Richard Axel

Topper Harley: Can you save him?

Doctor: Can't be sure. I'm not a very good doctor.

The above quote, from the hilarious "Hot Shots!", underscores a rather serious issue. We all go to doctors. We all assume that doctors will cure whatever ails us. But what if the doctor is... no good? Someone has to finish at the bottom of their medical school class. Unless they fail out, they are still getting that medical license.

This brings us to Richard Axel. He got his MD from Johns Hopkins University, one of the best medical institutions in America. Alas, "he was poorly suited to medicine and graduated on the promise that he would not practice clinically." Poorly suited to medicine! Can you imagine the pain inflicted on his poor Jewish parents?!

Axel ended up doing quite well for himself. He won the Nobel in 2004 for discovery of odorant receptors. The Nobel for Medicine, it must be noted.

We hope that satisfied his parents. Still, "Hot Shots!", thanks for the grim thought... Not so hilarious now, are you?