0 ▁he ▁earned ▁his ▁Doctor ▁of ▁Philosoph y ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Oxford ▁and ▁gained ▁Fellow ship ▁of ▁the ▁Royal ▁College ▁of ▁Phys icians ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 0 . ▁ ▁Biography ▁ ▁Pick ering ▁was ▁the ▁son ▁of ▁Sir ▁George ▁Pick ering , ▁Oxford ▁Reg ius ▁Professor ▁of ▁Medicine . ▁He ▁began ▁his ▁career ▁as ▁house ▁phys ician ▁and ▁sur geon ▁at ▁the ▁M idd les ex ▁Hospital ▁in ▁London ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 7 . ▁He ▁moved ▁to ▁the ▁Rad cl iffe ▁Inf irm ary , ▁Oxford ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 8 ▁to ▁undert ake ▁a ▁Medical ▁Research ▁Council ▁Fellow ship ▁and ▁then ▁became ▁a ▁registr ar ▁within ▁the ▁N uff ield ▁Department ▁of ▁C lin ical ▁Medicine . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 2 , ▁Pick ering ▁took ▁up ▁the ▁position ▁of ▁Ass istant ▁Professor ▁at ▁Rock ef eller ▁University ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁City . ▁Mov ing ▁to ▁Corn ell ▁University ▁Medical ▁School ▁( now ▁We ill ▁Corn ell ▁Medicine ) ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁Pick ering ▁held ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁positions ▁over ▁the ▁next ▁ 2 4 ▁years ▁becoming ▁Director ▁of ▁the ▁Cor on ary ▁Care ▁Unit ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁and ▁Professor ▁of ▁Medicine ▁and ▁Att ending ▁Phys ician ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 5 . ▁Here ▁he ▁under to ok ▁a ▁program ▁of ▁research ▁on ▁behavior al ▁aspects ▁of ▁hy pert ension ▁and ▁card i ov asc ular ▁disease . ▁Pick ering ▁continued ▁his ▁work ▁as ▁Director ▁of