POV podcast: How Joannie Rochette skated her way to med school
Olympic bronze medallist trading skates for stethoscope
Figure skating can open a lot of career doors — but doctor isn't one that immediately comes to mind.
Olympic bronze medallist Joannie Rochette, soon to be Dr. Rochette, says it's an easy fit. All those long, lonely hours of focus and practice set her up perfectly for all the long, lonely hours of studying in medical school.
Rochette's skating career was a glorious one — 2010 Olympic bronze, world champion silver medallist, Four Continents silver, Grand Prix Final bronze, six-time Canadian champion — but the moment that had Canadians holding their breath was when Rochette skated onto the podium at the Vancouver Olympics in 2010, only a couple of days after her mother's fatal heart attack.
The psychological strength Rochette displayed made her a famous symbol of emotional resilience. And in fact, it still makes for slightly awkward situations now, as new patients look at the white coated Rochette and slowly ask "Heeey... aren't you that figure skater...?"
Anastasia Buscis, two time Olympic speed skater and host of the Player's Own Voice podcast, curls up with Joannie Rochette in Montreal to get all the details.
- LISTEN |Joannie Rochette and watching career doors open
- Check out all the POV podcasts
Rochette is the latest elite athlete to share her story on the POV podcast, which takes an unconventional approach to sports conversations. Like CBC Sports' Player's Own Voice essay series, POV podcast lets athletes speak to Canadians about issues from a personal perspective.
With this episode, the podcast declares victory on season one and sets to working on returning with more friendly, funny and revealing glimpses of the inner workings of Canadian athletes later this spring. While that work is underway, the POV essay series continues...
Read athlete essays in the POV series
To hear the constantly growing list of athletes in conversation, you can subscribe to Player's Own Voice, free on iTunes, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and Tune In.