Joseph Murray

The pioneering surgeon Dr. Joseph Murray received the 1990 Nobel Prize in Medicine for his accomplishments in transplant surgery, including the first transplant of a human kidney from a living donor, an event that opened the door to the entire field of transplantation surgery. He was first inspired to become a surgeon by his childhood experience with a family doctor. He graduated from Harvard Medical School, but his residency was interrupted by service in World War II. During the war, he learned the techniques of plastic surgery; he later applied the methods of skin grafting to the transplantation of organs. For many years, Dr. Murray was Professor of Surgery at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. He is now retired from active practice. In this podcast, recorded at the Academy of Achievement's 1991 Summit in New York City, Dr. Murray recalls his career as a surgeon, including his early experience with kidney transplants and his pioneering work correcting congenital facial deformities in young children. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining a balance between work and family life and reminds the students that "service to society is the rent we pay to live on this planet."