Top Ten Things I have Learned*tabak

By Lawrence Tabak, D.D.S., Ph.D.,
Principal Deputy Director at the National Institutes of Health

 

10. Science has become a team sport – learn to play nice with others
9. Mentors come in all shapes and sizes
8. Do not re-invent the wheel- always seek out expert advice
7. Humor can be an effective tool – as long as the joke is on you
6. Use experiments of Nature to guide your research questions
5. Do not be seduced by your own voice or ideas
4. Know what good is and aim for it
3. Take the path that offers the most options and do not be afraid to fail
2. You do not have to be the smartest person in the room to succeed
      – just make sure  you are always in a room with smart people
1. Be a mensch – offer help to others without any expectation of “return”

*with apologies to David Letterman