As a young and impoverished child, author Dr. Robert E. Burke knew his life's purpose was to become a physician. However, no one could have predicted the tortuous path he would travel in that quest and beyond. In Beyond the Quest to Become a Physician, he provides perspective on his life as he narrates his reflections on the influences that have shaped him throughout the decades. In this memoir, Burke weaves childhood, adolescent, and other personal experiences with the latest information on brain development to provide insight as to how one's experiences influence whom that person becomes. From the moment of one's first breath, one's experiences are unique. He discusses that who one becomes is driven by the interplay of genetics, expression of those genes, and cognitive-socio-economic influences. Beyond the Quest to Become a Physician shares some challenges, knowledge, character changes, distractions, and revelations that Dr. Burke experienced. Therein he provides insight not only to the quest but also to the profession. Through his inspirational and true tales, he helps others to envision how parenting, goal-setting, perseverance, and character create the difference between success and failure.