Darius Fulghum & Dr. Gabe Rodriguez on boxing, healthcare work during COVID-19, and the postponement of the 2020 Olympics.

ARP member and emergency medical doctor Gabe Rodriguez spoke with fellow Texan, registered nurse, and Team USA boxer Darius Fulghum about the 2021 Olympics and how his medical education makes him a better fighter—until Fulghum flipped the script and started asking questions of his own. Check out their conversation below.

GR: You started boxing in 2015, and now you’re here with some of the top of boxers in the entire world. What’s the biggest challenge you had to overcome in your journey to success? DF: For me the biggest challenge was setting priorities. I had to choose what I really wanted and manage my time to fit those. It’s hard to do both nursing school and box at a very high level at the same time.

How do you think all of that nursing education has benefited you as a professional athlete? There is a lot of misinformation in the world of health—everything from how to exercise to how to eat to what supplements to take. [My nursing background] helped me weed out so much misinformation. You’ve got to take care of yourself. That’s the important part.

How do you think the postponement of the Olympic Games will affect the athletes’ performance, frame of mind, or training? This postponement can do a lot of damage to a training schedule and to general wellness. I think it’s going to affect us a lot and show who is really mentally tough and who really wants it. The big thing is routine. You have to readjust—it’s a messed up sleep schedule; it’s mentally draining. I’m happy that the Olympics didn’t get canceled and that they were just postponed for a year.

Just to represent the state of Texas is a big deal, but how does it feel to represent the entire United States of America? It’s a lot of pressure but I love it. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. When I was a kid, I used to think of people who are in the Olympics as superheroes. It’s an honor and a privilege, and it means a lot to represent our country. If I can represent our people, I’m happy about that.

DF: Okay, it’s my turn to ask questions. Tell me how this situation has affected you and your work? GR: I assume you’re talking about COVID-19. We’re in a lot of uncharted waters. We’re treating a virus that none of us know anything about, which is really weird because for a lot of the diseases and illnesses that we’ve been treating over the past several decades, we know the treatment plan and what works best and what not to do. A lot of the presentations of this virus are question marks. The protocols and policies are changing every day, and that shows how much we still don’t know.

Things are pretty scary right now, but you learn to appreciate the little things in life. I think that’s that’s what I’ve learned the most is to appreciate your friends, your health, and your family. I think it has brought a lot of humility to my personal life and to my practice of medicine.