15 minutes with . . .

England women's football team doctor

Authors: Amy Greensill 

Publication date:  08 Dec 2007

Pippa Bennett is the national governing body doctor for the England women's football teams, having studied sports medicine at Bath.

Tell me a bit about your medical career so far?

I was an undergraduate at Leeds and qualified in 1990. I did general practitioner vocational training in Kent before becoming a GP partner at Barnard Medical Practice, where I stayed for five years. I then studied for a masters degree in sports medicine at Bath University. My dissertation was on anterior cruciate injuries in female footballers. I am a member of the Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine, and I am on the Football Association and British Olympic Association medical committees and an executive member of the British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine.

Did you always want to be a doctor and involved in sport and exercise medicine?

I knew I wanted to be a doctor from sixth form onwards. I always loved sport and had a childhood dream of playing at Wembley. I realised that I could make a career in sport and exercise medicine so I left general practice in 2000 and, like many sports doctors, I have been building my portfolio career ever since.

Tell me what your job entails?

Day to day I oversee the medical welfare of all the women's squads: the senior, under 23, under 19, under 17, and under 15 squads. Together with my medical colleagues, our head physiotherapist, and head exercise scientist, we coordinate training programmes and rehabilitation programmes, arrange referrals, and assess injured and ill players. We then advise the head coaches for each squad about a player's fitness for selection. I travel with the senior squad to all fixtures. In 2008 this will mean trips to Spain, Northern Ireland, and Belarus. Success will mean England qualifying for the European championship in Finland in 2009. This year I have spent around 100 days on the road with the senior team.

What's the best part of your job?

The best part of my job is helping others to achieve their dreams. My dream of playing at Wembley is long gone. It is fantastic to stand and sing the national anthem while being paid to be there.

And the worst part?

The worst part of the job is, like many other aspects of medicine, telling athletes bad news. It may not be life and death, but when an athlete has worked hard for a major event only to break her leg two days before the event, as happened before the FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) women's world cup, it is still a hard thing to manage.

Do you think it's harder for women to get into sport and exercise medicine than men?

I don't think it is harder for women. There may still be some barriers in certain male dominated sports, some football club managers may be somewhat old school, but the barriers are slowly being broken down. Within the profession itself there are equal opportunities for men and women to be involved in a wide range of sports.

Is it hard to combine a job in sports medicine with bringing up a family?

One drawback to being a team physician is that I am away from home a fair amount. I was away at the world cup for five weeks. Thankfully my two sons love sport and will often have great seats to watch major games. I continually check with the boys if they mind me doing my job. I am glad to say that they seem quite proud.

Do you play much sport? What's your favourite sport to play and watch?

I played all sorts at school but mainly hockey, netball, tennis, and javelin. At Leeds University I played hockey (not very well). My love is football though. I took it up again when I left university and played in the lower London leagues for some years before injury and age caught up with me. I love watching lots of sports, but for my sins I am a lifelong Aston Villa fan.

What has been the highlight of your career?

Being part of a fantastic team, staff, and players at the 2007 FIFA women's world cup.

Any advice for people hoping to work in sports medicine?

With the specialty recognition of sport and exercise medicine the future is bright. Information on how training is to be organised is on the faculty and British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine websites. I would encourage all those wishing to pursue a career in sport and exercise medicine to join the association and go on an introductory course and to get a good general medical training. Then you should apply for a sport and exercise medicine training scheme and also do a master of science degree in sport and exercise medicine. While doing all of this get as much experience with your local sports doctors as you can and keep healthy and sporty.

Amy Greensill third year medical student  a.c.greensill@liv.ac.uk University of Liverpool