MEET LOCAL LEGENDS: With Video Clips

"I was curious. My father was a physician, my mother a nurse who didn't go to medical school because it was the 1940s—and told me never to be a nurse."

"I always wanted to be a doctor and my parents took me to a female pediatrician, which was unusual back then. It was a very warm, safe place and she interacted well with my parents. She seemed to have it all..."

"My uncle was a physician and my father a medic during World War II, plus he was chairman of the college biology department and a pre–med counselor. It was very powerful to watch my uncle treat his patients. They both encouraged my interest in medicine. And as an African–American, I was deeply moved by seeing our people not be able to get the level of specialty care that others got!"

"I love science and am fascinated by how the human body works, and I have a strong interest in public health, in helping to create the conditions for better health, such as vaccinations to prevent disease, and clean water and improved health education."

"I was drawn to science and medicine because of the challenge and excitement of exploring the unknown and finding better ways to help people."