UP FRONT
Pulling Back the Curtain
Beverly S. Mitchell, MD
We can learn much more from the innovators and mentors in hematology and
oncology than clinical expertise. In Pulling Back the Curtain, we speak with hematology/oncology professionals about how they approach their leadership positions
and what advice they would give those just getting started in the field.
Beverly S. Mitchell, MD, Director of the Stanford Cancer Institute, spoke
with ASH Clinical News about knowing your passion, combining a love of research
and medicine, and showing determination in the face of obstacles – bureaucratic
or otherwise.
Beverly S. Mitchell, MD, on a zipline
in Blue Creek Rainforest, Belize.
When did you know you
wanted to pursue a career
in medicine?
As early as I can remember, I
knew I wanted to be a doctor. My
father was a physician, so I have
been around medicine my entire
life, really. He was very much
someone I wanted to emulate. As
a kid, I would go to the hospital
with him – he was a gynecologic
oncologist – and wait in his office
while he did his rounds. The
whole idea of medicine was very
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exciting to me. The first “real” job
I ever had was in my career path
– when I finished medical school,
I was a resident and assistant
professor.
Is it worth asking if there is
another career you could
ever see yourself in?
Not really! Well, I remember back
in seventh grade, we were asked
to make a list of possible career
choices. I was really fishing for
something, but I ended up with
choices like “X-ray technician” –
all were medicine-related. So, I
truly did not see myself taking any
other path.
Along with your father, who
else played a role in shaping
your career?
Two people had a major
impact on my career – John W.
Adamson, MD, and William
Kelley, MD. Initially, my desire
was to be a physician, and,
basically, take care of patients.
But both of these mentors helped
me to see the value of research in
medicine.
Dr. Adamson was a
hematologist at the University
of Washington when I was a
resident in the early 1970s.
Overall, this was a fantastic place
for hematology at that time;
his excitement about research
was contagious and drew me
into the laboratory. This was
an environment that fostered
research and tackling complicated
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