Wales rugby legend Jamie Roberts has started working in the emergency department at the University Hospital of Wales, drawing parallels between his new medical career and his former life on the pitch.
New Role in Emergency Medicine
The 94-cap international, who officially began his medical career last year after graduating from Cardiff University's school of medicine in 2013, has spent the last 12 months working in various departments, including geriatrics and general surgery (colorectal). He has now moved to A&E.
Roberts took to social media to share his experiences, posting a photo of himself outside the hospital in his uniform.
Parallels with Rugby
“First week on the Emergency Dept,” he wrote. “Remember sitting in A&E plenty of times as a kid growing up in Cardiff. A different experience the other side of the door!”
“High pressure and challenge, high support, endless problem solving,” the former British and Irish Lions centre added. “Plenty of parallels with the previous career.”
Craving Pressure in Retirement
Last year, the three-time Six Nations winner, who also serves as an independent Non-Executive Director on the Welsh Rugby Union board, told WalesOnline that he still “craves pressure, responsibility and accountability” after retiring in 2022.
“It has taken me a while to work out exactly what I miss from the game, and that’s it,” he explained. “I miss the pressure and doing something that brings with it pressure and scrutiny.
“Of course I miss the lads, I miss the changing room and I miss the social side of rugby probably above all else.
“I love problem-solving, I love working with people and I guess when you go through that soul-searching when you retire, you try to narrow down what you really love and what you really want to go after,” the former Cardiff, Harlequins and Dragons star added.
“Medicine and being a doctor ticks a lot of boxes. It’s problem-solving, it’s in science, it’s working with people, it brings significant pressure and responsibility. I can’t wait to join another great team in the NHS.”
