Out Of Programme

Out Of Programme
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The Out Of Programme (OOP) podcast shines a spotlight on clinicians who have ventured beyond the traditional path of clinical training to forge unique and unconventional careers. Hosted by Dr Jing Ouyang, this series delves into the diverse backgrounds, driving motivations and transformative moments that shaped their journeys outside the realm of medicine. Whether you’re a clinician curious about life beyond the white coat or simply fascinated by stories of bold career reinvention, this podcast offers inspiring conversations and thought-provoking insights that go beyond the ordinary.

  1. 6D AGO

    Episode 30: Dr Rishi Das-Gupta on the journey to becoming an NHS Trust Chief Innovation Officer and Scaling System Change Across South London

    What happens when a doctor spends a decade at McKinsey, returns to the NHS, and creates a Chief Innovation Officer role from scratch? In this episode, we speak with Dr Rishi Das-Gupta, former Chief Innovation Officer at Royal Brompton Hospital and now CEO of Health Innovation Network South London and DigitalHealth.London. He shares how he went from covering the whole hospital overnight as a junior doctor to reshaping how the NHS adopts technology at scale. • 🏥 The one-in-four on-call rota that showed him what the NHS was getting wrong • 🧮 Why he left medicine for McKinsey — and why two years became ten • 🧠 Building a US healthcare practice and lessons from data-rich industries • 🔧 Returning to the NHS after a decade away and creating a Chief Innovation Officer role • ⚖️ Why implementation beats strategy — and making change happen inside hospital systems • 📈 The future of NHS digital transformation and why he's optimistic about what's next Rishi's story is a masterclass in leaving medicine, gaining industry perspective, and returning to transform the system from within. Follow us on: 🗞 Substack 💼 LinkedIn ▶ YouTube 🎧 Listen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts

    51 min

  2. APR 21

    Episode 29: Dr James Somauroo on a Near-Miss £40M Fund, Why Doctors Make Better Marketers, and Building SomX with His Wife

    What if the path to your true calling isn't through following expectations, but through recognising where your real talents lie? In this episode, we speak with Dr James Somauroo, former anaesthetist turned health tech entrepreneur, who transformed his realisation that he was "better at fixing the system than treating patients" into a remarkable career building the infrastructure for health innovation. • 👨‍⚕️ From immigrant family expectations to discovering his true strengths lay elsewhere • 🏛️ The Bruce Keough Fellowship and co-founding the Clinical Entrepreneur Programme • 🚀 Leading Digital Health London Accelerator and running his own health tech accelerator • 💰 The £40M fund that almost was—lessons from a deal undone by COVID • 🎙️ Building SomX from scratch with his wife Jess, bootstrapped to success • 💡 Why clinicians should seek purpose, not just "any port in a storm" James's journey from reluctant doctor to communications agency CEO reveals how embracing your authentic skills—even when they defy expectations—can lead to extraordinary impact. Follow us on: 🗞 Substack 💼 LinkedIn ▶ YouTube 🎧 Listen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts

    47 min
  3. Episode 28: Dr Farzana Rahman on Building a Radiologist-Led Team, Why Junior Doctors Thrive in Startups, and Hexarad's Series B Growth

    APR 7

    Episode 28: Dr Farzana Rahman on Building a Radiologist-Led Team, Why Junior Doctors Thrive in Startups, and Hexarad's Series B Growth

    What happens when four radiologists decide to build a health tech company while still working clinically – and end up raising Series B funding while hiring junior doctors into non-clinical roles? In this episode, we speak with Dr Farzana Rahman, a consultant radiologist and CEO of Hexarad, a technology and services company that helps hospitals deliver faster and more efficient radiology reporting. Her journey reveals how clinician founders think differently about scaling, hiring, and the future of health tech in the UK. 🏥 The path from consultant radiologist to startup founder – without a business background 💻 Why four radiologists founding a company together was never really a question of who'd be CEO 🧠 The unique qualities junior doctors bring to startups (and why tech companies need them) 🚀 Building Hexarad as a side project, then making the leap to full-time founder ⚖️ Scaling a Series B company with a radiologist–led executive team – and the challenges of health tech in the UK 🤝 Radical candour, coaching, and building a culture where people aren't afraid to ask for help Farzana's story reveals how lived clinical experience becomes an unfair advantage in building for healthcare – and why the best startup founders might just be the ones who've already thrived under pressure. Follow us on: 🗞 Substack 💼 LinkedIn ▶ YouTube 🎧 Listen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts

    52 min
  4. Episode 27: Dr Paul Jewell on Teaching Himself Code, Taking a "Grave Mistake" Career Break, and Building AI Tools for Clinicians

    MAR 24

    Episode 27: Dr Paul Jewell on Teaching Himself Code, Taking a "Grave Mistake" Career Break, and Building AI Tools for Clinicians

    What happens when a burned-out registrar ignores consultant warnings and teaches himself code—then builds AI tools that bridge clinical care and startup innovation? In this episode, we speak with Dr Paul Jewell, a medical doctor and health tech entrepreneur who co-founded Assuric, a compliance platform for digital health companies, whilst continuing to work as a locum clinician. 🏥 The family legacy of medicine and why Paul initially pursued it — despite a growing itch for technology 💻 Learning to code on exhausted NHS shifts: the frustration that sparked his pivot 🧠 The NG tube AI project that never was — and how competing priorities taught him about focus 🔧 Building hospital apps that solve real clinical problems, from guideline access to diagnostic support ⚠️ The "grave mistake" warning from consultants — and why Paul took the career break anyway 🚀 Co-founding Assuric and staying clinically active: why doctors make better health tech founders Paul's story reveals how sometimes the moves your mentors warn against lead to your best work — and why lived clinical experience is an unfair advantage in building for healthcare. Follow us on: 🗞 Substack 💼 LinkedIn ▶ YouTube 🎧 Listen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts

    44 min
  5. Episode 26: Dr Tom Chambers on Finding a Niche in Sleep Medicine and Building a New Digital Pathway

    MAR 17

    Episode 26: Dr Tom Chambers on Finding a Niche in Sleep Medicine and Building a New Digital Pathway

    What happens when an anaesthetist with a passion for physiology discovers the world of sleep medicine — and decides to build a tech startup to solve one of healthcare's biggest undiagnosed problems? In this episode, we speak with Dr Tom Chambers, an anaesthetist, sleep medicine specialist, and co-founder of Theta Sleep. Tom shares his journey from traditional medical training to founding a health tech company that's bringing sleep apnea care from hospitals into patients' homes. • 🏥 The accidental discovery of sleep medicine during an F2 respiratory rotation at Barts • 🧠 How a chance meeting at a WIRED Health conference led to consulting opportunities • 🔧 The leap from clinical practice to startup life — and the challenges of learning on the job • 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Building Theta Sleep with his brother as CEO — and navigating that unique dynamic • ⚖️ Why sleep medicine is perfectly positioned for tech-enabled home care Tom's story is a masterclass in following curiosity, saying yes to opportunities, and building a business that solves a genuine healthcare need at scale.

    51 min
  6. Episode 25: Dr Johann Malawala on Leading the 2016 Junior Doctors Strike and Building a Global Medical Education Empire

    MAR 3

    Episode 25: Dr Johann Malawala on Leading the 2016 Junior Doctors Strike and Building a Global Medical Education Empire

    What happens when a junior doctor leads the biggest NHS dispute in a generation — and then builds a global medical education organisation? In this episode, we speak with Dr Johann Malawana, an obstetrician and former chair of the BMA's Junior Doctors Committee during the high-profile 2015-2016 contract dispute. He is now the founder and CEO of Medics.Academy, a global health education company, and holds several senior academic roles. • 🏥 How Johann fell into medical school politics — and ended up chairing the BMA • ⚕️ The reality of leading industrial action during the junior doctors contract battle • 🧠 Why he founded Medics.Academy and scaled it into a global edtech platform • 🔧 Lessons from balancing clinical practice with entrepreneurship and academic leadership • ⚖️ The importance of maintaining your clinical identity while building outside medicine • 📈 How to navigate high-stakes negotiations and emerge with your principles intact Johann's story is a masterclass in leadership under pressure, taking calculated risks, and building a career that spans clinical practice, politics, and technology — without losing sight of what matters. Follow us on: 🗞 Substack 💼 LinkedIn ▶ YouTube 🎧 Listen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts

    1h 3m
  7. Episode 24: Ryan Kerstein on Turning a Dirty Tourniquet into a Global Business, Pivoting to Management Consulting, and Championing Surgical Innovation Nationally

    FEB 18

    Episode 24: Ryan Kerstein on Turning a Dirty Tourniquet into a Global Business, Pivoting to Management Consulting, and Championing Surgical Innovation Nationally

    What happens when two medical students spot a dirty tourniquet, build a single-use alternative that sells 75 million units globally — and one of them still operates every week as an NHS consultant plastic surgeon? In this episode, we speak with Ryan Kerstein, a consultant plastic surgeon and Associate Medical Director for Research and Innovation at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust. Ryan leads the BRAIN Innovation Unit, directs the Royal College of Surgeons iHub, and co-founded ASAP Healthcare as a medical student. 🏥 How a mucky reusable tourniquet in the MRSA era sparked a med school business idea🔧 From cutting tray paper in McDonald's to landing on the NHS Supply Chain with 75 million units sold💼 Leaving surgery for BCG management consulting — and why he came back to the NHS🧠 Being told to take innovation off his CV — and stubbornly proving the doubters wrong🚀 Building the first national surgical innovation group and championing a new career path for clinical intrapreneurs⚖️ Balancing a full-time clinical practice with portfolio leadership roles across trust, college, and companyRyan's journey is a masterclass in turning frontline frustration into lasting impact — and proof that you don't have to choose between clinical excellence and driving innovation. Follow us on: 🗞 Substack 💼 LinkedIn ▶ YouTube 🎧 Listen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts

    47 min
  8. Episode 23: Dr Fiona Pathiraja-Moller on Taking Back Agency, Learning from 100+ HealthTech Investments, and Giving Back through Philanthropy

    FEB 3

    Episode 23: Dr Fiona Pathiraja-Moller on Taking Back Agency, Learning from 100+ HealthTech Investments, and Giving Back through Philanthropy

    What happens when a radiologist leaves clinical practice to become a HealthTech investor, backing 100+ startups, and championing philanthropy in healthcare? In this episode, we speak with Dr Fiona Pathiraja-Moller, a former NHS radiologist turned HealthTech investor and managing partner of Christa Gali Ventures, a European investment fund backing early-stage HealthTech startups. Fiona is also a board trustee for several prestigious organisations including the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, and leads philanthropic efforts in healthcare, education, and the arts through her family office, IPQ Capital. 🏥 The early spark: How medical school fascination with the human body led to radiology🤔 From F2 to management consultancy: Questioning the system and proactively acquiring new skills🧠 Challenging the status quo: Taking back agency and rejecting “this is just how it is”💡 Making real impact: How a Department of Health policy Fiona worked on affected 91,000 junior doctors🚀 From angel investor to fund manager: Founding Christa Gali Ventures and backing over 150 startups📈 The raw truth behind startup success: Navigating co-founder splits, lawsuits, and valuation slashes💖 Beyond the hustle: Supporting founders through life’s toughest moments🌱 Philanthropy and governance: Championing modern leadership and giving back through global institutionsFiona’s story is a deep dive into how to continuously challenge convention, cultivate a diverse portfolio of interests, and leverage your unique perspective to drive meaningful change, both in and out of medicine. Follow us on: 🗞 ⁠Substack⁠ 💼 ⁠LinkedIn⁠ ▶ ⁠YouTube⁠ 🎧 Listen on: ⁠Spotify⁠ | ⁠Apple Podcasts

    40 min
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About

The Out Of Programme (OOP) podcast shines a spotlight on clinicians who have ventured beyond the traditional path of clinical training to forge unique and unconventional careers. Hosted by Dr Jing Ouyang, this series delves into the diverse backgrounds, driving motivations and transformative moments that shaped their journeys outside the realm of medicine. Whether you’re a clinician curious about life beyond the white coat or simply fascinated by stories of bold career reinvention, this podcast offers inspiring conversations and thought-provoking insights that go beyond the ordinary.

Information

  • Creator
    Out Of Programme
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    30
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Out Of Programme
  • Show Website
    Out Of Programme

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