66. Greg Lisi, Military Intelligence Officer and Medical Device Professional

Show Notes:

After Greg Lisi graduated from Harvard, he spent nine years in the military before working in the medical device space for several companies. He then transitioned to a small company called Prep MD, which does medical device training. After graduation, he took his officer basic course and received an active reserve commission in the military. He spent six months at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, learning about military intelligence and officer training. He served three years as an Intel officer at Fort Hood, Texas, and attended Airborne School, Ranger School. Greg also worked as a scout platoon leader, providing forward reconnaissance for a tank battalion. 

Life as a Military Intel Officer

Greg describes the military experience of an Intel officer. He requested a special assignment from his advanced course to attend the Armor Maneuver School. He spent six months at Fort Knox, Kentucky, and had the opportunity to go to Germany and learn about the Battle of the Bulge and the German armor officer school with his German counterparts.

Upon returning, he was invited to spend his captain years in Europe, spending a year in Bonn, Germany, working for a Military Intelligence Battalion. The unit was mostly electronic, flying RC 12 airplanes and collecting electronic intelligence while supporting peace operations in Bosnia. Greg was tasked with collecting electronic intelligence.

 

One day, he was contacted by Colonel Dragon, a battalion commander, who asked about his transfer to a new unit. Greg was transferred to his unit, which was preparing to deploy to the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to monitor and stabilize the border between Albania and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The mission was to monitor and stabilize the border while ensuring the conflict in Kosovo didn't spill over into the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

Greg talks about his post serving on the UN mission to monitor and stabilize the border between Albania and Macedonia. The unit had outposts along the border, and Greg describes the drills that were different from military training, including how to respond to a sniper.

Greg describes his experience as an Intel Officer in a military unit, specifically an infantry battalion, and how the officer is responsible for reporting to the brigade commander and providing advice and counsel. He talks about his experience with the largest foreign deployed operation in Europe today.

Greg highlights the importance of intelligence in ensuring a stable geopolitical environment and addressing potential resistance from Serbs.

Life after a Career in the Military

Greg talks about his decision to leave the military after nine years. He worked with a company called Cameron Brooks, which helped junior military officers find opportunities with different organizations in corporate America. He eventually took a job in the medical device space at a company called Guidance Corporation, which was later bought by Boston Scientific. He initially worked as a field clinical representative in cardiac rhythm management, where he was the point person between the physician, patients, and the technology.

Working as a Clinical Representative

He fell in love with the medical device space and the patient care and technology. He served as a clinical rep for about 18 months and later took his own sales territory. He explains what he enjoyed about this job, as his livelihood was driven by the need to create relationships and create value around the technology he was working with.

Greg discusses the role of a clinical representative in the healthcare industry, which is often overlooked and/or unknown. He explains that a clinical representative serves as a bridge between technology and the physician, helping bridge the gap between the two. A clinical representative can help ensure the correct things are being done for the device they represent on a given day.

Greg explains how they help a physician with technology and during procedures. He discusses the importance of being quiet, good listeners, and being three steps ahead of the physician when dealing with senior attending physicians. He also discusses the importance of checklists. He learned the efficacy of checklists from his military experiences and believes that checklists are good for training people in working through procedures early in their training.

Founding Prep MD

Greg talks about his company, Prep MD, founded in 2009, which aims to teach, inspire, and connect talented individuals with the medical device industry. The company initially had five members, who designed a six-week program that partnered with local medical institutions in Boston. The program included hands-on didactics, simulation equipment, and a mock catheterization and electrophysiology lab. The program prepared participants for clinical rotation and observation rounds, and helped place them with companies or healthcare providers in clinical specialist roles.

Today, his company trains people to become clinical representatives and helps place them with companies or healthcare providers around the country. This role serves as a bridge between the technology and the physician, making it easier for physicians to keep up with the latest innovations.

The company has three different companies under the Prep MD umbrella: the initial training company, a staffing entity, and a third LLC called prep MD RMS for remote monitoring solutions. The monitoring space is growing, with wearables becoming more prevalent. Greg talks about how the company has expanded its training and development side, and how it is now looking to expand into wearables and other areas.

Working with the Non-Profit Med Tech Vets

Greg discusses his experience working with Med Tech Vets, a nonprofit organization that provides mentoring for veterans transitioning from the military. They recently established a scholarship program for individuals who complete their online training program, which is currently at $35,000 for the six-month program. The cost of the program is not cheap, but employers appreciate the commitment to professional development and the ability to find pre-qualified candidates who can learn and master technology. Greg talks about the entry requirements, financial aid packages available, and the high placement rate post graduation. 

Greg talks about the monitoring business, which involves reconnection of devices or monitoring patients' health. He explains that some healthcare providers prefer to have their staff handle patient outreach, while others outsource this task to third-party providers. Lisi also discusses the shift towards app-based technology, where everything becomes app-based, and how it is transforming the way healthcare providers work.

Timestamps:

08:20 The UN’s mission to monitor the border with Macedonia

11:15 How to avoid conflict spilling over

16:22 How Greg became an intel officer

19:19 The decision to leave the army

25:11 How Greg became a clinical representative

28:15 The role of a clinical rep in guiding the physician 

33:58 How Greg founded Prep MD

43:14 The entry requirements for students coming to the program

47:34  App-based medical monitoring devices

Links:

Website: PrepMD.com

CONTACT: [email protected].