Olympic swimmer dives into drugs

University of Virginia alumna Paige Madden – finest recognized for her Olympic exploits within the pool – is continuous her journey in drugs, learning to be a doctor assistant at Stanford University’s School of Medicine as a Knight-Hennessy Scholar.

“Medicine has always been in my blood,” she mentioned. “My father is a physician, and I grew up looking up to him and poring over his medical journals. My baseline fascination, as well as my desire to work on a team, nurtured by my experiences with sports, makes it a natural next chapter that I couldn’t be more excited about.”

Madden, a 2021 kinesiology graduate from UVA, earned a graduate certificates in scientific train physiology from Loughborough University in England. She can also be a three-time Olympic medal-winning swimmer who represented Team USA on the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Games. She is a world report holder, a former captain of Team USA and a four-time NCAA champion at Virginia. She obtained USA Swimming’s Perseverance Award in 2024.

“Going into medicine was always a part of the plan, but my road to get here took some turns I didn’t anticipate,” Madden mentioned. “Qualifying for two Olympics definitely wasn’t on my radar when I began my first year at UVA, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. Those experiences taught me so much about myself that I’ll carry into my practice as a provider.”

Madden, who has lived with Hashimoto’s illness, an autoimmune dysfunction that impacts the thyroid, thrives on challenges. She serves as an envoy for the Autoimmune Association, selling healthcare coverage reform on Capitol Hill, and is a devoted water security advocate. She can also be a motivational speaker who shares her journey of battling Hashimoto’s illness to encourage resilience and psychological well being consciousness.

Madden mentioned she has discovered that she is “more resilient than I ever gave myself credit for and that there is so much to life outside of swimming.”

“I also learned that vulnerability isn’t weakness,” she mentioned. “For the longest time, I thought admitting having Hashimoto’s would make me seem weak, but finally speaking about it made me feel more empowered than ever.

“I’ve always been intrinsically motivated. I love pushing my limits and seeking new challenges, whether in sport, healthcare or everyday life. I also love UVA’s ‘never stop learning’ mentally. That’s something that will resonate with me for the rest of my career. When it comes to Hashimoto’s, this is just an obstacle that I have to overcome. I don’t let it limit me in the things I set out to do. Ultimately, what really drives me is knowing there’s always more to learn, always a patient who deserves someone willing to dig deeper.”

At UVA, Madden was president of the Encore Club, a service group devoted to enriching the lives of hospice sufferers and assisted-living facility residents. She was additionally a member of Run Charlottesville, Student-Athlete Mentors and Student-Athletes Committed to Honor, and tutored native college students by means of Madison House.