In this careers series, Martina Mulhall, Gold Star Careers, speaks with high-profile figures across a range of industries to explore the stories behind their success.
From early career choices to pivotal moments, challenges overcome, and advice for the next generation, every interview offers a personal insight into the many different paths a career can take.
This week we turn our attention to Portlaoise powerhouse Dr Eimear Corri Fallon.
Some people dream of playing for their country. Others dream of becoming a doctor.
Eimear Corri Fallon went ahead and did both. Her life has been a high-speed switch between the rugby pitch and the hospital ward, and now she’s chasing a World Cup win for Ireland.
It hasn’t been a straight path: two serious ankle injuries once kept her off the pitch for years, forcing her to rethink her game, switch positions, and rebuild her speed and agility from scratch.
But with a background in Sports Science & Health, a medical degree, and a mindset shaped by resilience and perspective, she’s learned to see every match as a privilege.
In this week’s careers interview, Eimear shares how she’s balanced hospital shifts and high-performance rugby, bounced back from setbacks, and why believing in yourself can be the most powerful play of all.
1 – What was your very first job, and what did it teach you?
My first degree was a Bachelor of Science in Sports Science and Health.
As I graduated in 2020 during the COVID 19 era, I never formally worked within the sporting domain, but this course highlighted my interest in human physiology and the ways in which we can manipulate human physiology to achieve our desired goals, be that sports specific adaptations to optimise performance or treat disease as in the medical field.
Balancing academics and a sporting career taught me invaluable life skills such as time-management, discipline and resilience.
Committing to both sports and academics meant that I had to be very organised with completing my assignments and course requirements alongside a training and competitive rugby schedule.
It also taught me a lot on a personal level, about my mental resilience and commitment. With plenty of distractions from the lively social scene in college, I remained focused on my sporting goals and the sacrifices necessary to achieve these goals.
I was delighted to make my senior debut for the Leinster Senior Women’s Team who won the interprovincial championship during my first year of college, whilst also winning multiple All Ireland Intervarsity Women’s Rugby titles across both 15’s and 7’s throughout my 4 years at Dublin City University.
2 – Did you always know you wanted to work in this field, or did your career path evolve over time?
It was in the final years of my Bachelor of Science in Sports Science and Health degree, that I began to consider pursuing a career in Medicine.
Although it was daunting beginning another degree, the continuous advancements in medicine and ever evolving evidence basis behind best practices in medicine was something that intrigued me and I knew it was a career I would find fulfilling.
The fact that there are so many specialties within the field of medicine was another aspect that excited me, with a wide range of future opportunities and careers stemming from a degree in Medicine.
I have just completed my medical internship between Naas General and Tallaght University Hospital and whilst it was challenging, it was very enjoyable gaining more clinical exposure and becoming more proficient in my procedural skills.
I’m still not fully committed to any specialty, but I have chosen to pursue a medical specialty rather than a surgical profession. I will commence further training before choosing to specialise in a particular area.
3 – Was there a turning point or moment that shaped your career most significantly?
In 2017 I suffered a nasty ankle injury during a rugby match, which required surgery. This was my first serious injury that sidelined me for the best part of 2 years.
Prior to this injury, I was predominantly focused on my personal rugby goals and much of my value and self-worth stemmed from rugby successes and achieving these goals.
However, through injury I realised how unpredictable sport is and how quickly a sporting career can be taken away. I was forced to do a lot of psychological work on my thought processes and mindset.
Through working with a sports psychologist, I shifted my mindset from determining my value and worth from my rugby successes to viewing any rugby opportunities as a privilege and grasping them wholeheartedly as if they were to be my last.
This came with a sense of freedom – I played for my enjoyment of the game rather than to achieve a specific goal and the more I enjoyed playing, the better my performances were.
I genuinely consider this injury to be a pivotal moment in my career and I still adopt this mindset every time I walk onto the pitch.
4 – What’s one challenge you faced in your career, and how did you overcome it?
Unfortunately I sustained a nasty ankle injury in a club game early in my playing career which saw me out of action for a year. Just as I returned to competitive action with my club Blackrock College RFC, I fractured my other ankle and was once again sidelined for the remainder of the season.
While I wasn’t on the pitch, this time on the sidelines made me realise my love for the game and my desire to give all I could to fulfil my dream of playing at
international level. Along with rehabbing my injuries with a physiotherapist, I reached out to a sports psychologist to assist with psychologically addressing my injury.
This allowed me to focus on my life off the pitch and I developed my identity outside of being a rugby player, enabling me to feel more-rounded and giving me the confidence that if I got injured again, my self-worth wasn’t grounded on my rugby successes.
To this day, I still employ the mantras and skills that I learned through working with a sports psychologist and I firmly believe this enables me to enjoy every moment on the pitch.
Returning from injury was not without its difficulties and the agility and speed I once possessed was no longer as fluid as it was pre-injury.
This (along with my height I’m sure) is ultimately what influenced a unique positional transition from winger to second row.
I subsequently made my Leinster Debut as a second row in January 2023 and to date have won 2 interprovincial titles and achieved 4 international caps in the 2nd row.
5 – How important were education and qualifications in getting to where you are today?
Education and qualifications have been huge in getting to where I am today. Throughout my studies, I gained both an academic education along with huge personal growth and insight.
The knowledge I attained from my BSc Sports Science and Health allows me to understand the principles behind training and how to optimally achieve my sporting goals.
It was also a very broad comprehensive course, with a huge spectrum of career opportunities or room for further study (as in my case) on graduation.
On a personal note, skills such as time-management, self- discipline and resilience were all fostered during my third level education and have enabled me to achieve my successes as both a medical doctor and international rugby player.
6 – What does a typical day look like in your role—or is there no such thing?
- 6:15am wake up and breakfast
- 6:45am Leave for the hospital
- 7:15am Arrive at the hospital
- 7:15am – 6pm Work in hospital
- 6pm Dinner in the hospital and leave for training
- 7-9pm Rugby Training
- 9-9:30pm Drive home
- 9:30 – 10pm Shower and snack.
- 10:30pm Sleep
7 – Who inspired or mentored you along the way, and what did you learn from them?
Without being too cringe, every coach I have had has been a mentor to me and has played a part in my journey.
More recently, from changing positions from the wing to second row, I learned a lot from previous Blackrock College RFC coaches Ben Martin and Philip Doyle.
Their patience and guidance during this time was unwavering and facilitated my learning of forwards positioning and the technical aspects of the scrum and lineout.
Their support and belief in me encouraged me to persevere and I was delighted to make my Leinster Debut as a second row in January 2023 and earn my first international cap in October 2024 in the inaugural WXV3 Competition in Dubai.
My sports psychologist is also a hugely valued mentor to me and through her work I have gained self-confidence and self-belief.
I have learned that I can be fully committed to my sporting career while simultaneously also not allowing my successes/failures to determine my self-worth.
My parents and husband have been a major influence in both my personal and sporting life. Without their constant encouragement and support through the highs and lows I wouldn’t have even dreamed of achieving some of the successes that I have.
8 – What advice would you give to Leaving Cert students who aren’t sure what they want to do yet? Or to adults seeking a career change?
For leaving certificate students, I would say to ensure you follow your interests and passions. Studying and working will be challenging at times, but if it’s in a field your genuinely interested in, then that itself will be a source of motivation and enjoyment.
I would also encourage leaving certificate students to pursue their own career path and not merely follow that of their friends and peers.
Yes, it may be daunting but you will not be alone starting a new level of education and I guarantee you will meet like-minded people who will become life-long friends.
For those seeking a career change, I would say that time spent following new interests or passions will be time well spent.
Having gone back to complete a second degree, I personally know that it is not without its own challenges, but often previous working experience combined with new knowledge gives you a unique versatile skillset that makes.
You more valuable to employers. Pursuing something you’re passionate about or always wanted to learn can also be massively fulfilling and who knows what opportunities may ensue.
9 – If you could go back and give your younger self one piece of career advice, what would it be?
If I could go back and give my younger self one piece of career advice I would tell myself to have more self-belief and trust that everyone has a different life journey.
With so many opinions on education and potential career trajectories it can feel pressurising to make the “right” decision, but there is no universal career path.
Trust yourself—you’re just someone growing, learning, and figuring it out like everyone else. You won’t always feel ready. But take the leap anyway.
Confidence isn’t something you’re born with—it’s something you build by doing the hard things even when you’re scared.
10 – What’s next for you – any goals, projects, or new challenges on the horizon?
At present, I have taken time out from my medical career to be in full-time training with the Ireland Women’s Rugby Team putting my hand up for selection for the Women’s Rugby World Cup in August 2025.
Following that, I will return to work as a medical doctor and continue the next stage of my medical training in the Dublin South East region.
Having been recently injured, I spend some time commentating on the Women’s Rugby Celtic Challenge and Six Nations Campaign 2025 which I thoroughly enjoyed.
I would love to explore this avenue further so perhaps sports commentating will be a new venture for me sometime in the future.
Martina Mulhall, Gold Star Careers offers one-to-one or small group career advice, in-person or online, to people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds. Follow on Instagram for updates and reminders about all things careers, or head over to the website to book a personalised guidance session.
SEE ALSO – Check out all of the other Martina Mulhall pieces here
