EP325: What If Wiping Out Was the Key to Rising Stronger in Medicine?
BootstrapMD - Physician Entrepreneurs Podcast with Dr. Mike Woo-Ming
Release Date: 12/24/2025
EP344: Why Most Doctors Are Using AI Wrong (And What to Do Instead)
BootstrapMD - Physician Entrepreneurs Podcast with Dr. Mike Woo-Ming
AI is everywhere, but most physicians are stuck between hype and reality. In this episode of BootstrapMD, Dr. Mike Woo-Ming breaks through the noise surrounding artificial intelligence in medicine. Instead of hype and overwhelm, he shares a practical framework: The 3-Bucket AI Method, to help physicians decide what tools to use now, what to watch, and what to ignore. He also addresses the underlying fear many physicians feel about being replaced, offering a clear and honest perspective, AI won’t replace doctors, but doctors who use AI will outpace those who don’t. This episode is a...
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EP343 : Key Takeaways from the Momentum MD Spring Retreat
BootstrapMD - Physician Entrepreneurs Podcast with Dr. Mike Woo-Ming
In this repurposed episode of Bootstrap MD, Dr. Mike Woo-Ming reflects on the Momentum MD Spring Retreat, a powerful gathering of physician entrepreneurs, CEOs, clinic owners, and coaches in Las Vegas. The retreat went beyond business strategies, focusing on connection, clarity, and personal growth. Dr. Woo-Ming shares seven key takeaways, including overcoming universal fears, reframing imposter syndrome, and using the OOCEMR framework to simplify decisions. These insights will help you align your roles as a physician and entrepreneur, foster vulnerability for breakthroughs, and commit to...
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EP342 : 5 Reasons Why Smart Doctors Struggle to Sell
BootstrapMD - Physician Entrepreneurs Podcast with Dr. Mike Woo-Ming
Have you ever had someone ready to buy, and somehow talked them out of it? In this candid and practical episode of Bootstrap MD, Dr. Mike Woo-Ming shares a powerful confession from his early days as a physician entrepreneur, losing deal after deal, not because his offer lacked value, but because he approached sales the way he was trained as a doctor. Drawing from years of experience, he breaks down why highly intelligent, capable physicians often struggle with selling, despite having valuable solutions. The issue isn’t competence, it’s conditioning. The same traits that make doctors...
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EP341: If I Had to Rebuild My Physician Brand from Scratch in 2026, Here’s Exactly What I’d Do
BootstrapMD - Physician Entrepreneurs Podcast with Dr. Mike Woo-Ming
I spent months building a course that nobody bought. The modules were recorded, the landing page was live, but the launch brought complete silence. That painful failure taught me a valuable lesson: I had built the product first instead of discovering what my audience actually wanted. In this honest and practical episode of Bootstrap MD, Dr. Mike Woo-Ming shares his confession and the exact sequence he would follow if he had to rebuild his physician brand from zero in 2026. He explains why most physician brands stall, being too broad, posting random content with no through-line, and having no...
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EP340 : Get Cash-Pay Clients: How Upfront Labs and Smart Marketing Can Scale Your Health Practice
BootstrapMD - Physician Entrepreneurs Podcast with Dr. Mike Woo-Ming
Struggling to attract quality patients in a crowded market? Joy Houston shares how practitioners can move beyond free content using upfront lab testing, tiny ticket offers, and smarter algorithm strategies to generate better leads and more profitable programs. On Bootstrap MD, Dr. Mike Woo-Ming sits down with Joy Houston to explain why free webinars and PDFs are no longer converting, and how engaging in DMs, comments, and chats can boost visibility while guiding serious prospects into your CRM. She introduces her “Symptoms plus Science equals Sales” framework and the Upfront Labs model,...
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EP339: From Burnout to Ownership: Dr. Brittney Anderson’s Journey to Building a Thriving Private Practice
BootstrapMD - Physician Entrepreneurs Podcast with Dr. Mike Woo-Ming
What if the medicine you dreamed of practicing in medical school could only happen outside of traditional employment? In this inspiring episode of Bootstrap MD, host Mike sits down with Dr. Brittney Anderson, as she opens up about how she left a draining job, started her own independent family medicine practice in Alabama, and grew it to seven figures in just three years, while working fewer clinical days. After a soul-searching week on a beach in Honolulu, she wrote her resignation letter and built a business plan for her own practice. Three years later, her insurance-based family medicine...
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EP338: The AI Scribe Revolution
BootstrapMD - Physician Entrepreneurs Podcast with Dr. Mike Woo-Ming
Tired of coming home exhausted only to spend hours charting after the kids are in bed? You're not alone. In this episode of Bootstrap MD, host Dr. Mike Woo-Ming opens up about the pajama time reality that plagues so many physicians, those late-night documentation sessions that steal evenings, family time, and peace of mind. He shares how, despite promises from EHRs and dictation tools over the years, the administrative burden has only shifted, not disappeared until ambient AI scribes changed the game for him. Dr. Woo-Ming explains exactly what ambient AI scribes are:...
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EP337: How Doctors Are Monetizing Their Expertise in the Creator Economy
BootstrapMD - Physician Entrepreneurs Podcast with Dr. Mike Woo-Ming
In this episode, Dr. Mike Woo-Ming explores the creator economy's potential for physicians seeking wealth and autonomy. He discusses leveraging platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Substack to monetize expertise through content creation. Dr. Woo-Ming shares success stories, actionable strategies, and common pitfalls, emphasizing a business mindset. Three Actionable Takeaways: Clarify Your Why: Clearly define your purpose before creating any content—education, audience growth, business building, or personal fulfillment. Focus on One Platform: Choose one content channel that...
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EP336: The Physician Tax Playbook: 7 Strategies Most Doctors Discover Too Late
BootstrapMD - Physician Entrepreneurs Podcast with Dr. Mike Woo-Ming
Many physicians spend years training to earn high incomes, only to discover that a significant portion of those earnings disappear to taxes. In this episode of BootstrapMD, host Dr. Mike Woo-Ming shares the Physician Tax Playbook, a practical framework designed to help doctors understand how income structure, not just income level, determines how much they actually keep. Dr. Woo-Ming opens with a personal story about receiving his first physician paycheck and realizing how much of it was lost to taxes. He explains why W-2 income is one of the most heavily taxed forms of income and why...
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EP335 : Your First $10,000 outside of medicine is closer than you think.
BootstrapMD - Physician Entrepreneurs Podcast with Dr. Mike Woo-Ming
Struggling to launch your physician side hustle because you're stuck building "infrastructure" first? It's a common trap. In this episode of Bootstrap MD, host Dr. Mike Woo-Ming shares his confession about procrastinating on a business idea by focusing on websites, branding, and CRMs instead of revenue. He introduces the "infrastructure trap" a mindset from medical training that delays action in entrepreneurship. Dr. Woo-Ming explains why $10,000 is the ideal first milestone for validation, funding tools, and shifting your identity from "idea" to "business." He outlines the Minimum...
info_outlineThis episode is sponsored by Lightstone DIRECT. Lightstone DIRECT invites you to partner with a $12B AUM real estate institution as you grow your portfolio. Access the same single-asset multifamily and industrial deals Lightstone pursues with its own capital – Lightstone co-invests a minimum of 20% in each deal alongside individual investors like you. You’re an institution. Time to invest like one.
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This Episode is also sponsored by Ryze Health
Every minute counts in medicine—so why waste it on clunky admin work? With Ryze Health, practice management becomes effortless. Our all-in-one platform streamlines scheduling, patient communications, and insurance verification, giving you fewer no-shows, faster check-ins, and happier patients. Free yourself from paperwork and phone tag so you can focus on what truly matters: providing care. Visit http://ryzehealth.com/BootstrapMD today and see how simple running your practice can be.
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What if a life-altering accident on the beach redirected your entire career, and a mental health crisis became the catalyst for resilient leadership?
In this inspiring episode of Bootstrap MD, Dr. Mike Woo-Ming welcomes Dr. Scott Ellner, as he shares his journey from witnessing a roadside trauma that sparked his path to medicine, to practicing in New England, facing burnout and suicidal thoughts, and pivoting to executive roles like leading Integris Health Medical Group. Drawing from surfing metaphors, he discusses mental health stigma, the addiction to identity, finding purpose beyond the OR, and practical tips for physicians navigating pivots, startups, and leadership in chaotic healthcare. Perfect for doctors feeling stuck or seeking nonclinical transitions, this conversation offers hope, transparency, and actionable insights on grit, resilience, and reaching out.
Three Actionable Takeaways:
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Embrace Mental Health Openly: Physicians face immense stressors—discuss it like physical health. If you're in crisis (e.g., burnout, cynicism), reflect on purpose: "What intimidates me motivates me." Reach out to a trusted person; a simple "Are you okay?" can save lives, as it did for Scott during a dark night on call.
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Redefine Purpose Beyond Identity: Don't tie your worth to "surgeon" or "physician"—identity addiction fuels burnout. Pivot by exploring passions (e.g., leadership, startups); spend time journaling or in "executive residencies" to learn business acumen, funding pitches, and health system buy-in for new ventures.
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Use Surfing as a Leadership Metaphor: Adversity builds grit. Paddle through discomfort like cold water or wetsuits. In healthcare chaos (post-COVID), lead by contributing meaningfully; for pivots, seek VC insights on exit strategies and physician influence (e.g., CMO buy-in) to make ideas stick.
About the Show:
Bootstrap MD is the ultimate podcast for physician entrepreneurs looking to escape traditional healthcare and control their financial futures. Hosted by Dr. Mike Woo-Ming, a successful physician, entrepreneur, and investor, the show delivers actionable insights on starting businesses, creating passive income, and navigating healthcare entrepreneurship. Featuring interviews with industry leaders, physicians, and experts in telemedicine and digital health, it’s your guide to building a profitable, fulfilling career.
Tune in weekly at http://bootstrapmd.com
About the Guest:
Dr. Scott Ellner is a former general and trauma surgeon, now President of Integris Health Medical Group in Oklahoma City. A leadership strategist and TEDx speaker, he transitioned from clinical practice after a mental health crisis, drawing from surgery, surfing, and executive roles to help physicians combat burnout and lead sustainably. He's the author of Wipe Out, Rise Up: A Practical and Deeply Human Guide to Leadership, Grit, and Redefining Success in Medicine.
🔗 Connect with Dr. Scott Ellner:
🌐 Website: www.drscottellner.com
📘 Book: Wipe Out, Rise Up
About the Host:
Dr. Mike Woo-Ming has over 20 years of experience as a physician entrepreneur. He’s built and sold multiple seven-figure companies and now leads Executive Medical, a group of clinics specializing in age management and aesthetics. Through BootstrapMD, he mentors physicians in business, content creation, and autonomy.
Let’s Connect: www.https://www.bootstrapmd.com
Want to start a podcast? Check out the Doctor Podcast Network!