What happens when a bedside question sparks a career that reaches from the lab to public health leadership?
In “Why the Physician-Scientist Career Pathway Still Matters,” host Evan Noch, MD, PhD, talks with Elizabeth “Betsy” Nabel, MD, chair of the Lasker Foundation Board of Directors and advisor to ModeX Therapeutics/OPKO Health, and Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Their careers began with very different questions. For Nabel, it was why patients experienced recurrent narrowing of their arteries after angioplasty. For Walensky, it was why lifesaving HIV treatments remained financially out of reach for so many patients. Those questions would lead them into laboratory research, health economics, biotechnology, and leadership at some of the nation's most influential health institutions.
Together, they discuss the mentors and unexpected opportunities that shaped their careers, what it means to be a physician-scientist beyond the traditional academic model, and how to navigate an increasingly uncertain research environment. They also offer candid advice about finding support, reconsidering how physician-scientists are trained, and recognizing the small victories along the way.
Quote of the Episode“Seek the advice of your mentors, but don't be limited by that.”
— Elizabeth “Betsy” Nabel, MD
Key Takeaways
- Let clinical questions guide your research. Nabel recalls how observing high rates of restenosis after coronary angioplasty inspired her to investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms. With support from her department chair, she established a small research laboratory and secured her first NIH R01 grant within 18 months. Walensky's experiences treating patients with HIV similarly led her to study the costs and accessibility of lifesaving therapies.
- There's more than one way to be a physician-scientist. Neither Nabel nor Walensky followed the traditional MD-PhD pathway. Their experiences demonstrate how research careers can extend beyond the laboratory into decision science, public health, government, biotechnology, and health care leadership. Nabel encourages early-career investigators to explore opportunities in biopharma and other settings, even when their mentors' careers have remained entirely in academia.
- Research training prepares you to navigate uncertainty. Walensky explains how her background in mathematical modeling and decision science became invaluable during her leadership of the CDC, particularly when making consequential public health decisions with incomplete information. The ability to evaluate risk, anticipate outcomes, and revise decisions as evidence changes is a skill that extends far beyond research.
- The physician-scientist pathway needs to become more sustainable. Both guests question the length of traditional training programs and the institutional structures that make it difficult to pursue research careers. Nabel advocates for shorter training pathways and stronger institutional support, while Walensky emphasizes the need to account for family responsibilities, financial pressures, and the personal demands of prolonged training.
- Be willing to explore unconventional opportunities. With research funding increasingly uncertain, Nabel encourages physician-scientists to broaden their networks and consider collaborations, patient advocacy organizations, philanthropy, and industry partnerships. An unexpected opportunity or temporary shift in research direction may provide the support needed to continue pursuing longer-term goals.
- Celebrate progress, not just major achievements. Walensky recalls applying for eight small grants during her first postdoctoral research year, hoping someone would recognize the potential of her work. She reminds listeners that CVs capture successes but rarely show the rejected papers, unsuccessful applications, and uncertainty behind them. Both guests encourage early-career researchers to recognize smaller milestones and find satisfaction throughout the different chapters of their careers.
About the Guests
Elizabeth “Betsy” Nabel, MD
Elizabeth “Betsy” Nabel, MD, is a cardiologist, physician-scientist, and leader in biomedical research and academic medicine. She serves as chair of the Lasker Foundation Board of Directors and advisor to ModeX Therapeutics/OPKO Health. Previously, she served as president of Brigham Health and Brigham and Women's Hospital from 2010 to 2021 and director of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute at the National Institutes of Health from 2005 to 2009. Her research on the molecular genetics of cardiovascular disease has resulted in more than 250 scientific publications, 17 patents, and two start-up companies. She is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine.
Read Dr. Nabel's official biography.
Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH
Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH, is an infectious disease physician, researcher, and public health leader. She is a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. She served as the 19th director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 2021 to 2023 and previously led the Division of Infectious Diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital. Her research has focused on HIV prevention, screening, and treatment, using mathematical modeling and health economics to inform clinical practice and health policy. She has authored more than 300 scientific publications and is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine.
Read Dr. Walensky's official biography.
Research & Rounds: The Physician-Scientist Career is produced by the National Academy of Medicine in collaboration with the American Physician Scientists Association and the American Junior Investigator Association.
