There has been no better time to enter science.

Description: There has been no better time to enter science.

Alfredo Quinones-Hinojosa: I think what I'd tell young people today, or anybody, this is an exciting time to enter both medicine and science. Okay? Whether you enter as a scientist, or whether you enter as a physician, or whether you come in as a combination of a physician/scientist, this is an exciting time. I cannot conceive a better time to enter science. I know people are concerned the funding is coming down, we don't have the same resources. That to me is nonsense.

The technology-- we are at an incredible peak in the amount of technologies that we have. There are people out there who are willing to invest in you, if you have good ideas, if you can show them what you are doing, if you can bring them into your life and show them the passion that you have, the dreams that you have. And the way they're going to fulfill those dreams-- there are people that are willing to give you and help you with resources. The challenge is how to communicate those dreams and that vision that you have.

So I say to young people, this is an exciting time, and what you can do to prepare yourself is get yourself a very good education. Think about it every day, about what you do, and be a good scientist, be an excellent student, be an excellent physician when you become. I tell you, the difference between a good physician/scientist and an excellent physician/scientist is that the excellent physician/scientist is also an excellent human being; and nothing, nothing comes close to that.

Recorded on: July 2, 2008