Robert McNamara, MD, professor and chair of the emergency medicine department at Philadelphia-based Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine, credits his success as a young physician to his participation in dragon boat competitions, according to The Temple News.
Dr. McNamara said he began competing in dragon boating events in 1984 after learning about the sport from a newspaper advertisement during residency, the report states. He has served as the coach of the Philadelphia Dragon Boat Association since 1986.
Dragon boat teams are composed of 20 members who aim to race across certain distances in the shortest possible time. The sport, which originated in China, is similar to crew, or rowing, in the U.S.
Though he had no prior experience with dragon boating, Dr. McNamara said he used be on a rowing team in college. He credits his previous rowing experience to helping him complete his medical school education and become a successful physician.
"I believe my rowing experience in college helped me get into medical school by necessitating a disciplined approach to studying and schoolwork given the time commitment of rowing," Dr. McNamara told The Temple News.
Dr. McNamara has since led his team to several national and world championships. His team is scheduled to compete at the 2017 International Dragon Boat Federation World Championships in China Oct. 18 through Oct. 22.