Tim Brabants: Olympic Kayak Gold and Bronze medallist from Beijing.

It’s been an interesting time since I won gold and bronze at the Olympic kayak events in Beijing, ranging from smart functions and TV appearances, to being asked probing questions by kids, receiving an MBE and getting my hands dirty working as a senior house officer in the accident and emergency department at the Queens Medical Centre in Nottingham.

While most of my fellow Olympic medallists from last summer have enjoyed a prolonged spell of celebrity, or are back in training as part of their full-time commitment to their sport, I’m back doing the day job, which is just about everything imaginable at the second busiest A&E department in Europe. Strangely, Frankfurt is the busiest! I’ve been dealing with heart attacks and strokes, to sports injuries, and the odd few alcohol-related mishaps. It’s enjoyable because of the teamwork. Winning the K1 1000 metres gold in Beijing was obviously special, but it was only me out on the water. When you help a patient survive a near-death experience it is the result of some fantastic teamwork from the moment he or she arrives by ambulance and is rushed to resuscitation. It’s nothing like ER, or Holby City, which I occasionally watch. I wish it was a bit more like Scrubs, though, which I am addicted to. I’d love to be the equivalent of Dr Cox at the QMC, calling every male intern a girl’s name and having the time to be both conscientious and withering, but the reality is a quick transfer from one patient to the next.

The only real similarity is the humour which, in a hospitable environment, can sometimes seem dark, but is necessary as a protective blanket. My medical career has stuttered along for many years due to my sport, which has meant dropping my medical studies for training and competing many times. Without my career I believe I might have won an Olympic gold medal before Beijing, but I’d also have no career now and for when I finish after the London Olympics in 2012. It all means that the post-Beijing mayhem is now at an end, although it was fun while it lasted.

I appeared on The Jonathan Ross show and on A Question of Sport where, somehow, I managed to get a home question on canoeing wrong. Luckily my team of Matt Dawson and Sarah Webb, the Olympic gold medal-winning sailor, still managed to win, but it was of little thanks to me. I also kept myself competitive because I returned home from China in the best shape of my life and I didn’t want to throw away the opportunity. I learnt to row with Alan Campbell, the Northern Irish single sculler, and I’ll be competing in the Sark to Jersey race in July. I also entered two sprint triathlons and won, and came 10th in the Kingston Breakfast 8-mile run out of 400. During this time I visited a number of schools to give talks. Kids are always the best and worst interviewers because they’ll come out with anything. Some of the questions I had to field included: am I a millionaire (the answer is no, unfortunately), am I friends with Chris Hoy, what have I actually done, and do I know Rebecca Adlington? I certainly know Rebecca because I came second to her in both the East Midlands and Nottinghamshire sports personality of the year awards recently. I have no complaints because what she achieved in Beijing was phenomenal, but it comes to something when I win an Olympic gold medal and I can’t even win best sportsperson in my own county!

The other major event in my life post-Beijing was receiving an MBE from the Queen last week at Buckingham Palace. I was, it is fair to say, as nervous waiting to be greeted by Her Majesty, as I was sitting on the start line of the Olympic final. I suppose my biggest fear was doing a Mr Bean and accidentally head-butting her, but when I arrived at the Palace I soon realised this would be impossible as you stand six feet away and bow, before then moving towards her. Lewis Hamilton was there that day with me collecting an MBE for himself. I was very impressed with Lewis because he was not only very gracious in signing autographs for anyone who asked, but also took it upon himself to help a frail old lady around the rooms by latching her arm on to his. This was away from the cameras, and away from all his agents, advisors and entourage. It was just Lewis doing the decent thing. When your name is called you walk a few metres, then turn, face the Queen and bow using just your head, not your body. Then you advance towards her, stopping a foot away below a step that she stands on above you. You’ve already had a hook pinned on to your jacket so all she has to do is latch the medal on to it. An aide has whispered in her ear while you stand six feet away, so by the time you are face to face with her she is well-researched.

The Queen asked me if I had come to the Team GB post-Games function at the Palace. I told her this was the fourth visit since Beijing for various functions, but refrained from suggesting I should have spare room due to the frequency of my visits. The Queen then inquired if I was training or working. After I answered I shuffled backwards, bowed again and left the Palace to seek out a tapas bar in Mayfair to reflect on an extraordinary day and eat with my family. I’ve been to a couple of other functions, too, which were far more corporate and required an Olympic gold medallist to speak. One was with Weetabix, which resulted in me receiving 24 boxes of the breakfast cereal at my home. Another was with Cadbury’s. The result? Two big boxes of Wispa bars. If anyone knows of a Ferrari function I can speak at, please get in touch with me. You’ll find me at A&E at the QMC in Nottingham. Just ask for the Dr Cox wannabe! Thanks to Matrix Fitness Equipment and Gatorade Sports Drinks.