In July 2024, the Medtildas made history at the inaugural Women’s World Medical Football Cup (WMFC), where the Australian women’s green team were crowned world champions after a hard-fought 2–0 victory over Canada in the grand final. The event brought together 750 doctors from 20 countries in a celebration of sport, medicine, and international camaraderie. With six Australian teams competing—two proudly representing the Medtildas—Australia now heads into the 2025 WMFC in Ireland as the reigning champions.
We caught up with Medtildas player Dr Teresa Yu to hear about her journey, and explore how sport plays a powerful role in supporting the health and wellbeing of doctors.
Personal Background and Journey
1. Can you tell us a little about your journey in medicine and how you became involved with the Medtildas?
After completing internship and residency I did a year of critical care and rotated through anaesthetics, intensive care and emergency medicine. At this point I realised shift work wasn’t for me, so I took a year off to re-evaluate and planned to travel South America. COVID had other plans, so I worked as a locum medical registrar in rural NSW instead. I found myself enjoying it, so I went and completed Basic Physician Training. After that I took another year off to satisfy that travel bug and now back working full time in Rheumatology Advanced Training.
I became involved with the Medtildas after a friend from the Docceroos, the Australian men’s medical team, told me they were starting a women’s competition. A big shout out to the Docceroos who took the initiative to kick off the first Women’s World Medical Football Cup in 2024.
2. Balancing a medical career and competitive sports must be challenging. How do you manage your time and energy between the two?
In medical school I found it tough to balance outdoor football with part time work and full time study so I switched to futsal which required less commitment. But now that the Medtildas exists, I have really enjoyed going back to outdoor again, and I see my time playing football as a great stress relief from work and something I can do to maintain my own health. It is also certainly easier to balance now that I am no longer doing shiftwork, being seconded rurally and even interstate every 3 months, and have finished with specialist exams.
It can still be difficult to find the time with all the after-work meetings, research, presentations and overtime we do as doctors – but I choose to join teams that are understanding, and I just do my best to make it work.
The WMFC Experience
1. What was it like competing in the first-ever Women’s World Medical Football Cup?
It was fantastic. We didn’t know what to expect- I remember walking into the opening ceremony and being blown away at the scale of it all. Everything was new and exciting – from singing our national anthem at our first game, to being in the crowd and supporting the Aussie men, to meeting other doctors from around the world. And because it was a home world cup, we had friends, children, partners, parents and even grandparents watching us, which made it even more special.
2. How did it feel to win the grand final against Canada and be crowned world champions?
In a word: incredible. When the whistle blew and it was all over, both our teams streamed onto the field, and everyone was absolutely elated. To have our friends and family there to celebrate made the victory extra sweet. We had also lost to Canada in the group stages a few days before, so it was good to get one back!
3. With 750 doctors from 20 countries participating, what was the atmosphere like at the event?
Suffice to say it was a vibe. Many new friends were made, many gifts exchanged, and many friendly rivalries were born. Some games were certainly more raucous than others – we watched as the Costa Rican men defeat the Canadians on penalties in amongst a sea of vuvuzelas and air horns. We cheered as the Docceroos equalised in the semi-finals after a rousing rendition of Waltzing Matilda initiated by a New Zealander in the crowd. And of course, the atmosphere was electric when we went on stage and lifted that trophy after being crowned the first ever Women’s WMFC Champions.
The Impact of Sports on Medicine
1. How does participating in soccer benefit your work as a doctor?
I think most of the girls would agree that playing football is a great form of stress relief. Having mental time off away from work, study, exams, teaching commitments, research, presentations and conferences can keep you from becoming overwhelmed with everything that is being asked of you. It is a lovely reminder that life exists outside of medicine and regardless of whether you have gotten onto a training program or whether you have failed an exam, your team and the sport will always be there.
2. Do you think events like the WMFC help raise awareness about the importance of doctors maintaining their physical and mental well-being?
Absolutely. It isn’t just about fun and games or winning a trophy. It’s about looking after ourselves, and maintaining social connections with other people who are going through similar journeys. Medicine is tough and the reality is that most of us will know a doctor who has died by suicide.
For every player on the team, there are a group of doctors who we work with that see us prioritising ourselves and our physical and mental health. I think that this creates a new normal where we are encouraged to continue with our passions and strive for success in other aspects of our lives. Gone should be the days where doctors were expected to dedicate their lives to the work only to burn out in the most tragic of ways.
3. What lessons from the soccer field do you find applicable in your medical practice?
The first would be that teamwork makes the dream work. At work, patients get the best care when there is a positive working culture. It doesn’t matter if it’s the intern who is struggling, or the registrar is being mean, or the consultant is non-contactable- all of these individual components contribute to mistakes and poor patient care. Similarly on the field I find that it’s not about having the world’s best striker, or the most agile goal keeper – it’s about supporting each other, and creating an environment where we can all learn and grow together as team.
The second would be the importance of being kind. People respond best to constructive and supportive feedback whether it’s the struggling intern or a rusty football player who hasn’t played outdoor in ten years!
Looking Ahead to 2025
1. As reigning champions, how is the team preparing for the 2025 WMFC in Ireland?
We have monthly training sessions leading up to the next world cup, and two of these involve competitions. Our first was in Sydney, were we played against local teams as well as the men’s Masters squads, and our most recent was in Hobart where we competed against teams from the police force and other emergency services. Our next will be back in Sydney where we will be competing against Transplant International FC – a team comprising patients who have had a transplant as well as living donors. This one will be an exhibition match so if you are in Sydney, please come watch!
2. How do you think the success of the Medtildas will inspire more women in medicine to get involved in sports?
I think it will show other women in medicine that they can still play sport and maintain successful careers. On our team we have specialists who juggle football, work and motherhood, and we also have surgeons in training who have played at competitive levels in Australia and abroad. But mostly I hope the Medtildas show other women in medicine that you don’t need to be an elite athlete to play, because most of us just played Sunday soccer to have a bit of a fun and a break from work.
Reflections and Advice
1. What was the most memorable moment of the 2024 WMFC for you?
When we won the grand final, and both our women’s teams ran onto the pitch. There was screaming, there was singing, there was jumping, and I’m pretty sure there was also a bit of crying from our coach.
2. What advice would you give to medical professionals who want to balance their careers with pursuing a passion like soccer?
My advice would be to go easy on yourself and allow some flexibility. There may be times when you cannot train or play as much as you want to, and that’s okay. We are such perfectionists in medicine, but the reality is our careers can be extremely demanding and ultimately any training is better than no training.
Also, remembering that success in your career is not necessarily distinct from your passions. Doing things that bring you joy is key to your mental health, and you are most likely to succeed when you are healthy and happy because it shows. Training programs are also increasingly beginning to recognise this, with entry applications often requiring candidates to demonstrate that they have interests outside of medicine. So don’t forget to enjoy your life as well.
