This article sets forth some guiding principles for the initiation of a productive and satisfying academic career as a clinical researcher in the areas of dysmorphology, teratology, and clinical genetics. It assumes that the fellow in dysmorphology and clinical genetics is genuinely committed to the pursuit of a career in this area, but these general principles are certainly relevant to other medical specialties. It is important for pediatricians to consider careers in this area because the need for dysmorphologists and clinical geneticists will continue to increase during the foreseeable future, and the current opportunities for such training are limited.