Uncle Bobby is the name of Konner's uncle who was a family physician and had a major influence on Konner's early childhood motivation to become a doctor. Konner reflected back on his life and cannot remember ever not wanting to be a doctor, which was considered to be proof of his "motivation to study medicine." His Uncle Bobby was a general practitioner in Brooklyn who was trained to serve his patients first. He was so dedicated to his profession that he "lived between his car and his patients' homes." Dr. Finkel was a neighborhood general practitioner who cared for Konner in childhood as he grew up.