How is Dr. Marshall Leonard coping with battling an unprecedented worldwide pandemic? By leaning on his background as a former athlete.
The former New England Revolution defender said the concept of working together as a group to achieve a common goal is at least similar during the coronavirus pandemic.
“I use the analogy to sports because that’s all my life was prior to medicine,” he said on SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt Wednesday. “I understand very quickly in medical school and my residency, you understand what sickness is, what death is, and you see that on a daily basis, really, in your residency. At the end of the day, you all have this common goal to get somebody healthy or at least calm their nerves in a stressful time.”
Leonard, who is starting his time as an attending physician in a New York City metropolitan-area hospital, said he’s “doing OK,” a few days into his job and the doctors are all “leaning on each other.”
Leonard, who spent six years with the Revs, including two as a starter, also has a unique perspective into the mentality of the athlete who’s season has either been put on hold or, like NCAA athletes, ended prematurely.
“As an athlete, I can just imagine not having a season all of a sudden,” he said. “One day you wake up and you just can’t finish out a championship. You work so hard for that.”
To that end, Leonard, who attended medical school and also did his ER residency at Stony Book University on Long Island, had a message for athletes from all sports during these uncertain times.
“I know it’s completely awkward, but use this time just to keep yourself in whatever shape possible, because when this is done, I’m telling you right now, we need you,” he said. “We’re doing our thing now, but after this we’re going to need you because we’re going to want to watch those games at a high level.”
You can hear more from Leonard when he sits down with former teammate Taylor Twellman for an interview.
