Team Scotland netball player swaps Commonwealth Games for NHS

A Team Scotland netball star who competed in the Commonwealth Games will swap the court for hospital rounds on Monday, as she begins her new role as a doctor.

Rachel Conway is one of nearly 300 newly qualified doctors who are set to begin their foundation year one training programme at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

But Rachel had a rather unusual excuse for being absent last week, as she was competing as part of Team Scotland at the Hydro.

The 25-year-old graduated from the University of Glasgow in 2025, but chose to spend the past year in Australia preparing for the Games.

Playing netball since primary, she rose through the ranks before earning her first Scotland cap aged 17.

“I was pretty uncoordinated and think I progressed through the pathways mainly because I was tall and had some potential,” she said. “I’ve always been good at recognising my work-ons and working hard to improve.”

What was originally intended to be one more year with the national team during medical school developed into an international career spanning 37 senior caps, a World Cup and two Commonwealth Games

But Rachel says competing on home turf has been a highlight.

“Nothing compares to a home Games,” Rachel said. “We’ve been competing at the Hydro this week in front of record crowds. It’s such a cool venue to play in, and the turnout and noise from the crowd has been immense.

“We have met so many young netball fans and hopefully inspired some more girls and boys to take up the sport.”

While Monday marks the start of her NHS career, Rachel also plans to continue pursuing netball success with Team Scotland, with World Cup qualifiers later this year and the Netball World Cup in Sydney in 2027.

In between matches, training sessions and team commitments, Rachel has been completing online training modules and catching up on induction activities.

“I’ve been spending a lot of my free time at the Games catching up on what I’m missing,” she said. “It was always going to be a rapid turnaround from the closing ceremony and final Team Scotland celebrations on Sunday night to induction on Monday morning.”

Rachel hopes eventually to pursue GP training, potentially alongside work in sports medicine.

For now, though, she is looking forward to beginning her career as a doctor.

“I’m really excited and, like every other incoming FY1, a bit nervous,” she said. “After a few very busy years balancing netball and medical school, this last year away from medicine has been very restorative, but has also reminded me of how much I love medicine.”