Alumni Emma Vincent offers an interesting account of job roles and proves that applying to several opportunities in uncertain times, really can pay off,..

Juggling a career as a Sports Therapist and working for the NHS during a Pandemic

I left RMGS in 2016, after 7 years at the school. I left with 13 GCSE’s and 3 A levels, enabling me to secure my first choice place at The University of Kent to study BSC (Hons) Sports Therapy for 3 years. Throughout my whole time at university, I knew that getting a post-graduate job would be a lot more difficult unless I got a variety of experience to my name whilst studying, something which proved to be extremely valuable when final year came around.

From 2016-2020, I volunteered at 21 separate events, including working with Elite Football Clubs, The Army and assisting at the London Marathon. It was the combined time and effort put into gaining all of this experience that has helped me get to where I am today.

Post-Graduate

Fast forward to April 2019. I was 3 months away from graduating and I applied for my first job as Head Sports Therapist, in charge of all Medical Services at Gravesend Rugby Club. At first, I wasn’t sure about applying but in the end I went for it, which then concluded with me securing the job, 3 days later. My start date was arranged to be the week after graduation. To be able to say to my peers and lecturers that my first job was already secured in April was such an achievement as, for some, leaving university can be a very low point for graduates all searching for a job at the same time with the same degrees.

Alongside working at the rugby club, I am also running my sports therapy business, offering appointments to private clients at several locations including Gillingham Jumpers and Gravesend RFC. Everything was going extremely well until Covid 19 hit the UK, and the national lockdown meant my career came to an abrupt pause. At this point, I was worried about my future, more so financially and also whether my clientele would remain, so I took it upon myself to search and apply for as many jobs as possible to reassure myself that everything would be ok.

June 2020

After what felt like endless job applications and rejections for 3 months, I finally got a job offer of which I accepted straight away. I now work full time for the NHS, based at Medway Hospital. I am responsible for ensuring that the departments I cover have the patient’s notes ready for clinic appointments and surgeries. I also have to ensure they are fully prepared for the appointments. There have also been instances where A&E admissions in recent months have soared and I have had to assist in ensuring notes are with specific wards for inpatients.

More recently, I have been selected for internal progressions, which has involved training on other roles within my team. My work requires me to have constant contact with consultants, surgeons, secretaries and service managers at Medway Hospital, as well as Sittingbourne, Sheppey and Gravesham.

Working for the NHS is incredibly rewarding. My role may be a background role but the myriad of all these background roles is what contributes to the hospital working as efficiently as it does.

As we enter a second lockdown, my sports therapy work has paused yet again, however I am extremely grateful that I am in a position where I will still be able to work with both of the sports clubs I’m associated with, when we go back to a sense of normality again.

If I could give one bit of advice to any student at RMGS right now in these uncertain times, it would be to never give up, because you never know what route you may end up on. This time last year it never crossed my mind to even consider working for the NHS. Now, I cannot think of anywhere else I’d rather work, and actually everything worked out very well in the end despite the circumstances.

If you would like some more advice from Emma on her roles please contact Miss Jobbins.