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15 Pro Athletes Who Became Doctors
Ariel Harsinay; Anya Romanowski, MS, RD; Ryan Syrek, MA | July 24, 2018
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15 Pro Athletes Who Became Doctors
Ariel Harsinay; Anya Romanowski, MS, RD; Ryan Syrek, MA | July 24, 2018 | Contributor Information
Although athletes like Deion Sanders and Bo Jackson became famous for their success in two sports, having success in two completely separate careers is equally impressive. Over the years, athletes from a wide variety of sports have traded their helmets and pads for stethoscopes, pursuing the field of medicine after their time on the field ended. Here is a look at some athletes-turned-doctors we think you should know.
Image courtesy of Laurent Duvernay-Tardif
15 Pro Athletes Who Became Doctors
Ariel Harsinay; Anya Romanowski, MS, RD; Ryan Syrek, MA | July 24, 2018 | Contributor Information
Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, a current offensive lineman for the Kansas City Chiefs, was one of this year's medical school graduates. Duvernay-Tardif graduated from McGill University Faculty of Medicine in the spring of 2018. As he told Medscape, he is currently planning on participating in Match Day 2019. However, Duvernay-Tardif just signed a $41 million, 5-year contract with the Chiefs last year. As the National Football League's (NFL's) only active MD, Duvernay-Tardif must balance his future as a doctor with his present as a starter on a team that won their division just last year.
Image courtesy of Alamy
15 Pro Athletes Who Became Doctors
Ariel Harsinay; Anya Romanowski, MS, RD; Ryan Syrek, MA | July 24, 2018 | Contributor Information
Lise Leveille is a gymnast who represented Canada in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia. Leveille studied biomechanical engineering and human biology at Stanford University in California while participating as a member of the school's gymnastics team. After graduating from Stanford and competing in the Olympics, Leveille attended the Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, in Canada. Leveille is currently using her athletic background in treating sports injuries as an orthopedic surgery specialist in Dallas, Texas.
Image courtesy of Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images
15 Pro Athletes Who Became Doctors
Ariel Harsinay; Anya Romanowski, MS, RD; Ryan Syrek, MA | July 24, 2018 | Contributor Information
Between his graduation from the University of Alberta (Canada) Faculty of Medicine and his last year of residency, Randy Gregg represented Canada in hockey at the 1980 and 1984 Olympics. He also won five Stanley Cups as a defenseman for the Edmonton Oilers. Gregg also decided to apply his athletic experience to medicine by working as a primary care physician at the Edmonton Sports Institute.
Image courtesy of Bettmann/Getty Images
15 Pro Athletes Who Became Doctors
Ariel Harsinay; Anya Romanowski, MS, RD; Ryan Syrek, MA | July 24, 2018 | Contributor Information
Tony Adamle earned his medical degree from Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, during his off-seasons from playing as a linebacker and fullback for the Cleveland Browns. Adamle helped win five championships for the Browns before deciding to retire from football in 1954, when he began practicing sports medicine. In addition to his private practice, Adamle also served as the team doctor for Kent State University in Ohio, where he received his undergraduate degree.
Image courtesy of AP Photo/Michael Manning
15 Pro Athletes Who Became Doctors
Ariel Harsinay; Anya Romanowski, MS, RD; Ryan Syrek, MA | July 24, 2018 | Contributor Information
Despite contracting polio at a young age and becoming paralyzed from the waist down, William Tan was able to graduate from Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and rack up three gold medals at the Paralympics. Tan was the first person to complete a marathon in a wheelchair and currently holds six marathon world records. In 2010, Tan achieved his best time paracycling, despite going through treatment for stage IV leukemia. Tan received his medical degree from the Mayo Clinic, and when he is not competing in marathons he works as a neuroscientist and motivational speaker.
Image courtesy of AP Photo
15 Pro Athletes Who Became Doctors
Ariel Harsinay; Anya Romanowski, MS, RD; Ryan Syrek, MA | July 24, 2018 | Contributor Information
For Myron Rolle, former safety for the Tennessee Titans, concerns about concussions in the NFL inspired him to pursue a neurosurgery residency at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital. Rolle aims to find a common ground between neurosurgery and football, specifically by mentoring younger players on proper equipment and practices to avoid concussions and brain injury.
Image courtesy of Reg Innell/Toronto Star via Getty Images
15 Pro Athletes Who Became Doctors
Ariel Harsinay; Anya Romanowski, MS, RD; Ryan Syrek, MA | July 24, 2018 | Contributor Information
On his resume, Pat McGeer can include professional basketball player, physician, politician, author, researcher, and professor. McGeer played basketball for the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Canada and also represented Canada in the 1948 London Olympics. After serving as the mayor of Vancouver, among several other political positions in Canada, McGeer returned to UBC to study medicine. McGeer and his wife Edith are the authors of over 760 scientific publications, and currently codirect an Alzheimer disease research lab at UBC that is widely considered the leading authority in Alzheimer treatment and prevention.
Image courtesy of Wikimedia
15 Pro Athletes Who Became Doctors
Ariel Harsinay; Anya Romanowski, MS, RD; Ryan Syrek, MA | July 24, 2018 | Contributor Information
John Brallier became one of the world's first professional football players after joining the United States' first formal football team in 1895. Although Brallier was initially reluctant to join, he was convinced to become the quarterback after being told he would receive $10 per game, making him the world's first paid professional football player. After finishing his career in 1907, Brallier went on to practice dentistry.
Image courtesy of AP Photo/Ed Reinke
15 Pro Athletes Who Became Doctors
Ariel Harsinay; Anya Romanowski, MS, RD; Ryan Syrek, MA | July 24, 2018 | Contributor Information
Amy Chow was a member of the "Magnificent Seven," the first team to win the United States a gold medal in Olympic gymnastics. Chow competed in the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Games while simultaneously earning her medical degree from Stanford University. Chow has two gymnastic skills that bear her name and was the first Asian American to earn a gold medal in gymnastics. Chow currently owns a pediatric private practice with her husband in northern California.
Image courtesy of Wikimedia
15 Pro Athletes Who Became Doctors
Ariel Harsinay; Anya Romanowski, MS, RD; Ryan Syrek, MA | July 24, 2018 | Contributor Information
Dan Fortmann played guard for Colgate University's football team in Hamilton, New York, before being drafted by the Chicago Bears. Although many NFL officials were skeptical of drafting Fortmann because of his small stature, he proved to be a valuable asset. While playing for the Bears, Fortmann attended the University of Chicago Medical School in Illinois. Fortmann graduated in 1940 and became a surgeon, later serving as the team doctor for the Los Angeles Rams.
Image courtesy of AP Photo/Felipe Dana
15 Pro Athletes Who Became Doctors
Ariel Harsinay; Anya Romanowski, MS, RD; Ryan Syrek, MA | July 24, 2018 | Contributor Information
Seun Adigun ran track and field at the University of Houston in Texas, and later went on to participate in the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) championships and represent Nigeria at the 2012 London Olympics. After moving on from track, Adigun founded the first Nigerian bobsled team, which became the first African team to compete in bobsledding in the Olympics, and was the first-ever athlete to compete for Nigeria in the Winter Olympics. Adigun recently received her degree from the Texas Chiropractic College in Pasadena, and plans on opening a private practice after retiring from sports.
Image courtesy of AP Photo/Charlie Flagg
15 Pro Athletes Who Became Doctors
Ariel Harsinay; Anya Romanowski, MS, RD; Ryan Syrek, MA | July 24, 2018 | Contributor Information
From 1968 to 1981, Bill Lenkaitis led a double life. While a lineman for the New England Patriots, during the off-season, he earned his dental degree from the University of Tennessee College of Medicine in Memphis. After graduating in 1973, Lenkaitis spent his days off from his dental practice by working out on the football field with the Patriots.
Image courtesy of Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
15 Pro Athletes Who Became Doctors
Ariel Harsinay; Anya Romanowski, MS, RD; Ryan Syrek, MA | July 24, 2018 | Contributor Information
After winning the gold medal for figure skating at the 1956 Winter Olympics, Tenley Albright turned down a career in skating to pursue a career in medicine. Albright attended Harvard Medical School as one of only five women in her class. She went on to become a surgeon and faculty member at Harvard, and currently directs an initiative at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge that focuses on public policy issues in health and medicine. In addition to her Olympic gold medal, Albright earned five national titles and two world titles as a figure skater.
Image courtesy of The Detroit News
15 Pro Athletes Who Became Doctors
Ariel Harsinay; Anya Romanowski, MS, RD; Ryan Syrek, MA | July 24, 2018 | Contributor Information
In 1955, the first pick for the Detroit Lions was Dave Middleton, a halfback from Auburn University in Alabama. While playing football, Middleton attended the University of Tennessee College of Medicine, where he graduated 4 years after being drafted by the Lions. He was named one of the best receivers in the NFL, and after playing for the Lions for 6 years Middleton retired and opened an obstetrics and gynecology practice in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Image courtesy of Wikimedia
15 Pro Athletes Who Became Doctors
Ariel Harsinay; Anya Romanowski, MS, RD; Ryan Syrek, MA | July 24, 2018 | Contributor Information
The only NFL player and licensed physician to ever win the Heisman Trophy is Les Horvath, former quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams and Cleveland Browns. Horvath played football while earning his dental degree from Ohio State University in Columbus. He graduated from Ohio State in 1945, and after 3 years of professional football retired and opened a dental practice in Los Angeles. Horvath was the first Ohio State Buckeye to win the Heisman Trophy, as well as one of the only two Heisman winners who later became dentists.
From Medical School Classrooms to the NFL Playing Field: An Interview With Laurent Duvernay-Tardif
In May, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif became the first active NFL player to hold an MD. On the field and in medical school, the key to his success is balance.Expert Interview, June 2018
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