The Underdog Physician Podcast

The Underdog Physician
  • 4.4 (13)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

The Underdog Physician podcast is for pre-med students, medical students, residents, and attendings who feel like they’re underdogs. I am a physician practicing in the US, hosting this podcast to be a source of inspiration for those willing to embrace their challenges and beat the odds no matter where they are in their entrepreneurial or academic journey. I will be discussing physician entrepreneurship and sharing the journeys of those who aspired to serve society in unique and creative ways. Listen as I interview amazing physicians who overcame great odds and are now doing amazing work.

  1. 5D AGO

    Dr. Chiagozie Fawole: From Pediatric Anesthesia to Real Estate, Business Acquisitions, and AI-Driven Wealth for Physicians

    On the Underdog Physician Podcast, host Anish interviews Dr. Chiagozie Fawole, a Johns Hopkins–trained pediatric anesthesiologist, real estate investor, and founder of Savvy Docs, about building wealth outside medicine through real estate and business acquisitions. Born and raised in Nigeria, she moved to the U.S. at 16, studied at Howard, attended Johns Hopkins for medical school, initially pursued neurosurgery but did not match, and chose anesthesia for a better lifestyle. She shares her first entrepreneurial experience—a long-distance house flip during residency that lost $10,000 due largely to not staging—then explains moving into multifamily syndication, BRRRR duplexes in Syracuse, and a 2021 pivot to short-term rentals. She discusses shifting focus to acquiring “boring” cash-flowing businesses using SBA financing, her acquisition buy box (≥$1M revenue, ≥10 employees, 5–10+ years old, strong leadership bench), and using AI to improve operations, plus how family support, delegation, and automation help her manage time. 00:00 Meet Dr. Chiagozie Fawole 00:51 From Nigeria to Hopkins 01:32 Finding Anesthesia 02:42 Lifestyle by Design 03:52 First Real Estate Flip 06:12 Losing 10K Lessons 07:35 Scaling to Multifamily 08:37 Syndication Mindset 10:51 BRRRR to Short Term 11:34 Why Real Estate Focus 13:31 Pivot to Acquisitions 15:58 Buy Box Criteria 18:26 AI and Future Proofing 19:58 Team and Automation 22:04 Savvy Docs Mission 23:42 Work Life Counterbalance 25:54 Books and Mindset 26:13 Wealthier Doctors Better Care 26:57 Closing Thoughts

    27 min

  2. MAR 24

    From Burnout to Sustainable Wellbeing: Dr. Amna Shabbir on Perfectionism, and Empowering Early-Career Physicians

    On the Underdog Physician podcast, Dr. Amna Shabbir— board-certified internal medicine and geriatrics physician, speaker, coach, and host of Success Reimagined—shares how pandemic stress, added family responsibilities, and severe postpartum depression led her to reframe her career, pursue a geriatrics fellowship as a healing reset, and step away from core academia to part-time post-acute/long-term care. She distinguishes moral injury from burnout as cumulative distress. She discusses perfectionism versus healthy striving, emphasizing intrinsic motivation, learning to fail, and risk tolerance for entrepreneurship. Amna describes the Early Career Physician Institute’s coaching, advocacy, and organizational cohorts focused on boundaries, communication, confidence, negotiation, and retention, and notes AI is a tool whose impact depends on intent and physician empowerment. She is also writing a book on perfectionism and emphasizes seasonality over “balance,” rest, non-negotiables, and rejecting narratives that people are broken. 00:00 Meet Dr. Amna Shabbir 00:46 Burnout After Residency 02:17 Geriatrics And Reframing 03:37 Coaching Roots And Support 05:41 Moral Injury Explained 07:09 Perfectionism And Failure 10:30 Early Career Institute Mission 13:43 Coaching Formats And Results 16:44 Identity Beyond The White Coat 20:44 AI And Physician Empowerment 22:41 Writing A Book On Perfectionism 23:58 Ditching Balance For Seasons 26:36 Legacy And How To Connect 27:55 Final Thanks And Resources

    29 min

  3. MAR 18

    From ER to Venture Capital: Dr. Vipul Kella on Clinical Value, Fundraising, and Health Tech Investing

    On the Underdog Physician Podcast, ER physician, chief medical officer, and FI Cap Fund general partner Dr. Vipul Kella shares how watching “ER” and rotating in inner-city Detroit drew him to emergency medicine, and how frustration with being downstream of innovation, corporatization, and loss of autonomy pushed him toward startups and venture capital. He explains that clinical experience—not an MBA—is the primary differentiator for physicians in VC and advises entrepreneurs to start before conditions are perfect, think beyond patient care to all stakeholders, and build networks with a non-transactional mindset. Vipul describes a GP’s work as mainly fundraising, sourcing and diligence on early-stage health tech deals, and building a clinician-driven LP network to accelerate adoption. He discusses AI opportunities in admin workflows, clinical decision support, wearables, digital biomarkers, and precision medicine, outlines startup evaluation and timing for VC funding, warns about equity-only advisory roles, and shares time-management and health priorities. 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 00:25 Origin Story to ER 01:26 Why Pivot to VC 02:59 MBA and Real Value 06:16 Startup Lessons Learned 07:31 Networking and Reciprocity 10:52 Life as a VC Partner 13:03 Physician LP Model 14:51 AI and Future Healthcare 17:21 Longevity Hype Reality 19:02 How VCs Evaluate Startups 22:07 When to Raise VC 24:41 Mentors and Career Paths 27:23 Advisory Equity Risks 30:24 Time Management Balance 32:19 Mission and Closing

    35 min

  4. MAR 11

    From Touring Musician to Health Optimization Coach: Jared Fischer on Nutrition, Strength, and Building an Online Coaching Business

    On the Underdog Physician podcast, Anish interviews Jared Fischer, founder and CEO of Healthimize, a certified health optimization coach who blends 25 years as a touring percussionist with integrated nutrition, biohacking, and strength training to help high performers beat burnout. Jared shares his journey from a farm upbringing and years of partying as a musician to sobriety after his mother’s death and COVID, followed by a fitness transformation that led him to earn integrative nutrition and NASM personal training certifications and go fully online. He outlines his Health Optimize blueprint pillars: a nutritional reset featuring a 24-hour fast, 10-day reset, whole foods and macro tracking; and a strength/movement accelerator with phased programs adaptable to limited resources, including 15-minute workouts and walking. He discusses green tea, whey protein, creatine, program durations, bootstrapping and mentorship for marketing/sales, and his vision for AI in healthcare plus corporate wellness plans to reduce insurance premiums 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 01:07 What Health Optimization Means 02:07 From Farm to Rock Bottom 03:54 Recovery and New Purpose 06:14 Healthimize Coaching Blueprint 06:35 Nutrition Reset and Tracking 08:10 Strength Training That Fits 10:06 15 Minute Workouts and Walking 12:07 Supplements Green Tea Creatine 13:47 Program Length and Habits 15:11 Building an Online Coaching Startup 17:49 Mentorship Marketing and Sales 19:10 Bootstrapping and Reinvesting 20:36 Future of AI and Biohacking 23:09 Legacy and Corporate Wellness 24:53 Final Thanks and Wrap Up

    25 min

  5. MAR 3

    David Kaminski on Healthcare SEO: Winning Google Maps, “Near Me” Searches, and Consistent Content

    On the Underdog Physician Podcast, we interview healthcare SEO strategist David Kaminski, founder of Collaborate Pros, about helping dentists, med spas, podiatrists, and physicians generate patients through Google Maps and organic search. David shares his origin story from building a multimillion-dollar window cleaning business without paid ads by focusing on free Google traffic, and explains SEO as placing the right search terms (especially high-intent “near me” queries) in website and Google Business Profile content. He highlights common mistakes like inconsistency in Google Business activity and blogging, discusses using AI-assisted blog writing with human editing plus images, links, and videos, and outlines his company’s automations, interlinking strategies, and fit criteria. He also covers KPI tracking, team incentives, and his goal of helping business owners grow. 00:00 Podcast Welcome 01:21 David Origin Story 01:49 Free Google Traffic 03:38 Tech Roots and College 04:38 Why Window Cleaning 05:37 Delegation and Incentives 08:32 Launching Collaborate Pros 09:57 SEO Basics Explained 11:04 Google Profile Consistency 12:59 AI Blog Posts and Ranking 15:36 Automation Marketing Stack 16:42 Homepage SEO Interlinking 17:38 Industry Collaboration Links 18:16 Pricing And ROI Proof 19:24 Best Fit Clients 20:00 How Long It Takes 21:07 Remote Practices And Maps 22:02 Transactional Search Intent 23:52 Beating Big Competitors 25:13 KPI Tracking And Branding 27:00 Work Life And Habits 28:39 Weekly KPI Rhythm Traction 29:26 Legacy And Wrap Up

    31 min

  6. FEB 18

    Dr. Ryan Grant on Rebuilding Healthcare: Building Vori Health, Startup Teams, and Entrepreneurial Mindset

    In this episode of the Underdog Physician Podcast, host interviews Dr. Ryan Grant, a neurosurgeon, healthcare executive, educator, and serial entrepreneur behind venture-backed startups including Vori Health and Nomad Health. Dr. Grant shares early inspirations for medicine and entrepreneurship, emphasizing a mindset of courage, adaptability, learning from failure, and a “healthy disrespect for the status quo.” He encourages people stuck in analysis paralysis to start, confront fear and discomfort, and avoid future regret. Dr. Grant explains the inception of Vori Health as a 50-state medical practice addressing widespread non–evidence-based musculoskeletal care and high rates of inappropriate spine surgery, arguing that surgeons are often the wrong first specialists for conservative management. Vori’s model employs non-operative specialists (PM&R/sports medicine), physical therapists, and coaches, with physician and PT conducting history and exam together, combining medical and functional diagnoses and using a biopsychosocial approach that prioritizes what matters to patients. The conversation covers team-building principles focused on self-awareness, hiring people who complement founders’ weaknesses, prioritizing culture, and interviewing for collaborative traits. Dr. Grant discusses venture funding as a function of desired scale, advises seeking “smart money,” and stresses that founders must always be selling their vision to investors, talent, customers, and patients through clear storytelling and a concise pitch refined through feedback. He also describes how a CEO’s role shifts from doing everything to delegating, managing metrics, confronting brutal facts, and ensuring the company builds what customers want. Dr. Grant closes with a legacy goal of using what he’s learned to help others, improve healthcare, and remain both a teacher and student. 00:00 Meet Dr. Ryan Grant: Neurosurgeon, Executive & Serial Entrepreneur 00:52 Why Medicine? Early Curiosity, Service & the Pull Toward Neurosurgery 01:47 First Businesses & the Entrepreneurial Mindset 04:20 Beating Analysis Paralysis: Books, Fear, and ‘Just Start’ 06:21 Why Worry Health Exists: Fixing Broken MSK Care & Inappropriate Spine Surgery 08:55 The New Care Model: Right First Specialist + Integrated PT/Physician Team 11:25 Patient-First MSK Care: What Matters to the Patient, Not Just the Diagnosis 14:17 Building a Startup Team: Self-Awareness, Hiring for Culture, Avoiding Ego Traps 18:13 Venture Funding & Networking: Always Be Selling + Choosing the Right Investors 23:25 Founder-to-CEO Evolution: Delegation, Metrics, Feedback & Product-Market Fit 26:09 Legacy & Closing: Teaching, Learning, and Leaving Healthcare Better

    29 min

  7. FEB 10

    Transforming Healthcare Logistics: Dr. Amit Gir's Journey from Medicine to Tech Entrepreneurship

    In this episode of the Underdog Physician Podcast, we interview Dr. Amit Gir, an internal medicine physician turned logistics innovator. Amit shares his journey from developing a medication reminder app to founding Phox Health, a company revolutionizing the delivery of prescriptions and medical supplies. He discusses the challenges and lessons learned in entrepreneurship, the importance of branding and problem-solving, and the unique aspects of handling high-value medical logistics. Amit also explores the balance between family, career, and startup life, offering insights into funding, perseverance, and the mindset required for entrepreneurial success. The episode provides valuable lessons for anyone interested in the intersection of healthcare, technology, and entrepreneurship. 00:00 Introduction to Dr. Amit Gir and Fox Health 00:45 Amit’s Journey from Medicine to Logistics 01:53 The Birth of Phox Health 02:31 Challenges and Failures in Early Ventures 05:13 The Importance of Branding and Marketing 06:04 Mindset and Transition to Full-Time Entrepreneurship 09:30 Bootstrapping and Funding Insights 12:49 Unique Logistics Model of Phox Health 16:17 Long-Term Vision and Mission of Phox Health 17:32 Balancing Entrepreneurship and Personal Life 21:58 Final Thoughts and Legacy

    23 min

  8. FEB 3

    Pioneering Telehealth: Insights from Dr. Aditi Joshi

    In this episode of the Underdog Physician podcast, host Anish interviews Dr. Aditi Joshi, a trailblazing emergency medicine physician and telehealth innovator. Dr. Joshi shares her journey from emergency medicine to pioneering roles in telehealth. The discussion covers her experiences with burnout, her involvement with the early stages of Doctor on Demand, and the broader impacts and challenges of telemedicine in improving healthcare access and equity. Additionally, Dr. Joshi provides valuable advice for early-stage physicians and residents on finding purpose, the importance of mentorship, and effectively building a brand. The episode also covers her transition to consulting and writing a book on telehealth success, offering frameworks for establishing telehealth programs. The conversation encapsulates the evolving landscape of digital health and the vital role of empathy in remote care. 00:00 Introduction to the Underdog Physician Podcast 00:13 Meet Dr. Aditi Joshi: From Emergency Medicine to Telehealth 00:36 Journey into Emergency Medicine 01:43 Transition to Telehealth 02:54 Finding Purpose in Medicine 05:37 Challenges and Opportunities in Telehealth 07:20 Global Perspectives and Mentorship 12:34 Building a Telehealth Program 21:36 Balancing Career and Stress Management 24:09 Final Thoughts and Advice Amazon book- Telehealth Success: How to Thrive in the New Age of Remote Care https://www.amazon.com/Telehealth-Success-Thrive-Remote-Care/dp/B0CBM31HGQ

    25 min
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4.4
out of 5
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About

The Underdog Physician podcast is for pre-med students, medical students, residents, and attendings who feel like they’re underdogs. I am a physician practicing in the US, hosting this podcast to be a source of inspiration for those willing to embrace their challenges and beat the odds no matter where they are in their entrepreneurial or academic journey. I will be discussing physician entrepreneurship and sharing the journeys of those who aspired to serve society in unique and creative ways. Listen as I interview amazing physicians who overcame great odds and are now doing amazing work.

Information

  • Creator
    The Underdog Physician
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    88
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © The Underdog Physician
  • Show Website
    The Underdog Physician Podcast

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