Rachel Conway, 25, will trade her Team Scotland colours for medical scrubs as the Commonwealth Games comes to an end, with her first NHS placement beginning on Monday.
The netball star and University of Glasgow graduate will start her foundation year 1 (FY1) training with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. The other students in her cohort began last week, but Dr Conway was busy representing Scotland on the netball courts.
Inspired by her mother
Originally from Edinburgh, Conway graduated from the University of Glasgow in 2025 before spending the past year in Australia, where she focused on preparing for the Games. She was inspired to take up medicine by her mother, who is also a doctor.
“I love getting to connect with people and making a difference to people’s lives when it really matters,” she said.
Record crowds at the Hydro
While in medical school, she developed her netball career, spanning 37 senior caps, a World Cup and two Commonwealth Games. Reflecting on this year's home Games, Dr Conway said: “Nothing compares to a home Games. We’ve been competing at the Hydro this week in front of record crowds. It’s such a cool venue to play in, and the turnout and noise from the crowd has been immense. We have met so many young netball fans and hopefully inspired some more girls and boys to take up the sport.”
Balancing medicine and netball
The Scottish Thistles now look ahead to World Cup qualifiers, as well as the tournament itself in Sydney during 2027. Dr Conway intends to continue her netball activities alongside her medical career and believes there are transferable skills which apply to both.
“I’ve been spending a lot of my free time at the Games catching up on what I’m missing. It was always going to be a rapid turnaround from the closing ceremony and final Team Scotland celebrations on Sunday night to induction on Monday morning.”
She added: “I’m really excited and, like every other incoming FY1, a bit nervous. After a few very busy years balancing netball and medical school, this last year away from medicine has been very restorative, but has also reminded me of how much I love medicine.”
