J U L Y 2 0 1 9 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y. N E T • 6 5
You played 5 seasons in the NFL with the Detroit Lions and
Jacksonville Jaguars. What led you to pursue a career in anesthe-
sia when your playing days ended?
I graduated with a master of science in nursing from Alcorn State
University and entered the NFL as an undrafted rookie. N-F-L stands
for "Not For Long," so I always believed in setting myself up for life
after football. I was leaning toward entering emergency medicine until
my third year in medical school, when I worked alongside an anesthe-
siologist and observed what really goes on in the OR. It felt like home.
Why did you decide to study nursing in college?
My intent was to gain real-world clinical experience, which
would help me get into medical school. Working as a critical
care nurse during football offseasons allowed me to see
how different members of the medical team work together.
Nursing gave me incredible opportunities to learn about
anatomy, pharmacology, clinical medicine and
how to communicate effectively with patients.
That background has proved invaluable.
How did your NFL career prepare you
for medical school?
Many people are unaware of how
much preparation and studying goes
into playing football. On the first day
of training camp, you receive a play-
etired Wide Receiver
Catching On in the OR
R
Nate Hughes, MD
Former NFLer and future anesthesiologist
