Born in New Haven, Connecticut, Spock was the first pediatrician to study psychoanalysis to try to understand children's needs and family dynamics.
While studying medicine at Yale University, Spock, was a rower. As member of the American eight crew, he won a gold medal at the 1924 Summer Olympics.
Spock was a candidate for the People's Party in the 1972 United States presidential election, but he failed to get the required number of 80,000 votes.