Look Who's Talking

This month, Clinical & Research News asks: If you didn't become a physician or researcher, what career would you have chosen?

Lisa Lehmann, MD, PhD, MSc

Lisa Lehmann, MD, PhD, MSc
Primary care physician and director for the Center of Bioethics

"I probably would be a rabbi. I like being involved in life-cycle events and helping people understand the greater meaning of life through religion."

Rosemary Reiss, MD

Rosemary Reiss, MD
Center for Fetal Medicine and Prenatal Genetics, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

"A curator in a museum, probably in classical or Islamic art. Just like medicine, it's a field that allows you to have an academic interest, but also interact with the public."

Jeff Linder, MD, MPH

Jeff Linder, MD, MPH
Phyllis Jen Center for Primary Care

"I probably would say a bike messenger. It will give me a chance to ride more. I've always loved riding bikes and have loved it even more in the past five years because I get out and bike all day long."

Jackie Slavik, PhD

Jackie Slavik, PhD
Administrative Director, Biomedical Research Institute

"When I was in grad school, and not sure if I'd make it as a scientist after that, my back up career plan was to be a personal trainer."

William Camann, MD

William Camann, MD
Director, Obstetric Anesthesia Service

"I would have become a professional magician. I used to do magic professionally when I was younger. I love entertaining others. Watching people trying to figure out how I did my tricks was always fun. Magicians never reveal their secrets because, in reality, most tricks are so very simple that it would take away the ‘wow' factor if it was revealed! I was also very shy as a child, but I started doing serious magic when I was about 10. It really brought me out of my shell and was an important part of my personal growth."

Joseph Merola, MD

Joseph Merola, MD
Assistant Program Director Med-Derm Residency Fellow, Division of rheumatology

"A chef. I love the creativity of cooking and pleasing folks with a good meal.  Most importantly, I love to eat - on second thought, maybe being a food critic would be more fun."

Ali Khademhosseini, MASc, PhD

Ali Khademhosseini, MASc, PhD
Khademhosseini Laboratory

"When I was younger, I wanted to become either a professional baseball player or a diplomat. I wanted to have a job that is not boring and believed that those professions would be fun and fulfilling." 

Ali Tavakkoli, MD

Ali Tavakkoli, MD
Gastrointestinal and General Surgery

“I probably would have been an economist. The complexity of the economic systems is very appealing. My career goal would have been to write for The Economist!”

Next month's question: What spring-time activity are you most looking forward to doing in Boston or New England? Is it taking in a ball game at the now 100-year old Fenway Park? Hiking in New Hampshire? Hitting the shores of Cape Cod ahead of tourist season? Tell us: BWHClinicalandResearchNews@partners.org