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Rowing for gold: what it takes to be an olympic doctor
It takes a certain something to be an Olympic athlete. The same can be said of Olympic doctors. As well as being the best in their field, they work just as tirelessly and relentlessly as the athletes themselves to deliver the best care they possibly can. After all, national glory is at stake. Few clinicians get the privilege to work with patients who are as passionate about succeeding as them.
Fewer doctors can claim to have been athletes themselves – and even fewer have won Gold for their country. Dr. Richard Budgett is an Olympic gold medalist and medical and scientific director to the International Olympic Committee. He was part of the British coxed fours that won the gold medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
Ahead of his 13th at Rio de Janeiro this summer, Dr. Budgett shared his unique perspective on sports medicine’s evolution since 1984, and the way he sees healthcare going beyond the Games. “Back then [in 1984], there was just a team doctor and maybe a physiotherapist. That was pretty much it,” remembers Dr. Budgett. “There was no multidisciplinary team. We really had no knowledge of nutrition or recovery compared to what we have now… we were very much on our own.”
Throughout his career, Dr. Budgett has seen sports medicine go from a niche specialty to a cutting edge field using the latest medical tech in the world. Every detail of an athlete’s biology, biomechanics, training, psychology and nutrition are taken into account to make sure they are at their absolute peak come Games time. “I still have, I hope, an understanding of what the athletes and coaches actually need at the Games,” said Dr. Budgett. “I think people who have committed lots of time and effort to their sport will just have a gut understanding of what’s involved and the sacrifice it takes to succeed, and the joy of competing to your best. And if you’re lucky, the joy of winning, as well.”
(www.gehealthcare.com. Adaptado.)
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