Startup Physicians – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode of Startup Physicians, Dr. Alison Curfman sits down with Dr. Michael Fang, a practicing geriatrician and serial entrepreneur, to explore how physicians can build impactful healthcare startups—without leaving clinical medicine.

Michael shares his journey from traditional medical training to founding multiple healthcare technology companies, beginning with something deceptively simple: an Excel spreadsheet tracking social factors affecting elderly patients. Long before “social determinants of health” became a buzzword, Michael identified how caregiver availability, nutrition access, and home support predicted hospital readmissions with striking accuracy.

That insight led to a startup that ultimately scaled to serve over 7 million patients internationally, helping health systems allocate resources more effectively—years before U.S. reimbursement models caught up.

Throughout the conversation, Michael breaks down why physicians are uniquely positioned to be entrepreneurs, how curiosity fuels innovation, and why you don’t need to learn to code or get an MBA to build meaningful solutions. He also explains how entrepreneurship can actually reduce burnout, offering physicians a renewed sense of agency and creativity.

Finally, Michael introduces Ryze Health, a company designed to support independent medical practices by making healthcare benefits more affordable and accessible—reinforcing his broader mission to democratize healthcare.

This episode is a must-listen for physicians who:

• See broken systems and want to fix them
• Are curious about entrepreneurship but don’t know where to start
• Want to build alongside medicine, not abandon it

Chapters

00:00 – Physician to Entrepreneur (Without Planning It)

02:51 – Seeing the System Break in Real Practice

03:35 – Predicting Readmissions With an Excel Sheet

05:56 – Social Determinants of Health Before It Had a Name

09:48 – Why Physicians Are Built for Entrepreneurship

12:30 – You Don’t Need to Code (Or Get Another Degree)

14:39 – Finding Startup Partners Outside Medicine

15:34 – Practicing Medicine While Building Companies

19:22 – Entrepreneurship as Burnout Prevention

20:10 – The Secret Weapon: Physician Curiosity

22:37 – Asking “Why” Inside Broken Systems

24:36 – Introducing Rise Healt

27:10 – Why Independent Practices Matter

29:03 – A Call to Physicians Ready to Build

Resources Mentioned

• Rise Health: RyzehealthEmpowering Independent Physicians | Ryze Health Insurance & Practice Benefits
• Startup Physicians: StartupphysiciansStartUp Physicians | Physician Entrepreneurship, Consulting & Leadership
  
  

What does it really take for a physician to build a successful health tech company—without abandoning clinical medicine?

In this episode of Startup Physicians, Dr. Alison Curfman sits down with Dr. Osama Hashmi, dermatologist, entrepreneur, and CEO of Empiricus, to unpack his unconventional journey from pre-med student to multi-time founder.

Osama shares how early exposure to healthcare policy, liability, and system inefficiencies sparked a deeper curiosity—not just about treating patients, but about changing the systems that shape patient care.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why understanding the problem matters more than understanding technology
• How Osama started his first company before medical school—with no entrepreneurial background
• The myth that physicians must quit medicine to build startups
• Why starting with manual solutions often leads to better technology later
• The difference between services-based businesses and tech startups
• How Empiricus is rethinking physician–pharma communication
• Why founders bring optimism to a healthcare system facing rapid change
• Practical, low-risk ways physicians can explore entrepreneurship today

This conversation is especially valuable for physicians who feel curious—but unsure—about business, startups, or innovation. Osama breaks down complex ideas into approachable, actionable insights and reminds us that you don’t need to be technical, fearless, or all-in to get started.

Chapters:

00:00 – From Med School Dreams to System-Level Questions

02:55 – Why Business & Capital Drive Real Change in Healthcare

04:35 – Starting a Company Before Medical School

06:45 – How Physicians Actually Get Started in Entrepreneurship

08:40 – Physicians Are Closer to the Real Problems Than Anyone Else

10:55 – Start Manual, Then Add Technology

14:55 – Services vs Tech: Choosing the Right Business Model

15:25 – The Vision Behind Empiricus & DocUpdate

17:30 – Free E-Prescribing & Physician-Centered Tools

19:00 – Why Physician Communities Matter More Than Ever

21:05 – Founders Think Differently About the Future of Medicine

24:45 – You Don’t Have to Quit Medicine to Be an Entrepreneur

26:20 – Practical Advice for Doctors Curious About Startups

28:10 – Building Teams vs Being the Best Individual Performer

Resources & Links

• Impiricus – Ethical pharma–physician engagement ImpiricusHome
• DocUpdate App – Free e-prescribing & physician tools (iOS & Android) DocupdateHome
• Connect with Dr. Osama Hashmi – LinkedinOsama Hashmi MD MPH - Impiricus | LinkedIn
• Startup Physicians Programs & Community – startupphysicians.com

In this episode of the Startup Physicians Podcast, host Dr. Alison Curfman talks with Dr. Lara Zibners, a pediatric emergency physician whose winding career path led her from the chaos of the PEDs ER to the world of women’s health innovation. What starts as light-hearted humor between two ER docs quickly evolves into a powerful conversation about identity, reinvention, and the unexpected paths physicians can take beyond clinical practice.

Lara shares her journey from insisting she’d never be a doctor, to practicing in the U.S. and U.K., to ultimately leaving the bedside after a mix of personal, professional, and global circumstances made clinical practice unsustainable. She opens up about her seven failed rounds of IVF, adoption, surrogacy, and the lived experiences that inspired her to co-found a vaginal drug-delivery medtech company—reshaping how women receive progesterone and other therapies.

Alison and Lara dive into:

• The surprising origins of Lara’s medical career
• Practicing medicine across two countries and navigating identity as a physician
• How infertility and motherhood shaped her mission in women’s health
• The reality of transitioning out of clinical medicine
• How physicians can translate clinical expertise into startup leadership
• The importance of storytelling when raising capital or influencing change
• Why learning, networking, and experimentation matter more than having a perfect plan
• Practical advice for doctors exploring entrepreneurship or seeking a more aligned career path

This conversation blends humor, vulnerability, and startup strategy—making it essential listening for any physician who’s curious about new career possibilities or the future of women’s health innovation.

Connect with Dr. Lara Zibners:

• Lara's Website: https://www.larazibners.com/
• Calla Lilly Clinical Care: https://www.callali.ly/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlarazibners/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laraz/
• Podcast: Unstable Vitals - https://www.unstablevitals.com/ 

In this episode (a replay from earlier this year), we’re diving into how startups think and what we as physicians can learn from their approach to innovation. If you’ve ever wondered how design thinking, rapid iteration, and minimum viable products (MVPs) could reshape healthcare, this episode is for you. We’ll explore how startups thrive on speed, creativity, and disruption, and why adopting their mindset can empower us to challenge assumptions and drive meaningful change.

I’ll break down the key principles of design thinking, share real-world examples from my experience building care models, and explain how MVPs can save time and resources while delivering impactful results. 

Episode Highlights:

[0:00] - Welcome and introduction to the startup mindset: Speed, disruption, and innovation.
[2:54] - The five phases of design thinking and why empathy is at the heart of it all.
[4:25] - Exploring the concept of a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and its value in healthcare.
[7:42] - The story of creating a clinical care model as an MVP at Imagine Pediatrics.
[9:20] - Challenging assumptions and how questioning “why” can uncover hidden opportunities.
[15:57] - Practical takeaways: Applying design thinking, MVPs, and assumption testing in your work.

Resources:

Check out our services at StartupPhysicians.com

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the podcast, rate, and leave a review. Remember to share this episode with fellow physicians who might be interested in startups. Together, we can shape the future of healthcare! 

In this episode of the Startup Physicians Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Janene Fuerch, neonatologist, entrepreneur, and Director of the Stanford Biodesign Innovation Fellowship. Janene shares how her path in academic medicine unexpectedly led her to become a leader in healthcare innovation, and how she’s helping other physicians make a broader impact beyond the bedside.

We talk about how physicians can bring incredible value to startups, even without business or engineering backgrounds. Janene explains what it’s really like to go through the Stanford Biodesign Fellowship, how to identify unmet clinical needs, and why humility and collaboration are essential for success in the startup world.

We also dive into her work with Impact One, an organization focused on pediatric and maternal health innovation, and explore how physicians can help shape the future of healthcare technology, instead of just reacting to it.

If you’ve ever wondered how to combine your medical expertise with innovation, entrepreneurship, or leadership, this episode will show you what’s possible.

Episode Highlights:

[00:00] – Welcome & Introduction

[02:00] – How Janene Found Her Way into Innovation

[06:00] – What Physicians Bring to Startups

[09:00] – The Importance of Humility and Teamwork

[11:30] – Creating Impact Beyond the Bedside

[15:00] – Driving Pediatric and Maternal Health Innovation

[18:30] – Why Physicians Need to Lead in Tech

[22:00] – Building Skills for Startup Success

[24:00] – Advice for Physicians Exploring New Career Paths

[25:30] – Closing Thoughts & How to Connect

In this episode of Startup Physicians, Dr. Alison Curfman interviews Kevin Baumlin, an emergency physician and Chief Medical Affairs Officer at the Science Center. 

They discuss the evolving role of physicians in healthcare startups, the importance of clinical insight in product development, and the various pathways for aspiring founders and advisors in the healthcare space. 

Kevin shares his career journey, the resources available for startup founders, and the significance of connecting healthcare needs with innovative solutions. 

The conversation emphasizes the collaborative nature of healthcare innovation and the opportunities for physicians to contribute to this dynamic field.

Dr. Kevin Braumlin's LinkedIn Page

Science Center

NSF I-corps 

SBIR Funding

Episode Highlights
[00:00] - Introduction to Startup Physicians and Guest Background
[02:39] - Kevin Baumlin's Career Journey and Transition to Startups
[05:23] - Opportunities for Aspiring Founders in Healthcare
[08:19] - Understanding the Science Center and Its Programs
[10:54] - Navigating Grants and Funding for Startups
[13:55] - The Role of Physicians in Startups and Advisory Positions
[16:57] - Connecting Healthcare Needs with Startup Solutions
[19:37] - The Importance of Clinical Insight in Product Development
[22:36] - Innovative Approaches in Early Cancer Detection
[25:22] - Getting Involved: Pathways for Physicians in Startups
[28:19] - Conclusion and Resources for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

In this episode on Startup Physicians, I had the chance to sit down with Dr. Kieran McLeod, a former emergency physician who made the leap from clinical work in South Africa to building startups in Australia. We first connected on LinkedIn, and this conversation reminded me just how powerful it is when physicians share their ideas publicly.

Kieran walks through his early career, how a failed plan to work on cruise ships turned into field hospital work with Doctors Without Borders, and how the rise of telehealth sparked his interest in startups. He shares what it was like to build his first venture, a smoking cessation app, with no coding experience and a lot of trial and error. We talk about low-code tools, product strategy, and the reality of building something valuable in a crowded space.

If you’re a physician wondering whether you can actually contribute in tech or startups, this episode makes the answer pretty clear. You can. And you should.

Episode Highlights:

[00:00] – How we met on LinkedIn

[04:40] – Emergency medicine, field hospitals, and a shift toward tech

[08:15] – Starting Baiguai (and learning the hard way)

[16:20] – Building without knowing how to code

[27:40] – Moving to Australia to go all-in on health tech

[33:50] – Why clinicians matter in product, ops, and safety

In this episode on Startup Physicians, I sit down with Dr. Heather Lampel to talk about what it really looks like to move from traditional clinical medicine into the pharmaceutical startup space.

Heather shares her story with clarity and honesty. From her roots in clinical genetics to navigating an entirely new industry. We talk about what surprised her, what challenged her, and how she kept learning along the way. One thing that stood out: Heather never stopped investing in relationships. Her network, she says, became her lifeline through the transition.

She also makes a powerful case for why physicians are deeply valuable in pharma. From clinical insights to patient advocacy, she shows that our voices matter and that representation isn’t optional if we want to build a better system.

This conversation is about possibility, but also about preparation. It’s a must-listen for anyone considering a leap into industry, or simply wondering what else is out there.

Episode Highlights:

[00:00] - Introduction to Pharmaceutical Startups
[00:58] - Heather's Journey from Clinical Practice to Startups
[03:52] - Navigating the Learning Curve in Pharma
[07:26] - Building Skills and Value in the Pharmaceutical Industry
[11:02] - Exploring Different Roles in Pharma
[13:14] - Mission and Impact in the Pharmaceutical Field
[14:29] - Transitioning into Pharma: Options for Physicians
[16:18] - Finding Opportunities in the Pharmaceutical Space
[20:08] - Addressing Misconceptions about Pharma
[23:34] - The Importance of Physician Representation in Pharma
[24:34] - Final Thoughts and Encouragement for Physicians

On this episode of Startup Physicians, I interview Dr. Shakira Grant, who shares her remarkable journey from practicing medicine to influencing healthcare policy and AI development. We talk about the importance of health equity and the role physicians must play in shaping AI tools that serve all populations effectively. Shakira reflects on her time in Congress, the challenges of integrating AI in clinical care, and why diverse voices are essential in the development process. She encourages physicians to embrace innovation and step into roles where we can use our expertise to drive meaningful change in healthcare outcomes. 

Episode Highlights:

[00:00] - Introduction to Dr. Shakira Grant's Journey
[02:46] - Transitioning from Medicine to Policy
[05:39] - The Intersection of AI and Health Equity
[08:40] - Challenges and Opportunities in AI Development
[11:28] - The Role of Physicians in AI Innovation
[14:13] - Founding CROSS: Bridging Healthcare and AI
[17:05] - Practical Involvement of Physicians in AI Projects
[19:58] - The Importance of Diverse Voices in AI Development
[23:05] - Final Thoughts and Encouragement for Innovators

One of our most requested episodes — revisiting how Dr. Harris translated frontline insight into healthcare innovation at scale. 

Ever wondered how a physician can transition from clinical care to founding a successful digital health startup? In this episode of Startup Physicians, I sit down with Dr. Bronwyn Harris, a pediatric cardiologist turned healthcare innovator. From her early days in biomedical engineering to pioneering a digital health startup that was later acquired by Apple, Bronwyn shares her incredible journey navigating the intersection of medicine, technology, and entrepreneurship.

We talk about the lessons she learned in Stanford Biodesign, the challenges of building a healthcare startup from scratch, and how she leveraged her clinical expertise to create a groundbreaking asthma monitoring tool. Plus, we dive into the evolving world of wearable medical devices and how clinicians can contribute to the future of health tech. If you're curious about blending medicine with innovation, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss!

Bronwyn Harris is a pediatric cardiologist who clinically practices part-time at Stanford. She also has a background in biomedical engineering and has been working in the digital health space for the past decade with a range of experiences from starting her own company to working at Apple. She is currently Chief Transformation Officer for CareEvolution, a health software company with a one-stop digital research platform. Bronwyn is passionate about using patient-generated health data to empower patients and overall improve clinical care. 

Episode Highlights:

[1:26] Introduction to Dr. Bronwyn Harris and her unique career path.

[5:48] How her background in biomedical engineering shaped her approach to medicine.

[9:20] Early experiences with medical device research and home monitoring solutions.

[11:30] The power of design thinking in healthcare innovation.

[19:16] How Stanford Biodesign changed her perspective on medical innovation.

[22:49] Founding her digital health startup and the challenges of early-stage entrepreneurship.

[27:48] The unexpected path that led to an acquisition by Apple.

[30:01] The mindset shift from clinical medicine to the startup world.

[33:24] The future of wearable devices in healthcare and why clinicians should take notice.

Resources:

• Checkout the asthma tool created by Dr. Harris: https://www.asthmatool.com 
• Dr. Bronwyn Harris’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/cardiac-related-wearable-features-overview-bronwyn-harris-ngxwc/ 

Checkout our services at StartupPhysicians.com

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, rate, and leave a review. Don’t forget to share this episode with fellow physicians who might be interested in startups. Together, we can shape the future of healthcare! See you next time.