The Making of a Physician

About the Book

Both genetic and environmental factors play important roles in one’s life. Genetics remains a fixed entity, whereas environment is a variable. Environmental experiences in life can have a positive or negative influence upon the genetic makeup of a given individual. Decision-making in the preschool environment is predominantly controlled by parents. Eventually, the individual, being influenced by the many past environmental factors, becomes the responsible choice maker as to which path in life he/she wishes to travel. It is my belief that it is providential that one is given these experiences to aid in our decision-making. This concept was supported by five of the physicians who shared their stories (chapter 10). All were greatly influenced by role models whom they encountered in their earlier life. This influence factor is not a single event, but a continuum. This forms the basis of the concept that the making of a physician is not a one-time event but represents a continuum. For some of us, becoming a physician was understood as a calling. The stories in this book were shared so that others may develop a greater appreciation of their own environmental experiences and consider them as influential factors in the decision-making of their lives. It is also my hope that this book might be of positive help to the young person considering the medical profession as his or her vocation.

About the Author

“Dr. Harry Graber, a venerable colleague, assembled this work on physicians’ testimonial regarding their career choices. Having served as the sole cardiologist for the community of Bellefontaine, Ohio, for decades, Dr. Graber was recruited into the faculty ranks of the Ohio State University Cardiology Division for his talents and skill as a superb diagnostician and model physician. As a practicing physician, he became the principal investigator (and provided > 95% of the clinical care of the large Ohio State family of inherited cardiomyopathy (Circulation 1986; 74: 21–35). This book highlights one of Dr. Graber’s deep interests, what makes physicians tick and perform the way they do. You will be fascinated by the vignettes and life experiences” (Carl Leier, MD FACC, professor emeritus of internal medicine and cardiovascular disease and director of the Division of Cardiology).