparalleled mentoring and guidance to aspiring orthopods. For 20 consecutive years, she has run an annual summer internship for first year medical students providing translational research, orthopaedic skills, and clinical experience. She has formally mentored over 85 medical and pre-medical students as well as four AAOS Leadership Fellows, not to mention countless orthopaedic, pediatric, and podiatry residents. Her mentees repeatedly refer to her as an inspiration, citing her influence to be instrumental in changing their career trajectory. One described her as “a dedicated, approachable, and compassionate physician that cares deeply about her patients and training the next generation of doctors,” while another mentee stated, “It will be hard to put into words just how much of an impact Dr. Tosi has had on my education and career as I truly feel that I would not be in the position I am today without her.”
Above all, Dr. Tosi models exceptional patient care, cultivating relationships that guide individualized care of complex patients. Her dedication to her patients has been described as “absolute and self-sacrificing.” In addition to her many clinical and research endeavors, she spends evenings and weekends volunteering with national advocacy organizations to promote bone health and bring together patients and families affected by rare diseases. In the words of one trainee, “[Dr. Tosi] has the strongest patient relationships of any doctor I have seen to this day, and seeing her interact with her patients serves as a daily inspiration to me as I continue my own training.”
Though it’s impossible to sum up her legacy in a single word, Dr. Laura Tosi’s career can be defined by passion—for mentoring, for education, for research, and for patient care. Her impact on our orthopaedic community, both for patients and fellow clinicians, should not be underestimated. We are honored to recognize her accomplishments with induction into the POSNA Hall of Fame Class of 2024.
Biography written by Dr. Breann Tisano, MD, on behalf of the Hall of Fame Committee, 2024.
Back to List
