Canadian NFL lineman becomes a doctor
MONTREAL McGill University has played a major role in Laurent Duvernay-Tardif ’s life, but the Kansas City Chiefs lineman and newly minted M.D. said Tuesday that the school wasn’t his first choice.
“My English was really terrible and I applied to all the French schools, but I missed the interviews because I put the wrong date in my agenda,” the MontSt-Hilaire native said after he picked up his medical degree at the school’s spring convocation. “McGill wasn’t my first choice but I ended up here and, at the beginning, I thought I would stop playing football and focus on learning the language and being a doctor. But I wouldn’t be here and in Kansas City if it weren’t for McGill.”
His graduation Tuesday was the culmination of an eight-year quest and Duvernay-Tardif said collecting his degree ranked ahead of earning a starting spot in the NFL with a five-year contract worth US$42 million.
“I think this is the first time I’m really proud of myself, I’ve made it,” the 27-year-old said. “Football is an awesome opportunity in the sense that not everyone can play football and live off it. But being a doctor is more than that. You get to change things, you get to treat people. It’s an honour to be a member of that community and I take the responsibility seriously. I want to be known as a good doctor.
“I love both (football and medicine) but I also think it’s important to build a career that you can do for a long time and medicine is that. To do something that you love and are passionate about for 40 years is important. Football isn’t that.”
Duvernay-Tardif said one of his goals is to be a role model. He has a foundation that promotes physical fitness for youngsters and he has asked the Chiefs if he can put “DR.” in front of his name on his uniform.
“One of the cool things about doing both is to show people that you can do it,” he said. “For all those kids out there who are questioning themselves about whether they should go to school to pursue hockey or football and still study
something like medicine, now there’s someone who’s done it. I want to show you can be a studentathlete. I believe balance is the key to success.”
Duvernay-Tardif has engaged in a balancing act during the past four years, moving back and forth between Kansas City and his studies in Montreal.
“I was coming back to Montreal as an NFL player and the spotlight is shining on you,” he said. “But you’re starting your next round of medical studies and it’s something
more than football. It gives you a perspective.”
Duvernay-Tardif said the last hurdle to obtaining his degree was the Medical Council of Canada exam and it was stressful.
The next step is a residency. Duvernay-Tardif said he hopes he can work out a program at McGill, but he’s not sure when or how it’s going to happen. He said being a parttime resident might be difficult, but he’s managed to find a way before.