Creativity in medical genetics and dysmorphology.
One gauge of creativity in medical genetics and dysmorphology is the eponym. Conditions named for people reflect their powers of observation and analysis. We examined the fields and ages of 210 eponymous physicians and scientists whose biographies were published by Peter and Greta Beighton [1986] in The Man Behind the Syndrome. Twenty fields were represented with the dominant fields being, in order, pediatrics, neurology, general and internal medicine, pathology, radiology, and orthopedics. The ages of the eponymous workers averaged 43 years at the time of their relevant publications. Fully a fifth of the contributions were made by persons aged 30 years or less, or 60 years or more, suggesting that eponymous fame may come to workers of talent independent of age.
Hecht
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Division of Molecular Medicine, Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, Missouri 64108.
Hecht
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D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003405:Creativity; D005826:Genetics, Medical; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D013577:Syndrome; D009626:Terminology as Topic