Medicine loves titles.

Chair. President. Fellow. Society this. Board that.

But when we asked Dr. Anthony Minniacci—President of the American Shoulder and Elbow Society—what he actually wants his legacy to be, the answer wasn’t what you’d expect.

In this episode of I’m a Podstar, Not a Doctor, Tony talks candidly about the long game of medicine—from immigrant beginnings to leading one of the most respected orthopedic societies in the world. We get into why some of his shoulder implant ideas took 25 years to be taken seriously, how skepticism nearly killed innovation, and why leadership only matters if you’re willing to do the unsexy work.

We also cover:

• Why chasing prestige is a trap
• How to build teams without ego
• What young surgeons misunderstand about success
• Balancing ambition without burning everything down
• And why titles fade, but impact doesn’t

This one’s for anyone grinding, doubting themselves, or wondering if all the sacrifice is actually worth it.