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Physicians are trained to solve complex problems, but most are never taught how to turn a clinical insight into a scalable company. In this episode of the Startup Physicians Podcast, Dr. Alison Curfman sits down with Startup & Venture Advisor Kim Sharp to talk about the startup playbook physicians don’t learn in medical school. They discuss what physician founders need before they pitch, build, raise capital, or launch — including financial models, MVPs, data rooms, cap tables, product strategy, advisor networks, and venture readiness. If you have a healthcare idea but feel overwhelmed by the startup world, this episode will help you understand what it takes to move from idea to launch with more structure, confidence, and support. CHAPTERS 00:00 — Why Physician Founders Matter 01:59 — Meet Kim Sharp 05:33 — Why Physicians Have a Startup Advantage 06:35 — What Doctors Need to Learn Before Building 09:33 — De-Risking Your Idea Before You Launch 13:08 — Why Investors Bet on the Founder 14:24 — Financial Models, MVPs, and Pitch Decks 22:35 — Data Rooms, Cap Tables, and Venture Readiness 26:00 — Building Advisors, Community, and Support 28:35 — Building for Scale vs. Starting Small 32:43 — Strategic Networks and Warm Introductions 35:16 — Preparing for HLTH and Investor Meetings 39:03 — Who the Startup Physicians Incubator Is For 42:14 — How to Apply to the Incubator 43:53 — Why the Incubator Does Not Take Equity 45:32 — Closing Thoughts Resources Apply to the Startup Physicians Incubator: https://startupphysicians.com/incubator Explore free resources for physician founders: https://startupphysicians.com/resources Learn more about Startup Physicians: https://startupphysicians.com Connect with Startup Physicians on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-physicians/ In the free Physician Founder Roadmap webinar, we’ll share how physicians can begin evaluating their ideas and understand what it takes to bring them to market.   Mark your calendar for October 22 at 12 PM CT / 1 PM ET and join us for the webinar! Create a venture-ready concept pitch in just 45 minutes! Join our free AI session designed for practicing physicians, where we guide you through the concept-assessment process used in the Startup Physicians Incubator.   Download the guide, open it with Claude, and you'll end up with a one-page pitch ready to share with an advisor, investor, or selection committee. A six-month program that takes a practicing physician’s idea to an investor-ready company. Cohort 2 starts January 2027.

In this episode of the Startup Physicians Podcast, host Dr. Alison Curfman sits down with Dr. Joe Pazona, board-certified urologist and founder and CEO of VirtuCare, to explore his unconventional journey from traditional clinical practice to healthcare entrepreneurship. After experiencing burnout, frustrating healthcare systems, and significant gaps in specialty care, Joe decided to take a different path. He founded VirtuCare to rethink how urology services are delivered through telemedicine, team-based care, and hospital partnerships. Joe shares the challenges of building a healthcare company without a business background, why physicians need a seat at the table when designing new care models, and how technology can expand patient access without compromising clinical standards. If you're considering launching a startup, exploring advisory opportunities, or simply looking for ways to make a bigger impact in medicine, this conversation will provide valuable insight into what's possible beyond traditional clinical practice. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 00:33 Joe Pazona's journey into medicine and urology 02:50 Recognizing opportunities to improve healthcare 03:50 The reality of physician employment and burnout 06:11 When speaking up leads to difficult career decisions 07:33 Finding a new path in Nashville 09:22 How COVID exposed weaknesses in traditional healthcare models 10:42 The idea behind VirtuCare 12:50 From direct-to-consumer telemedicine to a new business model 13:50 Addressing the rural urology access problem 16:20 Rethinking what quality healthcare delivery looks like 18:37 The role of physician leadership in team-based care 22:08 Why doctors need a seat at the table 24:17 Balancing patient continuity with access and scalability 25:16 Exploring different paths into healthcare innovation 26:34 The realities of entrepreneurship and finding your purpose 28:37 Final advice for physicians who want to make a difference  Resources: Learn more about Startup Physicians: https://startupphysicians.com Connect with Startup Physicians on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-physicians/ Learn more about Virtucare: https://myvirtucare.com/  Connect with Virtucare on LinkedIn: ​​https://www.linkedin.com/company/myvirtucare  In the free Physician Founder Roadmap webinar, we’ll share how physicians can begin evaluating their ideas and understand what it takes to bring them to market.   Mark your calendar for October 22 at 12 PM CT / 1 PM ET and join us for the webinar! Create a venture-ready concept pitch in just 45 minutes! Join our free AI session designed for practicing physicians, where we guide you through the concept-assessment process used in the Startup Physicians Incubator.   Download the guide, open it with Claude, and you'll end up with a one-page pitch ready to share with an advisor, investor, or selection committee. A six-month program that takes a practicing physician’s idea to an investor-ready company. Cohort 2 starts January 2027.

Description:  Dr. Alison Curfman sits down with Dr. Stephen Garber, a board-certified anesthesiologist with more than 35 years of clinical experience, and Dr. Amar Patel, an orthopedic surgeon, to explore what it looks like when physicians step beyond traditional clinical roles and become active participants in healthcare innovation. Dr. Garber shares the story of how his experience in anesthesiology and years of seeing airway obstruction, hypoventilation, and airway-management challenges during procedural sedation led him into medical device innovation and his work with the xchange™ System. Stephen and Amar share practical lessons for physicians who are curious about startups, medical devices, entrepreneurship, advisory roles, and physician leadership. They discuss how to recognize opportunities in everyday clinical frustrations, how to evaluate companies that genuinely want physician input, and how doctors can leverage their clinical expertise outside the traditional healthcare system. They also get candid about the uncomfortable parts of the journey: learning the language of business, walking into unfamiliar rooms with investors and entrepreneurs, negotiating equity, building relationships, and finding the confidence to contribute as a physician without assuming you have to know everything about the startup world. Chapters 00:00 – Introduction: Physicians and healthcare innovation 00:45 – Dr. Stephen Garber’s journey into medical device innovation 02:46 – Why startups need physician leadership, not just physician endorsement 04:03 – Finding opportunities in everyday clinical problems 04:13 – Dr. Amar Patel’s introduction to the xchange™ System 06:23 – The importance of generating early clinical evidence 07:49 – Why physician involvement matters in proving a medical device 08:28 – Balancing clinical practice with innovation 10:44 – Why practicing physicians bring unique insight to product development 11:25 – How physician-to-physician collaboration can create opportunities 12:41 – Finding medical device opportunities at conferences and events 14:17 – Building confidence and learning to negotiate your value 16:06 – Overcoming fear and stepping outside the traditional physician path 17:23 – The “Why didn’t I think of that?” moment in medical innovation 18:27 – The energy and creativity of the startup environment 20:21 – Why physician leadership is critical to safety 21:50 – Breaking out of the traditional healthcare bureaucracy 22:47 – What was hardest about entering the startup world? 23:00 – Learning the business side of healthcare innovation 24:40 – Finding the right opportunity and the right community 25:44 – Why your professional network matters 27:53 – Final advice: Where’s the opportunity? Resources: Learn more about Startup Physicians: https://startupphysicians.com Connect with Startup Physicians on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-physicians/ Learn more about xchange by Pneuma: https://www.xchangebypneuma.com/  Connect with Pneuma Therapeutics on LinkedIn: ​​https://www.linkedin.com/company/pneuma-therapeutics/

Orthopedic surgeon and physician founder Dr. Danny Goel went from identifying gaps in surgical training to co-founding PrecisionOS, a virtual reality and AI-powered platform designed to help surgeons practice skills and judgment in a risk-free environment. In this conversation, Danny joins Dr. Alison Curfman to talk about what that path looked like: starting with no intention of building a company, finding technical co-founders outside of medicine, validating the idea with other physicians, raising early capital, learning the business side of healthcare, and deciding to remain in clinical practice while building. They also discuss why staying close to clinical practice can strengthen a physician founder, how advisors can shape an early company, and why physicians should pressure-test their ideas instead of keeping them hidden until they feel perfect.   Chapters 00:00 Introduction 00:58 The transition from surgical training to independent practice 03:20 Building a risk-free environment for surgical training 05:07 Why timing matters in medical simulation 07:48 Building from a problem inside clinical practice 09:17 Why physician founders can stay in medicine 11:31 How the company started 13:15 Finding technical co-founders outside of medicine 15:41 Raising early capital and validating the problem 18:27 Learning the business side of healthcare 20:17 Why physicians do not need an MBA to start 22:07 The value of advisors for early-stage founders 23:37 Pressure-testing a startup idea 25:42 Why physicians should not be afraid to share their ideas 29:06 Creating impact beyond individual patient care 30:16 A first step for physicians with startup ideas Resources Explore the Concept Pitch Builder and other free resources for physician founders: https://startupphysicians.com/resources Learn more about PrecisionOS: https://precisionostech.com Learn more about Startup Physicians: https://startupphysicians.com Connect with Startup Physicians on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-physicians/

Oncologist and physician founder Dr. Jose Barreau went from identifying a communication problem inside the hospital to building Doc Halo, growing it into Halo Health, raising venture capital, and ultimately selling the company in 2021.   In this conversation, Jose joins Dr. Alison Curfman to talk about what that path actually looked like: starting with zero business or development experience, finding the right technical partners, deciding when to reduce clinical work, creating financial runway, navigating venture capital, and learning to become comfortable with feedback and sales.   They also discuss why clinical experience can be an advantage for physician founders, and why doctors do not need an MBA, a technical background, or every answer before they begin building.   Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:37 Solving a communication problem inside the hospital 03:22 Starting a company with zero business or development experience 05:02 Building Doc Halo while practicing medicine 06:40 Finding the right technical partner and avoiding technical debt 07:52 Deciding when to step away from full-time clinical practice 08:49 Creating financial runway before making the leap 10:37 The safety net physicians have when building a startup 12:06 Staying connected to clinical medicine as a founder 14:59 Learning venture capital and evaluating term sheets 17:21 Finding the right advisors, lawyers, and investors 18:20 Growing Halo Health and selling the company 19:10 The mindset shift from physician to founder 20:42 Why founders need to embrace feedback and sales 21:36 Discovery calls, validation, and learning before pitching   Resources Explore free resources for physician founders: https://startupphysicians.com/resources   Learn more about Startup Physicians: https://startupphysicians.com   Connect with Startup Physicians on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-physicians/

In this episode of the Startup Physicians Podcast, Dr. Alison Curfman sits down with orthopedic surgeon and physician founder Dr. Justin Smith to talk about his path from clinical medicine to entrepreneurship, private practice, and building an AI-powered platform designed to reduce the administrative burden of running a medical practice.   Justin shares how his entrepreneurial journey started with Morning Rounds Coffee and expanded into medical products, private practice, and ultimately healthcare software. He also breaks down what he has learned about working with developers, building for healthcare compliance, fundraising from physician investors, creating a strategic product roadmap, and using AI to build AI.   If you’re a physician with an idea for a startup, or you’re already building one, this conversation is packed with practical lessons on moving from subject matter expertise to an actual company.   CHAPTERS 00:00 – Introduction: Dr. Justin Smith 02:27 – Why AI is empowering physician founders 05:37 – Healthcare security, PHI, and SOC 2 compliance 07:22 – Why physicians still have an edge as subject matter experts 09:49 – Communicating your vision to developers and investors 13:23 – Turning physician investors into aligned beta testers 16:14 – The changing SaaS landscape 18:30 – Prompt engineering, context engineering, and AI agents 21:19 – Using AI internally to build a leaner company 23:28 – Making independent practice more accessible   Resources: Startup Physicians Resources: https://www.startupphysicians.com/resources Startup Physicians: https://www.startupphysicians.com/ Connect with Justin Smith, MD : Linkedinlinkedin.com/in/justin-smith-md-faaos-fa... - https://www.turnkeyaipractice.io @toddwalkermd - toddwalkermd.com  @sportssmithmd - sportssmithmd.com

In this episode, Dr. Alison Curfman shares one of the most common mistakes she sees physician entrepreneurs make: spending months (and sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars) building a product before identifying who will actually buy it. Drawing from conversations with dozens of physician founders, Alison explains why building an MVP is still the right instinct, but why customer discovery and stakeholder validation must happen before you invest heavily in development. She breaks down the difference between building a product and building a successful business, and shares practical questions every founder should ask before launching. Whether you're creating a digital health startup, AI tool, medical device, or healthcare service, this episode will help you avoid expensive mistakes and build with confidence. In this episode, you'll learn: Why building your idea is still the right first stepWhy a product without a buyer is only a hypothesisHow to identify the real decision-makerThe stakeholder conversations every founder needs to haveWhy customer discovery saves time, money, and frustrationThe difference between building a product and building a ventureChapters 00:00 The hidden trend among physician founders  00:43 Three things to know before you fall in love with your product  01:19 Build it 02:20 A product without a buyer is a hypothesis  03:43 Identify the buyer, not just the user  04:43 Have stakeholder conversations that sting  05:46 Discovery before validation before pitching  06:27 How feedback shapes a better product  07:04 A product is only one part of a successful venture  08:29 The three biggest takeaways  09:16 The Concept Pitch Builder framework  10:01 Final thoughts Resources: Concept Pitch Builder:https://www.startupphysicians.com/resources Startup Physicians:https://www.startupphysicians.com/

Do you constantly see better ways to solve problems? Do new ideas come naturally, but execution sometimes feels overwhelming? In this episode, Alison Curfman explores what it really means to be a visionary entrepreneur. She shares the five biggest lessons she's learned about visionary thinking from recognizing opportunities others miss to understanding why traditional environments can feel limiting. Drawing from her experience building a healthcare startup that reached a nine-figure valuation, Alison explains why vision alone isn't enough, how to avoid the common traps that hold visionaries back, and why storytelling may be your greatest competitive advantage. You'll learn: Why visionaries see solutions while others see problemsHow rigid systems can stifle creative thinkersThe two risk tolerance traps that derail entrepreneursWhy storytelling is one of the most valuable founder skillsHow to build the right team instead of trying to change your natural strengthsWhether you're an entrepreneur, founder, physician, or someone who's always felt like they think differently, this episode will help you recognize your unique wiring. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to the superpowers and setbacks of visionaries 00:26 What is a visionary and why they see solutions 01:23 The importance of seeing problems as opportunities 02:16 How environments can starve or support visionaries 03:38 Risks and traps related to a visionary's risk tolerance 04:34 The value of disruptive thinking in industries 07:56 Storytelling as a superpower for early-stage entrepreneurs 09:24 The process of selling a vision before product exists 10:44 The importance of building a team around your vision 13:33 Summary of key insights and encouragement for visionaries Resources: Startup Physicians Resources: https://www.startupphysicians.com/resources  Startup Physicians: https://www.startupphysicians.com/  Who Not How by Dan Sullivan: https://a.co/d/053zCOAJ

Many physicians recognize problems in healthcare that deserve better solutions. But how do you know if an idea has the potential to become a real company? In this solo episode, Dr. Alison Curfman walks through the framework Startup Physicians uses to help physician founders evaluate and expand their ideas into venture-backable businesses. She introduces the free Concept Pitch Builder, an AI-powered resource designed to guide physicians through the key questions investors ask before funding a startup. Alison explains how to assess market size, identify the right buyer, analyze competitors, define an MVP, create a scalable business model, and determine whether your idea has the potential to become a $100 million company. Whether you're exploring your first startup idea or preparing to apply for an incubator program, this episode provides a practical roadmap for moving from clinical insight to entrepreneurial action.   Chapters:  00:00 Why great healthcare ideas need more than clinical insight  02:12 Introducing the Concept Pitch Builder  04:14 Defining the problem and why now  05:18 Evaluating market size and venture potential  06:41 Identifying the buyer and go-to-market strategy  08:05 Understanding competitors and market gaps  08:59 Building your minimum viable product (MVP)  10:12 Creating a scalable business model  12:14 Defining your role as a founder  13:53 Turning your idea into a concept pitch  15:20 How to use the Concept Pitch Builder and apply to the incubator   Resources: Concept Pitch Builder:https://www.startupphysicians.com/resources Startup Physicians:https://www.startupphysicians.com/

Dr. Mary Parman spent more than 20 years practicing OB/GYN before building a second path in health tech consulting and startup advisory work. In this episode, she joins Dr. Alison Curfman to talk about how physicians can use their clinical expertise with startups without necessarily leaving medicine or starting a company themselves. They discuss how Mary began meeting health tech founders, how she built a pipeline of advisory opportunities, how physicians can think about compensation, and why the first step is often not selling yourself. It is learning where your experience creates value. This conversation is for physicians who are curious about consulting, advisory work, startup strategy, or building additional income streams while staying connected to clinical practice.   Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 01:27 Dr. Mary Parman’s path into health tech consulting 04:29 How physicians can start meeting startups 08:55 Building an advisory pipeline 12:42 Defining your consulting offer 14:41 Compensation, retainers, equity, and project work 21:27 Knowing your value and your buyer 27:16 Practical first steps for physicians   Resources: Startup Physicians Resources: https://www.startupphysicians.com/resources Startup Physicians: https://www.startupphysicians.com/ Connect with Dr. Mary Parman: www.linkedin.com/in/maryparman

Many physicians know they have valuable clinical insight, but they struggle to name where that value fits outside traditional clinical practice. In this re-release episode, Dr. Alison Curfman walks through five common barriers physicians face when exploring startup advising, consulting, and industry work — from “I don’t have anything unique to offer” to “I’m just a doctor. I don’t know business.” Your clinical experience already opens more doors than you may realize. This episode helps you start seeing where those doors are.   Chapters 00:00 Overcoming Mental Barriers in Medicine 02:26 Identifying Unique Offerings and Skills 05:04 Building a Network and Strategic Connections 07:45 Communicating Value Without Being Salesy 10:39 Time Management and Flexibility in Consulting 13:15 Understanding Business Fundamentals for Physicians 16:20 Crafting Your Narrative and Value Proposition 18:50 Design Thinking and Innovation in Healthcare 21:35 The Path Forward: Joining the Startup Ecosystem   Resources Startup Physicians: https://startupphysicians.com Free guide: 50 Things Physicians Can Do With Startups https://startupphysicians.com/resources Join the waitlist for Launchpad Cohort: www.startupphysicians.com/launchpad Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-physicians/

Why would a healthcare startup pay for physician expertise? In this re-release episode of the Startup Physicians podcast, Dr. Alison Curfman breaks down the three ways physicians create measurable business value for startups: helping companies grow revenue, reduce costs, and mitigate risk. This episode is for physicians who know they have value outside of clinical practice but need a clearer way to explain that value in startup language.   Chapters: 00:00 Why startups pay for physician expertise 02:17 The three value categories startups care about 06:51 Revenue growth 09:13 Business development and healthcare contracts 10:33 Product design and clinical insight 13:44 Cost optimization 14:36 Clinical validation and outcomes 16:59 Avoiding expensive product mistakes 20:11 Risk mitigation 21:43 Patient safety and clinical guardrails 24:02 Why physicians should engage with healthcare innovation 25:05 Translating clinical expertise into business value   Resources: Startup Physicians: https://www.startupphysicians.com   Related episodes: The 7 Startup Functions Where Physicians Add Value: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dUM_81ZqwU Doctors as Innovators: How Physicians Can Shape Products, Policy, and Public Health with Dr. Tanya Altmann: https://youtu.be/qYJLssIZxs0?si=5Ccd8cRY9N1qYIiz Rethinking Risk: What Startups Miss Without Physicians at the Table with Isaac Edrah: https://youtu.be/R4CRwfsfxPw?si=NqFBn9iz_fmbWHx6

Dr. Hilary Gallin is an obstetric anesthesiologist, medical device founder, and startup advisor who has built companies from problems she saw in clinical practice. In this episode of Startup Physicians, Dr. Gallin joins Dr. Alison Curfman to talk about the path from physician to founder, including how she started Fastline, a medical device company focused on making central line placement safer and easier. The first version was not polished. It was built from supply closet materials, a glue gun, and the willingness to test whether the idea could work. This conversation is for physicians who have seen a clinical problem and wondered whether they could build something to solve it. Dr. Gallin and Alison talk about design thinking, early feedback, ugly prototypes, medical device development, tech transfer offices, AI as a founder thought partner, and why doctors often underestimate how much they already know how to learn. You do not need a perfect product to begin. You need a real problem, early feedback, and the willingness to ask the next person who can help. Chapters: 00:00 Meet Dr. Hilary Gallin 01:16 From medicine, business, and engineering to startups 02:31 Finding startup ideas in clinical practice 03:33 Design thinking and problem validation 06:22 Why feedback feels different for doctors 10:00 Building the ugly first prototype 15:47 From supply closet materials to medical device 17:25 Navigating medical device development 22:25 Using AI as a founder thought partner 25:51 Why “I’m just a doctor” is the wrong frame 29:08 Outreach, advisors, and asking for help 30:13 Where to find Dr. Gallin   Resources: Connect with Dr. Hilary Gallin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hilary-gallin-md-mba-1112b67/ Startup Physicians: https://www.startupphysicians.com/ Startup Physicians Incubator: https://www.startupphysicians.com/incubator Free resources for physician founders: https://www.startupphysicians.com/resources

What happens when physicians bring clinical insight into the startup world? In this episode of the Startup Physicians Podcast, Dr. Alison Curfman sits down with dermatologist, founder, and author Dr. David Lortscher, co-founder of a teledermatology company that scaled to hundreds of employees, served 5 million patients, and reached a billion-dollar valuation. They discuss why physicians are uniquely positioned to identify real healthcare problems, what makes doctor-led startups so powerful, and why clinical expertise must be paired with humility, curiosity, and the right co-founder dynamic. Dr. Lortscher also shares insights from his book, Why Doctors Win, including the data behind physician-founded healthcare companies and the common patterns he found among successful physician entrepreneurs. This conversation is for physicians who see problems in healthcare and wonder whether they might be the right person to help solve them.   Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Dr. David Lortscher 00:59 From Dermatology to a Billion-Dollar Startup 03:33 How Physicians Spot Problems Others Miss 07:58 What Successful Physician Founders Have in Common 10:16 The Data Behind Why Doctors Win 13:42 Learning Business Without Losing Clinical Insight 19:19 Finding the Right Co-Founder 24:49 How to Test an Early Startup Idea 26:07 Building a Startup Plan That Creates Leverage 30:08 Where to Find David and Why Doctors Win   Resources Connect with Dr. David Lortscher: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidlortschermd/ Read Why Doctors Win: https://www.amazon.com/Why-Doctors-Win-Creating-High-Impact/dp/B0FXMQF3J6 Want to go deeper? Launchpad: https://www.startupphysicians.com/launchpad Free Resources: https://www.startupphysicians.com/resources Incubator: https://www.startupphysicians.com/incubator

In this episode of the Startup Physicians Podcast, Dr. Alison Curfman talks with Dr. Sarah Matt about building a nonlinear physician career and why doctors make powerful startup strategists. Dr. Matt shares her journey from burn surgery to healthcare strategy, startups, Oracle, remote robotic surgery, consulting, and authoring The Borderless Healthcare Revolution. Together, they explore how physicians can bring clinical insight into product development, go-to-market strategy, commercialization, and early-stage innovation. This conversation is for doctors who have ever looked at a broken part of healthcare and thought, “There has to be a better way.” You do not need the perfect plan to begin. You need to write the idea down, talk to the right people, validate the problem, and start learning from real feedback. They also discuss why physicians belong at the strategy table, how AI is changing what solo founders can build, and why iteration matters more than perfection.   Chapters 00:00 – Meet Dr. Sarah Matt 01:12 – From burn surgery to business strategy 04:21 – Why physicians belong in startup strategy 07:31 – The nonlinear physician career path 11:41 – Doctors as connectors in healthcare innovation 15:09 – Impact, money, and sustainable business models 19:05 – Advice for physicians with early ideas 22:05 – AI and the solo physician founder 24:58 – Iteration, validation, and stakeholder feedback   Resources Connect with Dr. Sarah Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahmattmd/ Visit Dr. Sarah Matt’s website: drsarahmatt.com Learn more about Startup Physicians: startup-physicians.com Explore the Startup Physicians Incubator: https://www.startupphysicians.com/incubator