From Scalpel to Strategy: Empowering the Next Generation of Physicians with Dr. Mark Figgie and Dr. Joel Press
Wealth Planning for the Modern Physician
Release Date: 05/14/2025
From OB/GYN to Advocate, Part II: Entrepreneurship and Disability Insurance Insights, with Stephanie Pearson, MD
Wealth Planning for the Modern Physician
In Part Two of this two-part conversation, Stephanie Pearson shares how personal hardship ultimately led her to build a mission-driven business dedicated to protecting physicians. What began as a deeply personal recovery journey evolved into an education-first approach to disability and life insurance. Rather than setting out with a business plan, Stephanie initially focused on helping other physicians avoid the mistakes and gaps that impacted her own experience. Through organic growth, word-of-mouth referrals, and a partnership that developed naturally, she built a firm centered on advocacy,...
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From OB/GYN to Advocate, Part I: An Injury that Changed Everything, with Stephanie Pearson, MD
Wealth Planning for the Modern Physician
In Part One of this two-part conversation, Dr. Stephanie Pearson shares her powerful journey from practicing OB/GYN to becoming a nationally-recognized advocate for physician disability insurance and financial protection. Nearly ten years into practice, a traumatic shoulder injury sustained during an emergency delivery permanently ended her ability to operate and perform obstetrics.. What initially felt like a temporary setback quickly became a life-altering pivot point—complicated further by contract language, disability policy limitations, and systemic barriers that left her financially...
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Healthcare M&A in 2026: What Physicians Need to Know with Matthew Phillips
Wealth Planning for the Modern Physician
In Episode 6.14, host David Mandell interviews Matthew Phillips, Managing Director at City Capital Advisors, to discuss the evolving landscape of healthcare mergers and acquisitions. With more than 25 years of legal and corporate finance advisory experience, Phillips shares insights into how physician-owned practices can navigate growth, capital raises, acquisitions, and potential sales in today’s selective and risk-averse market environment. Phillips explains that while capital remains abundant in healthcare, buyers are far more disciplined than in past years. Investors are prioritizing...
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Medicine Meets Machine Learning: Real-World AI in Practice with Dr. Joshua Lowentritt
Wealth Planning for the Modern Physician
In Episode 6.13, Dr. Joshua Lowentritt joins host David Mandell to explore the rapidly evolving role of artificial intelligence in medicine. Dr. Lowentritt shares his 25+ year journey as a practicing physician and healthcare leader, highlighting how Hurricane Katrina reshaped his professional outlook and entrepreneurial path. From building physician-owned organizations to investing in startups, his career reflects a deep commitment to improving healthcare delivery. Today, that mission increasingly centers on leveraging AI to enhance both physician experience and patient outcomes. A central...
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The Business of Independence: Private Practice Done Right with Teri Yates
Wealth Planning for the Modern Physician
In this episode, David Mandell speaks with Teri Yates, founder and CEO of Accountable Physician Advisors, about the realities of building, sustaining, and scaling independent medical practices. Drawing from her background in healthcare administration and consulting, Teri explains why private practice remains viable—and necessary—despite increasing consolidation in healthcare. She emphasizes that autonomy, not just income, is often the driving force behind physicians choosing independence. A central theme of the conversation is disciplined decision-making. Teri outlines why financial...
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From Academia to Innovation: Redefining Pain Medicine with Dr. Peter Staats (Part 2)
Wealth Planning for the Modern Physician
In Part 2 of the conversation with Dr. Peter Staats, the discussion expands beyond clinical medicine into leadership, advocacy, entrepreneurship, and the business realities shaping modern healthcare. Dr. Staats reflects on his extensive involvement in professional medical societies, explaining how each organization served a different mission—from physician advocacy and scientific advancement to global education and charitable efforts aimed at improving standards of pain care worldwide. The episode also explores Dr. Staats’ entrepreneurial journey, including the founding of electroCore...
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From Academia to Innovation: Redefining Pain Medicine with Dr. Peter Staats (Part 1)
Wealth Planning for the Modern Physician
In Part one of this two‑part conversation, Dr. Peter Staats shares the formative experiences that shaped his path into anesthesiology and pain medicine, beginning with his upbringing in Hawaii and the profound intellectual influence of his father, a pioneering academic psychologist. This early exposure to integrative thinking laid the groundwork for Dr. Staats’ approach to medicine, one that challenged traditional silos and emphasized the interconnectedness of behavior, psychology, and physiology. His medical training, initially aimed toward orthopedic surgery, ultimately shifted...
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Peer Review, Workplace Violence, and Protecting Your Career with Dr. David Koronkiewicz
Wealth Planning for the Modern Physician
Dr. David Koronkiewicz, a retired orthopedic surgeon and current leader in healthcare quality, safety, and risk management, joins the podcast to discuss two major issues affecting physicians today: the peer review system and workplace violence in healthcare. Drawing from more than 30 years in clinical practice and extensive experience in administrative leadership, he offers a rare, multidimensional perspective on how internal hospital processes can deeply impact a physician’s career, finances, and long‑term wellbeing. Koronkiewicz explains how peer review—originally intended to...
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Asset Protection Essentials for Physicians with Attorney Bo Loeffler
Wealth Planning for the Modern Physician
Attorney Bo Loeffler returns to the podcast to revisit with David the foundational principles of asset protection—what it is, why physicians need it, and how proper timing and structure make all the difference. The conversation begins with an overview of risk for physicians, from malpractice and employee claims to real estate liability and auto accidents and stresses the importance of addressing these risks before they arise. Bo and David emphasize the crucial concept that asset protection is only effective when implemented ahead of any foreseeable claim. The discussion then shifts to the...
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Ethical Entrepreneurship in Medicine: Building Smarter Practices with Dr. Paul Lynch
Wealth Planning for the Modern Physician
In this episode, host David Mandell welcomes Dr. Paul Lynch, a double board-certified anesthesiologist and pain management specialist, entrepreneur, and business leader. Dr. Lynch shares his remarkable journey from aspiring psychiatrist to pain medicine innovator—a shift inspired by his mother-in-law’s battle with cancer and the discovery of interventional pain treatments that could transform patients’ lives. His early experiences at the Mayo Clinic shaped his belief in comprehensive, integrated care—a philosophy that became the foundation for his first practice, Arizona Pain, which...
info_outlineIn this episode of the Wealth Planning for the Modern Physician podcast, host David Mandell sits down with two highly respected medical leaders—Dr. Mark Figgie, Chief Emeritus of the Surgical Arthritis Service at the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS), and Dr. Joel Press, Physiatrist-in-Chief at HSS—to explore their personal and professional journeys in medicine. Dr. Press shares how his diverse early experiences led him to physiatry, while Dr. Figgie recounts his balance between science, business, and a lifelong pursuit of education, including earning an MBA during his fellowship.
The conversation shifts into a discussion of mentorship at the Hospital for Special Surgery, where both physicians have played key roles in developing a cross-disciplinary mentorship model to support younger doctors. Their focus extends beyond clinical guidance to include career development, personal financial planning, and wellness—areas often overlooked in traditional medical training. This approach fosters institutional collaboration and a stronger culture at HSS.
Finally, the episode dives into physicians' relationships with industry. Dr. Figgie offers candid advice on contracts, intellectual property rights, and ethical considerations when working with device manufacturers. He emphasizes the importance of legal review and staying true to what benefits patients. Dr. Press adds insight into personal financial trust, suggesting that doctors build a "board of directors" for trusted guidance. The episode closes with a preview of future initiatives aimed at supporting physicians earlier in their careers through financial education and mentorship.
Key Insights:
- Dr. Press discovered physiatry through a unique summer program, showing the value of early exposure to diverse specialties.
- Dr. Figgie pursued an MBA during fellowship, believing in the power of financial literacy for physicians.
- Mentorship at HSS now includes financial, administrative, and personal development components—not just clinical.
- A cross-specialty mentorship program allows different departments (e.g., orthopedics and radiology) to learn from one another.
- Many young physicians lack basic financial planning tools, leading to under-preparedness later in their careers.
- HSS has created a repository of recorded educational sessions covering mortgages, insurance, investing, and more.
- Dr. Figgie cautions against blindly signing industry contracts without legal review, especially when IP is involved.
- Relationships with medical device companies often include consulting, design input, or teaching—but require transparency.
- Dr. Press emphasizes the importance of building a trusted "personal board of directors" to help with life and career decisions.
- Future initiatives at HSS may include subsidized financial checkups for new physicians to kickstart long-term planning.
Learn more, including additional show notes, links, and detailed key takeaways, by visiting physicianswealthpodcast.com.
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