I was told I could, if I wished, switch and get a Ph.D. in biochemistry but my preference was to stay with medicine. And I believe that this is all linked to my original ambition, or desire, which was to be of some help to humankind, so to speak, in a larger sense than just on a one-to-one basis. Just as I intended to study law, to make just laws, so I found myself interested now in the laws of nature, as distinct from the laws the people make.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Choosing medicine over biochemistry was driven by a desire to help humankind broadly rather than one-on-one. This mirrors an earlier interest in law to make just laws, now applied to natural laws.
- In plain terms
- I chose medicine to help many people, like making laws for everyone.
- What can you take from it?
- Align your career with your broader purpose.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What drives your career choice?
- How do you want to help?
Another view
Not everyone can or wants to help humankind on a large scale.
More from Jonas Salk
As a child I was not interested in science. I was merely interested in things human, the human side of nature, if you like, and I continue to be interested in …
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