Jamie Roberts is not at his very best but juggling a medical degree and international rugby can't be easy...?

From the BBC

Wales centre Jamie Roberts has embarked on "two weeks from hell" as the climax to the Six Nations coincides with the end of his medical degree.

While the rest of the Wales squad can concentrate on Saturday's visit to Scotland, Roberts must also prepare for an exam two days later.

"I had a big weekend in the library this weekend," revealed Roberts. "It's tough, I won't lie, it's very tough.
"It's very demanding mentally more than anything, but I'm managing."

Roberts has long juggled the demands of professional rugby with his studies and has taken up all the allotted seven years to complete his degree at Cardiff University.

Well, Kudo's for doing it, it can be done though.

Jannie du Plessis is a medical doctor and studied whilst playing rugby.

You have to admire someone who has taken on what Jamie has & good luck to him in France.

He has been unfortunate with injuries & his subsequent form hasn't been at a high level for some time now. He divides opinion even amongst welsh supporters & definitely needs 2 big performances in the 6Ns to put his hand up for the Lions.

He won't be showcasing his talents with the Blues thereafter. More pressure!

Filipe Contepomi did the same thing in Dublin, Du Plessis did the same.

From all Ive heard pro rugby players get accomodated massively, and are treated very well in comparison to other students/doctors.

Contepomi reckoned rugby was the perfect escape from the doctorate, he got to work regular hours, train hard, switch off and eat well. He had siympathy for the doctors who didn't get the same treatment who had to pick up the slack, work the triple shifts, live off vending machines and live sleep deprived.

Not that I'm having a go at Jamie, comendable career choice, very hard work and huge comitments followed by another huge comitment of pro rugby, but a lot of people have done the same, with full time jobs, children etc..

PS Contepomi was in the form of his life in his final year!

How many hours a week does a standard professional commit to his club/country each week?

I ask the question as I wonder what it is like compared to life in the amateur days.
In those days guys weren't professional but they would be training 3 times a week and play 1 match on the weekend.

Some players would be working the standard 50hr week on top of all that and if they went on tour it would probably go as unpaid leave.

Not sure what is worse to be honest...

I just don't get this, he is a pro, off form, and playing poorly by all accounts. Talk about selfish, this is Welsh rugby, eother you are committed to it or go off and be a medic.

I imagine a lot of players are part-time students.

Roberts probably did his first year or two as standard so its probably a case of spreading out the rest along the maximum allocated time allowed by his uni.

Nothing wrong with that.

Players will have time to do other things outside of rugby... in fact its probably a good break.

100%beefy wrote:I just don't get this, he is a pro, off form, and playing poorly by all accounts. Talk about selfish, this is Welsh rugby, eother you are committed to it or go off and be a medic.

One of his esteemed predecessors at 12, Henson, did just that. Gave up the neurosurgery game to concentrate on rugby full time and didn't allow himself any outside distractions. Paid off massively in the 2005 6N. Don't know what he's doing now.

A fair few players manage two careers. Conrad Smith is a member of a Wellington law practice - he gets his Bar (when most other players are at other bars ) hours in in the off season. Richie McCaw is qualified as a pilot, and is likely to work in aviation when he retires.

Biltong wrote:Well, Kudo's for doing it, it can be done though.

Jannie du Plessis is a medical doctor and studied whilst playing rugby.

So are Brendan Venter and Feilpe Contepomi. Must be really tough to manage.

GunsGerms wrote:

Biltong wrote:Well, Kudo's for doing it, it can be done though.

Jannie du Plessis is a medical doctor and studied whilst playing rugby.

So are Brendan Venter and Feilpe Contepomi. Must be really tough to manage.

Yeah, Uli Schmidt did it in the amateur days.

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:A fair few players manage two careers. Conrad Smith is a member of a Wellington law practice - he gets his Bar (when most other players are at other bars ) hours in in the off season. Richie McCaw is qualified as a pilot, and is likely to work in aviation when he retires.

Conrad smith seems to be particularly smart for an AB though. Would like to see him as a pundit. Enjoy his interviews.

Lots of players have pilots licences. Tommy Bowe has one, a few Welsh guys too plus ex Ireland pro Victor Costello is a pilot with Ryanair. Nothing special really. All you have to do is put in the hours and in all fairness rugby players have lots of spare time.

Geoff Cross is also a qualified doctor I believe.

aye and matt scott is studying law, I think

fa0019 wrote:I imagine a lot of players are part-time students.

Roberts probably did his first year or two as standard so its probably a case of spreading out the rest along the maximum allocated time allowed by his uni.

Nothing wrong with that.

Players will have time to do other things outside of rugby... in fact its probably a good break.

Training only fills up a small portion of the day. Studying seems a more sensible use of the large amount of time available than playing on consoles. More players should be doing this.

thebluesmancometh wrote:....

Contepomi reckoned rugby was the perfect escape from the doctorate, he got to work regular hours, train hard, switch off and eat well. He had siympathy for the doctors who didn't get the same treatment who had to pick up the slack, work the triple shifts, live off vending machines and live sleep deprived.

Grrrr - its only a medical degree a doctorate is something else

Casartelli wrote:

100%beefy wrote:I just don't get this, he is a pro, off form, and playing poorly by all accounts. Talk about selfish, this is Welsh rugby, eother you are committed to it or go off and be a medic.

One of his esteemed predecessors at 12, Henson, did just that. Gave up the neurosurgery game to concentrate on rugby full time and didn't allow himself any outside distractions. Paid off massively in the 2005 6N. Don't know what he's doing now.

Doesn't necessarily mean a medical degree is any less then a doctorate. Takes the same length in time these days... 6 years. I think we all knew what Bluesman was talking about anyhow ... and in terms of hours I'd say its probably similar in terms of length of study required.

You can get doctorates in a whole range of non-important mickey mouse subjects which are far less impressive in my mind (not all but a significant number).

fa0019 wrote:Doesn't necessarily mean a medical degree is any less then a doctorate. Takes the same length in time these days... 6 years. I think we all knew what Bluesman was talking about anyhow ... and in terms of hours I'd say its probably similar in terms of length of study required.

You can get doctorates in a whole range of non-important mickey mouse subjects which are far less impressive in my mind (not all but a significant number).

They are just different things. Medical degrees are tough but they are taught. Doctorates may be simpler and may have taught aspects but ultimately they are about original research and are awarded based on a thesis and the defense of that thesis

As someone in Robert's position, i.e. sitting my final exams this week, it gets a lot more difficult when you get to the clinical years (out in hospital etc) If I remember correctly from what I heard from mates in Cardiff, he did the first 2 years as normal and then spread the rest out over 5 years instead of 3...

It's impressive as they may be taught but there's a hell of a lot of reading and work outside the curriculum that you need to do as well as all the time in hospital getting the skills you need! And then there's the debacle over our application to jobs next year... I'm sure he's got one sorted already in France though!

UlstermaninGlasgow wrote:As someone in Robert's position, i.e. sitting my final exams this week, it gets a lot more difficult when you get to the clinical years (out in hospital etc) If I remember correctly from what I heard from mates in Cardiff, he did the first 2 years as normal and then spread the rest out over 5 years instead of 3...

It's impressive as they may be taught but there's a hell of a lot of reading and work outside the curriculum that you need to do as well as all the time in hospital getting the skills you need! And then there's the debacle over our application to jobs next year... I'm sure he's got one sorted already in France though!

22 is quite young to be doing final medical exams. Fair deuce Doogie Howser.

GunsGerms wrote:

UlstermaninGlasgow wrote:As someone in Robert's position, i.e. sitting my final exams this week, it gets a lot more difficult when you get to the clinical years (out in hospital etc) If I remember correctly from what I heard from mates in Cardiff, he did the first 2 years as normal and then spread the rest out over 5 years instead of 3...

It's impressive as they may be taught but there's a hell of a lot of reading and work outside the curriculum that you need to do as well as all the time in hospital getting the skills you need! And then there's the debacle over our application to jobs next year... I'm sure he's got one sorted already in France though!

22 is quite young to be doing final medical exams. Fair deuce Doogie Howser.

Haha Guns I'll be 23 when I technically qualify, but I'm by no means the youngest... In Scotland some people start uni at 17, so they'll just be turning 22 when they're actual doctors...

Cipriani's managed to combine pro rugby with gigolo-ing. Much more demanding than just a medical degree (by all accounts).

Barney McGrew did it wrote:Cipriani's managed to combine pro rugby with gigolo-ing. Much more demanding than just a medical degree (by all accounts).

i know which anatomy i 'd rather be studying

100%beefy wrote:

Barney McGrew did it wrote:Cipriani's managed to combine pro rugby with gigolo-ing. Much more demanding than just a medical degree (by all accounts).

i know which anatomy i 'd rather be studying

From past history it seems that Cipriani's knowledge of anatomy isnt all that it should be

Lost

Only someone extremely proud of their Phd would quibble over a contribution with original research, and becoming an actual doctor!!!

Most guys I know who have done a doctorate only did so as a way of avoiding a real job, extending their masters...

If I start choking though lost... do me a favour and don't put your hand up in the resteraunt when asked

thebluesmancometh wrote:Lost

Only someone extremely proud of their Phd would quibble over a contribution with original research, and becoming an actual doctor!!!

Most guys I know who have done a doctorate only did so as a way of avoiding a real job, extending their masters...

If I start choking though lost... do me a favour and don't put your hand up in the resteraunt when asked

Dammit I cant resist. To be calling yourself an actual doctor you should have a PhD. Those guys with medical degrees are the imposters.

I don't know anyone who could have been a medical doctor and turned it down to do sciences at uni and subsequently a PhD.

I know a loads of science PhD's who followed their particular path because they didn't get into/flunked out of medical school.

"Those who can't...."

The strangest thing for me is how surgeons go from being called Dr back to Mr once they qualify as a surgeon. Sounds like a demotion.

GunsGerms wrote:The strangest thing for me is how surgeons go from being called dDr back to Mr once they qualify as a surgeon. Sounds like a demotion.

That's because surgeons used to be barbers too

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:The strangest thing for me is how surgeons go from being called dDr back to Mr once they qualify as a surgeon. Sounds like a demotion.

That's because surgeons used to be barbers too

Yup, and they get very angry if you call them Dr... My fav quote from a surgeon, "I worked very hard to become a Mr..."

My Dr has Mr on his business card. I recently queried this with him because I was concerned he was practicing without being qualified. When he informed me he was qualified to open people up for a living I shut TFU.

fa0019 wrote:Doesn't necessarily mean a medical degree is any less then a doctorate. Takes the same length in time these days... 6 years. I think we all knew what Bluesman was talking about anyhow ... and in terms of hours I'd say its probably similar in terms of length of study required.

You can get doctorates in a whole range of non-important mickey mouse subjects which are far less impressive in my mind (not all but a significant number).

Given that I have a doctorate and my wife a medical degree, this is a point of much mickey taking over the years.

1. A medical degree is less than a doctorate. It is a bachelors degree, even if you do get an honorary title at the end.

2. They don't take the same amount of time. A medical degree is usually 5 years (some med schools allow for a 6 year option), while a doctorate normally takes 7 to 9 (3 year bachelors, 1-2 for Masters, 3 in post for research, 0-1 writing up). Hours wise there are also a lot more to a doctorate, the medics I knew worked long hours, but so did the researchers.

Not that any of this really matters. I don't think it really has any significance beyond the banter between me and my wife, and others in a similar position.

More to the point, I really don't see why you can't do a medical degree part time and play pro rugby. As long as the uni are obliging (and they generally are, it looks good for them having pro sports players in their alumni). I suspect it would be a lot harder to work through his foundation years though.

Jack Kyle been mentioned yet? From what I heard he always juggled international rugby (one of the greatest 10's there ever was) with medicine. He was working as a doctor in Africa right up until a couple of years ago when he was in his mid 80's. Might still be doing it actually.

Do you think this is the reason Jamie can't lift his head up when he has the ball - the muscle memory from reading and studying just keep his eyes transfixed downwards

I know his exams are coming up, but surely practicing frontal lobotomies on his team mates is taking his revision too far

A World Cup and 3 Finals wrote:I know his exams are coming up, but surely practicing frontal lobotomies on his team mates is taking his revision too far

A useful skill when he is playing against Manu!

I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy

Groan........

Trying to juggle the study of female anatomy, playing rugby AND doing my 'O' levels was bloody murder.

NeilyBroon wrote:aye and matt scott is studying law, I think

He finished it last year round about the time of the Heino semi.

Victor Vito has a degree in classics and is studying for his law degree. Slipped in time for a WC too.

RuggerBoy wrote:Trying to juggle the study of female anatomy, playing rugby AND doing my 'O' levels was bloody murder.

Exactly where's my special circumstances form for balancing uni/rugby/eating/doing nothing?

Well I think its commendable that Roberts is going to earn a medical degree. Usually 4-5 years at uni, then 4 more years at medical school, including early specialisation. Then the hard part begins. And, in reality, the training never really ends.

For him, not sure how he structured his studies, but it must fill all his free time and his summers. Can't say the studies are why his performance is lower than in the past. But it is fair to say he is a very physical player who has taken (and given) a lot of punishment.

Henson's been studying twaatology since 2001, it's a pretty long and intense degree. It's definitely been a distraction for him.

Impressive. I once juggled a student's life with my rugby commitments. It wasn't pretty getting up before 12pm and getting myself sober.

Then again that's nothing compared to Richie McCaw. He has to captain the All Blacks and look after all of God's flock on this earth at the same time.

t1000advancedprototype wrote:Henson's been studying twaatology since 2001, it's a pretty long and intense degree. It's definitely been a distraction for him.

he is already guaranteed a 1st in Twaatology, some posters here might scrape a 2:1 or a 2:2 too.

Kill 'em and Cure 'em. Being a rugby playing Doc is special.

not sure about that Fly... the way JPR used to hit I imagine most of his victims were beyond repair.

Kinda my point fa0019. You kinda have to be a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde to be a rugby playing Doc... "I'll kill him first, then I'll get my bag of tricks and save him...."