When Brown was an undergraduate, he considered being a physical therapist, but his adviser, a professor of chemistry, encouraged him to get his Ph.D. and do research. Later on, Brown was in a quandary as to whether to go to graduate school or medical school. In the summer of 1986, he enrolled in a program sponsored by Harvard University in which he worked side by side with a physician, who helped him clarify his career goals.
"There are so many wonderful professionals out there who are eager to help--to show you the ropes, or to help you get invaluable hands-on experience--that I'd be foolish not to tap into these resources," Brown says.
Mentoring is a longstanding tradition in science. Indeed, one of the unwritten rules of the profession is that senior scientists have an obligation to offer a helping hand to their junior colleagues so they can take up their ...
