Dr. Albert has hit the nail right on the cheesehead! My daughter (Allison H. Bartlett, MD , a pediatric infectious disease specialist raised in Madison, WI) sent me Albert's article this am. I am a graduate of UW-Madison medical school as is my husband, trained at Washington University in St. Louis and moved back to raise our family and practice in Madison. My daughter Allison attended Princeton University, medical school at Washington U in St. Louis, and residency through fellowship and is now on faculty at Baylor U/Texas Children's Hospital. My son, a musician, attended school in New York, London, and recently lived 2 yrs. in Philly.
We talk about this phenomenon often, as we have all experienced it, but Dr. Albert has described it very precisely. It brings a chuckle to all of us. Both environments have their merit, but growing up in the Midwest, I (we) prefer the cheesehead environment. This extends into most aspects of life, I (we) have observed--well beyond the science/academic/research environment. It is really the Midwest vs. the East coast values/ethics/mentality.
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