A fortunate life in academic medicine.

Good morning everybody. And thank you, David, for this great honor, and to the councilors and leadership of the Association of American Physicians, and, of course, to all of you for coming here today. I do wish to express my deepest appreciation to the AAP for honoring me with the Kober Medal, which has been awarded to me today. This is a great honor that I feel very humble to receive. I particularly wish to thank my close friend and colleague, Dr. Kenneth Polonsky, for his beautiful presentation today and for his continuous support for more than 30 years. He and his wife, Lydia, and his family have been like an extended family to Denise and me, and to our children as well, since he became my fellow in the late 1970s. Now that Dr. Larry Jameson has succeeded me, I actually had the luxury of time to think, and I’ve considered the factors that have influenced my career and brought me to this very special day. I think there are three main factors (Table ​(Table1).1). The first is family, as Kenneth has so rightly pointed out. The second is mentors and a network of colleagues. And thirdly, is being in the right place, at the right time, and with the right people. Of course, all of that had nothing to do with me, so you have to have good luck and fortune in your life, and I’ve been abundantly showered with that.