HAMILTON – Success in competition often paves a path to success in other lifetime capacities.  

That’s the case for Gonzalo Bearman '93, whose career began as a Patriot League champion on the 1992 Colgate men’s soccer team – the first of the program’s eight conference titles. 

Since being crowned a champion on the pitch, Bearman has worked his way through the medical field and today holds the position of Chief of Infectious Diseases at Virginia Commonwealth. 

The 1993 Colgate graduate focuses on epidemiology of hospital-acquired infections. Bearman has perfected his craft while publishing more than 160 peer-reviewed publications, multiple editorships of books, and he is the primary editor of three medical textbooks. 

Bearman’s success as a medical professional features an extensive list of accolades. In 2020, he received the Medical Society Virginia Award for Quality and Safety. In 2019, he received the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) Barry Farr Award for the most influential publication in infection prevention and hospital epidemiology.

Other honors include the VCU Department of Medicine Excellence in Scholarship Award (2020), Richmond Magazine Best Doctors in Richmond – Infectious Diseases (2011-20), Virginia Living Magazine Top Doctors – Infectious Diseases (2018), VCU Medical Center Shining Knight Honor (2016), and VCU School of Medicine Educational Innovation Award (2014).

Reflecting on his time at Colgate, Bearman turns to many lessons learned on the pitch as motivating factors in his professional career. 

“My Colgate Soccer experience highlights include the sense of community, the deep commitment to working as a team and a respect for the grit required to become a successful student-athlete,” Bearman said. “The values of teamwork, grit, and professional collaboration permeate much of my day today in the hospital.

“Also, like in sports, you can’t win them all. Both life and work have ups and downs. The response to setbacks is highly important and defining. That’s one of the many lessons learned on the soccer pitch.”

Perhaps another connection between sports and life is the motivation to raise your performance to new heights when challenges present themselves. That was the case for Bearman, who has led medical efforts throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“Working through the COVID-19 pandemic has been a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Bearman said. 

“I am grateful that I am able to participate fully in the prime of my medical career. The last year required my focus on coordinating much of the hospital’s response to COVID-19, including patient safety, infection prevention and patient care. 

“I was also part of the VCU Public Health Response Team for the University’s return to campus. I was the infectious diseases consultant to the Atlantic 10 Conference and had the honor of serving the Virginia Disaster Management Advisory Committee to provide infectious diseases and public health guidance to the Secretary of Health and Human Services and Governor of Virginia.” 

Bearman attributes his success to those who have mentored him along the way. 

“Much of my success is to great mentorship – to have received the highest quality guidance from the top professionals in infectious diseases,” Bearman said. “Most importantly, however, is the privilege of working with top quality professionals, fellows, residents, staff and medical students on a daily basis.”

As a Colgate Men’s Soccer student-athlete, Bearman was a member of the program’s first Patriot League championship team in 1992. He helped guide the Raiders to a 13-4-3 overall record, setting the program pace for most wins in a season, while posting a 5-1-1 conference mark. Colgate earned a pair of 1-0 postseason victories, including a thrilling 1-0 overtime triumph in the title match against Army. 

Bearman has the opportunity to reflect on that championship season every time he enters his office.

“I still remember winning Colgate’s first Patriot League soccer championship in 1992. It is still a very fond memory and I have a photograph of the 1992 soccer team framed in my office.”

Bearman’s message to current Colgate student-athletes focuses on the lessons that are learned on and off the field. 

“Do not overlook the many life lessons that are learned in training, in competition, in teamwork, in the classroom, and with your closest friends. Setbacks are common in sports and in the classroom; learn from them and seek the opportunity for growth. Think of your Colgate experience as part of a lifelong learning process and carry those lessons as a foundation to the next stage of your life.”