Summary
All in all, I found this year's chemistry ISU to be an enlightening experience. Never before interviewing Mr. Tam did I fully realize the interconnectedness of our world. The most interesting thing that I learned from Mr. Tam was that one does not have to be solely a scientist, or solely a lawyer, or a doctor, or writer, or etc. If your interests and talents cross educational boarders, that does not necessarily mean that you have to choose between your passions. As the Vice President, Legal of a huge pharmaceutical company, Mr. Tam uses his chemistry background daily in his job as a lawyer. It was refreshing to see that there are jobs out there that incorporate many aspects of study all at once.
Another thing that I found interesting about Mr. Tam's description of his job was why he loved it so much. We always praise doctors and nurses so highly (and rightly, too), as they are the ones out in the front lines, prescribing the medicine oftentimes helps saves people's lives. Yet, we never seem to think about the people that create and dispense the medicine, or who legalize the use of this lifesaving medicine. As Mr. Tam said: the people at Hoffmann-La Roche 'are in the business of saving lives.' Without their groundbreaking research into new and innovative drugs, we would not have treatments for global illnesses such as AIDS and cancer, let alone hope for a cure. Before our interview, I never gave these people or corporations a second thought. Now I have come to realize that they play a huge role in global health, and that Mr. Tam plays an integral role. The impact of his job on society is one far larger than I previously imagined.
Another thing that I found interesting about Mr. Tam's description of his job was why he loved it so much. We always praise doctors and nurses so highly (and rightly, too), as they are the ones out in the front lines, prescribing the medicine oftentimes helps saves people's lives. Yet, we never seem to think about the people that create and dispense the medicine, or who legalize the use of this lifesaving medicine. As Mr. Tam said: the people at Hoffmann-La Roche 'are in the business of saving lives.' Without their groundbreaking research into new and innovative drugs, we would not have treatments for global illnesses such as AIDS and cancer, let alone hope for a cure. Before our interview, I never gave these people or corporations a second thought. Now I have come to realize that they play a huge role in global health, and that Mr. Tam plays an integral role. The impact of his job on society is one far larger than I previously imagined.