Sigmund Freud was an Austrian neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis, who studied at the University of Vienna.
Freud’s father was a rabbi, who wanted his son to follow in his footsteps. But Freud was more interested in medicine, so he enrolled at the University of Vienna. He studied under Brücke and Exner and earned his degree in 1881.
Actually, Freud’s passion for science began in childhood. He was raised in a Jewish family, with his father Jacob being a doctor and his mother Amalia coming from a family of merchants. Although he never received any formal university education, Freud became interested in psychology after reading a book by Charcot on hypnosis. He then went on to study medicine at the University of Vienna where he graduated with honours in 1881.
After completing his medical degree, Freud worked as an assistant to Jean Martin Charcot (1825-1893) at La Salpêtrière Hospital in Paris where he studied hysteria and other psychological disorders. After returning to Vienna he began working as an assistant to Theodor Meynert (1833-1892), who was one of Europe’s leading neurologists at that time. Meynert encouraged Freud’s interest in neuroanatomy and helped him develop his ideas on the biology of mental processes and emotions.
