Their older children all became doctors, but their youngest son chose/followed a different (career) 'path'.
His friends all went to college, but he chose to 'follow' a different path. [=to do something different]
He believes the average consumer is being 'led down the garden path' by the promises in advertisements.
(..) And I wouldn't be doing my job if allowed Dawson and Downey... to spend any more time in prison than absolutely necessary... because their attorney had predetermined the path of least resistance. Wow. I'm sexually aroused, Commander. I don't think your clients murdered anyone. (..)1992 A Few Good Men