Jamie Roberts, former Wales rugby international player, is in his Foundation Programme training as a resident doctor within the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) in 2025, marking the next stage of a medical career he pursued alongside the elite professional sport.
Roberts attended Cardiff University School of Medicine, where he studied medicine while simultaneously developing his rugby career. He graduated with a medical degree in 2013, at a time when he was already an established international rugby player.
Rather than entering clinical training immediately after graduation, Roberts continued playing professional rugby while maintaining academic engagement with medicine. During this period, he completed postgraduate medical studies at Loughborough University and later at the University of Cambridge, earning a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Medical Science from Queens’ College, Cambridge, in 2017.
In 2025, Roberts formally entered the UK Foundation Programme, in the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff. It is a structured two-year training pathway for newly qualified doctors. The programme includes supervised clinical placements across hospital and community settings, allowing doctors to gain broad experience before choosing a specialty. Roberts is expected to complete his training in South Wales.
The Foundation Programme follows medical school graduation and is required for full registration with the General Medical Council (GMC). It includes rotations in different specialties and ongoing assessments to ensure clinical competence and patient safety.
Jamie Roberts comes from a Welsh-speaking family and has spoken publicly about the importance of education alongside sport. His academic pursuits were supported throughout his rugby career, allowing him to balance professional athletics with long-term training in medicine.
Roberts is not the only elite athlete to transition into medicine. Several former rugby players and professional sportspeople in the UK and internationally have pursued medical careers after or alongside sports, using skills such as discipline, teamwork, and stress management developed during athletic careers.
Jack Kyle: An international rugby player from Ireland who became a surgeon after his rugby career.
Lise Leveille: An Olympic gymnast who transitioned to pediatric orthopaedic surgery after her athletic career.
Kevin Draxinger: An Olympic swimmer who became a physician after retiring from swimming.
You can find many examples like this in the history of Sports and Medicine.
These athletes have shown that a passion for sports can lead to a successful career in medicine, demonstrating the potential for a second lifein healthcare.
Roberts’ pathway highlights how medical education can be pursued flexibly, though it requires extended timelines and institutional support. UK medical graduates are permitted to defer foundation training for approved reasons, including professional commitments, provided regulatory requirements are met.
(Rh/TL)