RussIn his youth Dr. Russ Hill imagined himself playing professional baseball, encouraged by a successful high school baseball career. But higher levels of competition failed to ratify that expectation. Following college, he found an opportunity in pharmaceutical sales. A doctor challenged him to further his science education and then apply to Podiatry school. He eventually retired from his medical practice, still feeling the need for challenges in his life.Dr. Hill eventually followed his daughter into the teaching profession.

Over the past decade and a half he has challenged his students to bump up their own aspirations, just as the doctor had done for him. He recently retired from teaching middle school Science and STEM courses in Engineering and Medical Science.The current trend in education has put a focus on career readiness, and yet we have not seen a textbook that introduces students to medically-oriented careers. Medical Investigation 101 and the aligned workbook and teacher's edition provide insights into how doctors analyze problems and conduct medical investigations. Whether students end up with a medically oriented career or not, the analytical skills required of physicians have applications in almost all careers we expect to see opening up in the future. Besides, it never hurts to have some basic medical knowledge tucked away when collaborating with a physician to maintain your own good health.Russ Hill and co-author Richard Griffith are First Cousins who grew up on opposite sides of this country, Griffith in Virginia and Hill in California. The two cousins spent time together only once during their youth until seventeen years later when Hill's family visited the Griffith family in Virginia.

In the ensuing years they have communicated by email as their friendship grew. They have gotten together a few times in New York, Montana, and Vermont, where Griffith now lives. In spite of the geographical barrier, they successfully collaborated by many e-mails.