Francis Collins
Washington, DC USA
"Pick something that you love and not something somebody else says you should love."
Career Roadmap
Francis's work combines: Science, Technology, and Problem Solving
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Chemistry, General
University of Virginia-Main Campus
Graduate Degree
Physical Chemistry
Yale University
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
At the end of high school and through most of college, he was 100% certain he'd be a chemist.
2.
Stresses "just because something is fun to learn about in a school setting, doesn't necessarily mean it's something you want to do with your life."
3.
As he saw his fellow chemistry graduate students going into teaching positions, he realized that might not be a path he wanted to take.
4.
Coincidentally shared a lab with a fellow graduate who was working with DNA; was always more interested in that work than his own.
5.
Says you might come to a crossroads where you wonder, am I truly changing course to follow a passion, or do I just not have the drive to see my current work through?
6.
Took the leap and changed course; went to medical school and loved it from day one; says he felt like, "Hallelujah, I've really found it."
7.
Says in the same way he had a completely different path laid out 20 years ago, he's open to more changes in his path over the next 20 years.
8.
Wishes he'd known the average person has five careers; started out so worried he'd mess up his one shot at a career that he almost didn't take any risks.
