Rugby star Jamie Roberts 'excited' to become junior doctor
Former Wales rugby international Jamie Roberts says he is "ready" and "excited" to become a junior doctor and complete his medical training in the NHS.
Twelve years after graduating from Cardiff University's school of medicine, the former British and Irish Lion will begin two years of foundation training in hospitals in south Wales.
Roberts won 94 caps for Wales and was the British and Irish Lions' Player of the Series following their tour of South Africa in 2009, before being selected again for the Australia tour in 2013.
The 38-year-old said rugby had given him "some of the best experiences" of his life and he was "looking forward to the same in a medical career".
Roberts volunteering for the NHS
Roberts stands by honest comments on Gatland's Wales
Homeless charity finds rugby star's lost jerseys
Roberts made his debut for Wales against Scotland in 2008, while he was a medical student.
"I always wanted to play rugby. It was a passion of mine," Roberts told BBC News.
"I loved the sport, I still do and it will stay with me forever. But I was a problem-solver at school.
"I love maths and I love science and I love people, I guess. And medicine was the perfect fit and ticked a lot of boxes for me."
In the UK, medical training involves an undergraduate degree which usually takes five years to complete, followed by a two-year foundation programme when trainees become junior doctors and are paid a salary.
It took Roberts seven years to complete his undergraduate degree because of his commitments with Wales, the Lions and Cardiff Blues.
"I reflect on it now and I wonder how on earth I did that. You know, the enthusiasm of youth helps. I was very busy. I was very driven," he said.
He sat his final undergraduate exams in 2013 - the same week that he was part of a Wales side which won the Six Nations after defeating England by 30-3 - and graduated a few months later.
"You know, we won the tournament here [in Cardiff], and then a month or two later - having sat my medical finals in that Wales v England week - I got my exam results," he recalled.
"I guess it was the culmination of a lot of hard work over both disciplines."
After graduating, Roberts spent the next decade focused on his rugby career, playing at centre for several clubs including Racing Metro, Harlequins, Bath, Dragons and Waratahs.
But academia continued to give the aspiring doctor the escape from rugby he said he "craved", and he completed postgraduate degrees at both Loughborough University and Cambridge University.
He became a father in 2021, before retiring from rugby the following year.
"When you finish playing rugby, you know, when people ask you what you're doing it's sometimes challenging when you can't really answer that question and you're doing random bits and bobs," he said.
In November 2023, Roberts passed a "return to medicine" exam which allowed him to resume his medical training.
So, in which field does he hope to specialise?
"I was obviously very interested in my own injuries. I had quite a few big ones," he said.
"Reconstructive surgery to quite a few of my joints, a fractured skull as well.
"Whether I can foresee a future in sports medicine, or orthopaedics, that's what I'm naturally leaning towards."
Roberts follows in the footsteps of several other Wales internationals who turned their hands to medicine, including Dr Jack Matthews, orthopaedic surgeon JPR Williams, former captain Dr Gwyn Jones and, more recently, Hallam Amos.
"I've a massive amount of respect for everyone who works for the NHS," said Roberts.
"I've no doubt it's challenging at times and I've no doubt I'm going to feel that, but again that's the challenge isn't it. It rewards you in many different ways, so I'm looking forward to it."
As one of the most familiar faces in Welsh sport, Roberts said being recognised by patients was "always great."
"People love rugby in Wales. As a student that had its rewards for me - it's a great way of connecting with people and again, I'm excited by that."
Reflecting on his sporting career, Roberts added: "I gave the game everything I had and it roared at me in such amazing ways.
"It's given me some of the best experiences of my life and I'm looking forward to the same in a medical career."
Medic uses Roberts' flat for virus fight
Wales have 100 days to turn into world beaters
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
30 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Ireland aim to 'turn big results into series wins'
Ireland assistant coach Gary Wilson says the team are aiming to turn big one-off wins into series successes as they prepare to face the West Indies in three T20 internationals at Bready. The teams drew their ODI series in May, with Ireland winning the first match, the second ending in a draw after a lengthy rain delay and the tourists running out convincing winners in the third game. Advertisement The Irish side has won three and lost three of their previous T20Is against the West Indies and triumphed by nine wickets in the last meeting between the sides in the T20 format in a World Cup encounter in Hobart in 2022. Ireland also secured a shock nine-wicket win on the last occasion the West Indies visited the north west, after bowling their opponents out for just 25 runs at Sion Mills back in 1969. "We have had a decent record against the West Indies over the past number of years and it's a great place to play cricket here. The locals really get behind it. It's a hotbed of Irish cricket," observed Wilson. "Obviously we know how good they are in this form of cricket - it's definitely the format they feel most comfortable in but we're looking forward to the challenge and hopefully the weather plays ball. Advertisement "We've shown a big ability to get big results, especially on the global stage over the last number of years, now we're looking to put that into series wins rather than one-off games." The T20 games take place on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. 'We'll get after it' - Adair West Indies lost all three of their T20Is against England in recent days, but returning pace bowler Mark Adair knows they will be formidable opposition. Adair returns to the squad after missing the ODI series through injury but Craig Young, Curtis Campher and Gareth Delany have been ruled out. "They're one of the best teams in the world in my opinion. I think they've got some of the most exciting cricketers and are one of the most entertaining teams to watch," observed Adair. Advertisement "This is a fresh challenge and we'll get after it. Hopefully we can do the business." "The aspiration is to win the series. I think we match up pretty well and I'm looking forward to getting back out there." In addition to Adair's return, Tim Tector, younger brother of experienced batter Harry, comes into the squad for the triple header, along with Stephen Doheny and spin bowler Gavin Hoey. "Mark is a big player for us and has been for the past 24 months, if not longer," said assistant coach Wilson. "He's plying his trade around the world now and it's great that he's getting that recognition because he has put in some match-winning performances for us. Advertisement "Tim is here on merit and he's shown over a period of time in interpro cricket that he's got good run-scoring ability in this form of the game and I'm sure he's looking forward to the opportunity."
San Francisco Chronicle
44 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Dodgers' pitching injury woes culminate in a punt. Matt Sauer takes one for the team in 11-1 blowout
SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers have 14 pitchers making more than $100 million combined this season on their injured list, They've been signing, promoting, playing and releasing pitchers almost daily as they engage in a perpetual scramble to assemble enough healthy arms to compete. When the Dodgers fell behind in the third inning Tuesday night while desperately short of options on the mound, the defending World Series champions essentially decided to punt a game away to the San Diego Padres. Matt Sauer, a 26-year-old minor leaguer getting his fourth callup already this season, threw 111 pitches while giving up 13 hits, three walks and nine runs and facing 30 batters in the Padres' 11-1 victory. The Dodgers allowed Sauer to pitch 4 2/3 innings with nothing close to his best stuff, and the Padres' loaded lineup feasted on him while turning a much-anticipated rivalry game into a laugher. Utilityman Kiké Hernández then took the mound during the sixth and pitched the final 2 1/3 innings, allowing three hits and one earned run while throwing 36 pitches — none faster than 57 mph. Manager Dave Roberts grimly acknowledged that the Dodgers essentially had to give up on trying to win this game after falling behind 3-0 in the third inning. 'You've just got to look at where our 'pen is at, and appreciate what we have the next couple of days,' Roberts said. 'I felt it just wasn't smart to chase and red-line guys. I've got to give credit to Matt. That was as much as he's ever pitched, and (he) essentially took it for the team to try and stay away from other guys and give us a chance to win a series. That's what we came in here to do, and we're in position to do that.' Indeed, the Dodgers used four high-leverage relievers for five total innings while hanging on for their 8-7 victory over the Padres in 10 innings on Monday night. That left the bullpen weary behind Lou Trivino, who went out as the opener Tuesday and threw one hitless inning. The Dodgers' rotation is profoundly patchwork. With Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Roki Sasaki, Tony Gonsolin and Gavin Stone headlining the list of potential starters sidelined by injury — and with Shohei Ohtani still proceeding quite deliberately in his mound comeback — Los Angeles can currently send out Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 37-year-old Clayton Kershaw and Dustin May. The other two spots in the rotation are being filled by temporary callups and/or bullpen games. The Dodgers didn't even want to try a bullpen game Tuesday after falling behind early, since Roberts thought it would be more prudent to have his bullpen largely available Wednesday when Justin Wrobleski — another rotation filler by the desperate Dodgers — takes the mound. 'It's where our staff is at right now as far as who's available, who's not,' Roberts said. 'Who we can kind of push, who we can't. And these are the starters we have, so we've got to go with it and make the best.' Sauer accepted his bizarre fate, realizing the Dodgers needed his arm to fill innings while they regrouped. 'I've just got to be better with locating the ball,' said Sauer, who signed a minor league contract with the Dodgers last winter. 'I wouldn't necessarily say (it's) a pride thing. I know my role is to eat up innings, and I feel like I've got the frame and the repertoire to do that, and I'm going to go out there and compete every time.' Everyone recognizes that the deep-pocketed Dodgers' success over the past several years has happened despite a jaw-dropping slew of major pitching injuries. Last season was similar to this campaign, with practically every pitcher on the roster missing large chunks of the season and postseason. Los Angeles won the World Series last season with an October starting rotation of late-season acquisition Jack Flaherty, Yamamoto (who missed three months of the regular season) and Walker Buehler (who also missed three months) supported by multiple bullpen games. Flaherty and Buehler then left in free agency. Roberts disagreed with the notion that the Dodgers' unlikely success with bullpen games last season — particularly in the NLDS against the Padres — could have given them false confidence in their ability to solve these major pitching woes with that strategy. 'Today wasn't really a bullpen day,' Roberts said. 'If you look at last year, certain games, you have nine guys that you have available, and we certainly didn't have that today. Somebody was going to have to take three to five innings. We weren't in that situation last year, so I don't think that's a fair comparison. When you get behind, you've got to kind of just ride it out.' ___
Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Dodgers' pitching injury woes culminate in a punt. Matt Sauer takes one for the team in 11-1 blowout
SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers have 14 pitchers making more than $100 million combined this season on their injured list, They've been signing, promoting, playing and releasing pitchers almost daily as they engage in a perpetual scramble to assemble enough healthy arms to compete. When the Dodgers fell behind in the third inning Tuesday night while desperately short of options on the mound, the defending World Series champions essentially decided to punt a game away to the San Diego Padres. Matt Sauer, a 26-year-old minor leaguer getting his fourth callup already this season, threw 111 pitches while giving up 13 hits, three walks and nine runs and facing 30 batters in the Padres' 11-1 victory . The Dodgers allowed Sauer to pitch 4 2/3 innings with nothing close to his best stuff, and the Padres' loaded lineup feasted on him while turning a much-anticipated rivalry game into a laugher. Utilityman Kiké Hernández then took the mound during the sixth and pitched the final 2 1/3 innings, allowing three hits and one earned run while throwing 36 pitches — none faster than 57 mph. Manager Dave Roberts grimly acknowledged that the Dodgers essentially had to give up on trying to win this game after falling behind 3-0 in the third inning. 'You've just got to look at where our 'pen is at, and appreciate what we have the next couple of days,' Roberts said. 'I felt it just wasn't smart to chase and red-line guys. I've got to give credit to Matt. That was as much as he's ever pitched, and (he) essentially took it for the team to try and stay away from other guys and give us a chance to win a series. That's what we came in here to do, and we're in position to do that.' Indeed, the Dodgers used four high-leverage relievers for five total innings while hanging on for their 8-7 victory over the Padres in 10 innings on Monday night. That left the bullpen weary behind Lou Trivino, who went out as the opener Tuesday and threw one hitless inning. The Dodgers' rotation is profoundly patchwork. With Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Roki Sasaki, Tony Gonsolin and Gavin Stone headlining the list of potential starters sidelined by injury — and with Shohei Ohtani still proceeding quite deliberately in his mound comeback — Los Angeles can currently send out Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 37-year-old Clayton Kershaw and Dustin May. The other two spots in the rotation are being filled by temporary callups and/or bullpen games. The Dodgers didn't even want to try a bullpen game Tuesday after falling behind early, since Roberts thought it would be more prudent to have his bullpen largely available Wednesday when Justin Wrobleski — another rotation filler by the desperate Dodgers — takes the mound. 'It's where our staff is at right now as far as who's available, who's not,' Roberts said. 'Who we can kind of push, who we can't. And these are the starters we have, so we've got to go with it and make the best.' Sauer accepted his bizarre fate, realizing the Dodgers needed his arm to fill innings while they regrouped. 'I've just got to be better with locating the ball,' said Sauer, who signed a minor league contract with the Dodgers last winter. 'I wouldn't necessarily say (it's) a pride thing. I know my role is to eat up innings, and I feel like I've got the frame and the repertoire to do that, and I'm going to go out there and compete every time.' Everyone recognizes that the deep-pocketed Dodgers' success over the past several years has happened despite a jaw-dropping slew of major pitching injuries. Last season was similar to this campaign, with practically every pitcher on the roster missing large chunks of the season and postseason. Los Angeles won the World Series last season with an October starting rotation of late-season acquisition Jack Flaherty, Yamamoto (who missed three months of the regular season) and Walker Buehler (who also missed three months) supported by multiple bullpen games. Flaherty and Buehler then left in free agency. Roberts disagreed with the notion that the Dodgers' unlikely success with bullpen games last season — particularly in the NLDS against the Padres — could have given them false confidence in their ability to solve these major pitching woes with that strategy. 'Today wasn't really a bullpen day,' Roberts said. 'If you look at last year, certain games, you have nine guys that you have available, and we certainly didn't have that today. Somebody was going to have to take three to five innings. We weren't in that situation last year, so I don't think that's a fair comparison. When you get behind, you've got to kind of just ride it out.' ___ AP MLB:
