"This is where I belong"
Staff reflect on why they chose oncology and Dana-Farber
By Debra Ruder
It didn't take long for Eric Winer to realize he wanted to be a doctor. His multiple visits to Children's Hospital Boston to receive care for hemophilia gave the young boy a special perspective on life and eventually propelled him to medical school.
He chose oncology, in large part, "because I was drawn to the intense interactions with patients and families facing this life-changing illness," says Winer, 47, today head of Dana-Farber's Breast Oncology Center and an avid cyclist who has ridden across the state and country to support DFCI and cancer research. In addition to his clinical practice, he works with clinical, translational, and basic investigators "to come up with better treatments and better understand which patients need them."
Winer is one of many who have opted to work at Dana-Farber because of an encounter with cancer or another serious disease, encouragement from a mentor, a desire to help others, or simply because the topic is intriguing. He is also one of many employees—whether they work in the Institute's labs, clinics, offices, cafeteria, or garages—who value DFCI because of its cutting-edge research and care, opportunities for both teamwork and autonomy, and/or ability to connect with (and learn from) patients during a trying personal time.
- Next: Blending science and care
- Page: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Related story: When staff and patients are one and the same
