The Unexpected Similarities of Elite Sports and Medicine: Samantha “Sammy” Kolowrat, Olympic Athlete and Anesthesiology Resident at Vanderbilt University

What does it take to compete on the world's biggest stage and then pivot to one of the most demanding training paths in professional life? Today's guest, Samantha "Sammy" Kolowrat, has done both, and she has some fascinating insights into the commonalities of those two worlds on this episode of Raise the Line. “Something that really drew me to medicine is the team atmosphere that’s there as you work towards a common goal, and there's this level of intensity that’s very reminiscent of the experiences I had as a professional athlete.”

Originally from Prague, Kolowrat represented Czechia at six IIHF Women's World Championships and the 2022 Beijing Olympics, and also captained the Division I women's hockey team at the University of Vermont while earning degrees in biology and pharmacology. 

As she starts an anesthesiology residency at Vanderbilt University, she credits her athletic career with shaping how she handles pressure, feedback, and teamwork in medicine. "The more I improve, the more knowledge I acquire, the more skills I hone, the better care my patients get," she tells host Lindsey Smith, describing what drew her to a field that rewards the same relentless fine-tuning as elite sports.

This engaging conversation also explores:

• How crippling performance anxiety as a Division I athlete ended up preparing Kolowrat for the operating room;
• Why she was drawn to anesthesiology's "well-oiled machine" atmosphere;
• The mentorship gap she's working to close for the next generation of athlete-physicians.

Mentioned in this episode:

Vanderbilt University Anesthesiology Residency Program

If you like this podcast, please share it on your social channels. You can also subscribe to the series and check out all of our episodes at www.osmosis.org/podcast