Inside The Doctor's Lounge

Inside The Doctor's Lounge

By Physician Side GigsBusinessEntrepreneurshipMedicineHealth & FitnessInvesting
Download on the App Store

Inside The Doctor's Lounge episodes

  • Turning Academic Medical Expertise Into a Profitable Side Gig In Industry, with Dr. Joshua Guttman

    In this episode, Dr. Nisha Mehta is joined by Dr. Joshua Guttman, associate professor of Emergency Medicine at Emory University, and founder of Peachtree POCUS, to discuss how he transformed his expertise in point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) into a multifaceted physician side business of education, consulting, advising, and industry relationships, while continuing his career in academic medicine.

    They discuss:

    • How his passion for point-of-care ultrasound evolved from a clinical interest into a realization that the demand for his expertise in an underserved niche — the administrative, operational, and reimbursement challenges of implementing POCUS programs — had significant entrepreneurial potential
    • How he has transformed this expertise into multiple revenue streams, including consulting for hospitals and physician groups, industry partnerships, educational courses, and sponsored medical technology content
    • Why developing a recognizable personal brand and becoming the go-to expert in a narrow area can be more effective than trying to appeal to everyone, and how physicians can and should build their brands and credibility outside traditional academic circles
    • The importance of navigating institutional policies, conflicts of interest, and professional boundaries when launching a business alongside an academic medicine career, and the safety net and value that staying in clinical medicine provides
    • Practical advice for physicians looking to monetize their expertise without formal business training, including books and AI tools that he finds valuable to improve client communication and refine his offerings, as well as how to validate market demand and transition to an entrepreneurial mindset

      • This episode is sponsored by our mortgage lenders directory at Physician Side Gigs. If you’re a physician looking to buy your first home out of training, purchase a new home, or refinance your existing mortgage, we’ve curated a list of physician loan & conventional loan lenders who work specifically with doctors and who were recommended by members in our communities. Find lenders in your state by visiting https://www.physiciansidegigs.com/mortgage-lenders-for-physicians 

      Find more of our content at www.physiciansidegigs.com, our Facebook communities, and our Instagram account!

      48 min
    • Bridging A Career in Medicine and Venture Capital as a Physician Investor, with Dr. Morgan Cheatham

      In this episode, Dr. Nisha Mehta is joined by Dr. Morgan Cheatham, Partner and Head of Healthcare and Life Sciences at Breyer Capital, and Medical Genetics resident at Harvard, to discuss his fascinating career path as a venture capitalist while simultaneously pursuing medical training.

      They discuss:

      • Why he rejects the idea that physicians must pursue their careers sequentially and how “parallelizing” clinical medicine and investing allows each to inform the other
      • Why medical students interested in entrepreneurship, finance, or industry should explore those paths early rather than waiting until the demands of residency make experimentation more difficult
      • The shift from traditional evidence-based medicine toward precision medicine and “N-of-1” care tailored to an individual patient’s genetics and phenotype, and how AI will help transform and accelerate this field
      • What he looks for when evaluating healthcare investments, and why he is willing to accept greater regulatory or commercial risk when a technology could meaningfully improve the probability of therapeutic success
      • The realities of simultaneously practicing medicine, investing, and building companies—and the tradeoffs physicians should consider when designing a multidimensional career

        • This episode is brought to you by UpToDate®. Grounded exclusively in peer-reviewed UpToDate content, Expert AI delivers evidence-based AI recommendations with clear reasoning and traceable sources. * Plus, as a PSG clinician, you can save 15% with code PODP, and as a PSG resident, you can save 20% with code PODR when you purchase an annual or longer personal subscription. † Visit utm.io/pod to subscribe.  * Products are not available in all countries. † These offers are valid for a limited time and are subject to change.

        Find more of our content at www.physiciansidegigs.com, our Facebook communities, and our Instagram account!

        1 hr
      • What To Know Before Using AI Tools in Your Clinical Practice, with Dr. Leeda Rashid

        In this episode, Dr. Nisha Mehta is joined by Dr. Leeda Rashid, former Senior Physician at the FDA’s Digital Health Center of Excellence,  to discuss the rapidly evolving role of artificial intelligence in healthcare and what physicians need to consider before incorporating AI tools into clinical practice.

        They discuss:

        • How physicians can move beyond asking whether AI is simply “good” or “bad” and instead become more sophisticated consumers of the technology entering their clinical workflows
        • The journal club like questions physicians should ask before adopting an AI tool, including its intended use, training data, performance metrics, subgroup analysis, and real-world outcomes
        • Why an AI tool being “FDA authorized” or “HIPAA compliant” doesn’t necessarily mean it is appropriate, accurate, or effective for every patient or clinical scenario
        • How physicians should think about what liability falls on them when using AI in patient care—and why Dr. Rashid suggests treating AI more like a resident whose work still requires attending oversight
        • The rise of “shadow AI,” as clinicians turn to unvetted tools when institutional approval processes fail to keep pace with rapidly changing technology, and why healthcare systems need formal AI governance, ongoing performance monitoring, and the ability to quickly disable algorithms when problems arise

          • This episode is sponsored by our insurance agents directory at Physician Side Gigs, which includes resources for various insurance products, including disability, life, malpractice, home, and auto insurance. This curated list contains brokers who have been used by thousands of members in our communities. Find insurance agents by visiting https://www.physiciansidegigs.com/insurance-agents-for-physicians. 

          Find more of our content at www.physiciansidegigs.com, our Facebook communities, and our Instagram account!

          1 hr
        • The Evolving Landscape and Practice of Emergency Medicine, with Dr. Howie Mell

          In this episode, Dr. Nisha Mehta is joined by Dr. Howie Mell, an emergency medicine physician with decades of experience in emergency services, to reflect on how emergency medicine—and healthcare more broadly—has changed throughout his career.

          They discuss:

          • What people often get wrong about the purpose of the emergency room, and why the appeal of emergency medicine isn’t necessarily the adrenaline, but the “zen” of controlling chaos and knowing your team can handle whatever comes through the door
          • How electronic medical records, administrative requirements, insurance pressures, and the need to justify medical decisions have changed the way emergency physicians practice
          • The impact of the growing influence of corporate interests and private equity in the emergency room, and in healthcare more broadly
          • The disconnect between public perceptions of physician wealth and the realities of medical training, student debt, long hours, and the personal sacrifices involved in practicing medicine
          • What has kept Dr. Mell passionate about emergency medicine after decades in the field despite the many changes and challenges

            • This episode is brought to you by our accountant database at Physician Side Gigs. If you need a CPA or tax strategist who understands doctor finances, we’ve curated a list of accountants and tax advisors familiar with the unique issues doctors face. Whether you have high W-2 earnings, 1099 income, are a private practice owner, or invest in real estate, explore the list at physiciansidegigs.com/accountants. 

            Find more of our content at www.physiciansidegigs.com, our Facebook communities, and our Instagram account!

            1 hr 2 min
          • Working Smarter, Not Harder, in Private Practice and the Personal Injury Space, with Dr. Amit Mehta

            In this episode, Dr. Nisha Mehta is joined by Dr. Amit Mehta, an interventional pain physician and founder of ABM Pain Consultants, who transitioned from traditional private practice to an independent 1099 model. He shares how his model of working across synergistic private practices and building out a personal injury and workers’ compensation practice has allowed him to reduce overhead, increase revenue per procedure, and build greater flexibility into his work.

            They discuss:

            • How physicians can structure mutually beneficial relationships by providing specialized services within other practices while leveraging the practice’s existing infrastructure and referral network, instead of carrying the overhead of their own traditional practice
            • How reducing overhead and diversifying practice locations can create greater control over schedule, income, vacation time, and overall work-life integration
            • The economics of personal injury and workers’ compensation medicine, including how reimbursement can be significantly better than Medicare and traditional insurance – and what doctors should know how about how liens, MedPay, workers’ compensation payments, facility fees, and paid depositions work
            • How to build and scale a personal injury practice, as well as the autonomy, efficiency, networking, and business skills required to succeed
            • Why physicians should keep the long-term exit strategy on the radar—including ancillary income, investments, and the challenges of creating transferable value in a physician-owned private practice

              • This episode is sponsored by our financial advisors database at Physician Side Gigs. This curated list of sponsors was made based on recommendations from physicians in our communities. They’re familiar with student loans, 1099 income, private practice ownership, and everything in between. If you’d like someone to help get your finances organized, or to help make sure you’re on track to meet retirement goals, check out  www.physiciansidegigs.com/financialadvisors

              Find more of our content at www.physiciansidegigs.com, our Facebook communities, and our Instagram account!

              53 min
            • How to Start a Cash-Pay Telehealth Practice, with Dr. Ashley Caravelli

              In this episode, Dr. Nisha Mehta is joined by Dr. Ashley Caravelli, a family medicine physician and menopause specialist who recently launched her own cash-pay telehealth practice, Axis Precision Health. She shares a behind-the-scenes look at going from an idea to actually seeing patients via telemedicine in just six months—and the business, legal, operational, and marketing decisions she had to make along the way.

              They discuss:

              • How to take a telehealth practice from idea to launch in 6 months, including setting up a business entity, choosing an EMR, building a website, securing malpractice coverage, and navigating licensing, local telehealth, and legal requirements
              • How to keep startup costs and overhead low by determining what you actually need, shopping around, negotiating, and deciding what to DIY versus outsource
              • How to structure a cash-pay patient experience, from discovery calls and transparent pricing to memberships, labs, prescriptions, and ongoing care
              • Why word of mouth and your existing network can be more powerful than paid marketing when finding your first patients—and how social media, email lists, and physician directories fit into the strategy
              • The financial realities of starting a telemedicine practice, including startup costs, calculating your break-even point, and using other income streams to reduce the pressure to become profitable immediately

                • This episode is brought to you by UpToDate®. Grounded exclusively in peer-reviewed UpToDate content, Expert AI delivers evidence-based AI recommendations with clear reasoning and traceable sources. * Plus, as a PSG clinician, you can save 15% with code PODP, and as a PSG resident, you can save 20% with codePODR when you purchase an annual or longer personal subscription. † Visit https://utm.io/pod to subscribe.  

                * Products are not available in all countries. 

                † These offers are valid for a limited time and are subject to change. 

                Find more of our content at https://www.physiciansidegigs.com, our Facebook communities, and our Instagram account!

                52 min
              • Fighting Physician Pay Cuts: Modifier 25 and Beyond, with Dr. Aaron Broadwell

                In this episode, Dr. Nisha Mehta is joined by Dr. Aaron Broadwell, rheumatologist and President of the Coalition of State Rheumatology Organizations (CSRO), to discuss the dangers of the proposed changes to payments for same-day E&M services and procedures in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. They also dig deep into not just how to advocate against it, but broaden the discussion about making the overall pot for physician compensation bigger rather than pitting physician specialties against each other.

                They discuss:

                • What CMS is proposing for Modifier 25 compensation changes and why reducing payment for the lower-valued same-day service by 50% could have major consequences for not physician practices, but for patients
                • The very real – and dangerous – consequences of requiring patients to return for procedures on a separate day on wait times, costs, and delayed or missed diagnoses
                • How continued Medicare reimbursement cuts could further threaten the sustainability of independent private practices, accelerate practice consolidation, Medicare and insurance opt-outs, and the loss of community care options for patients
                • The Patients First Act and the larger problem of forcing specialties to compete for reimbursement within a fixed Medicare physician payment system
                • How physicians (and patients!) can advocate effectively against changes regardless of whether they have time to lobby Congress in person

                  • Anybody wanting to submit a comment before the commenting period closes on 9/14/26 should go to https://www.regulations.gov/document/CMS-2026-2377-0002/comment 

                  Find more of our content at www.physiciansidegigs.com, our Facebook communities, and our Instagram accounts!

                  This episode is brought to you by the Physician Side Gigs attorney database. If you need someone to review a contract, help with employment issues, are dealing with compliance or healthcare fraud questions, estate planning, or even immigration matters, we’ve curated a list of local and national attorneys who work specifically with physicians. Visit physiciansidegigs.com/attorneys to learn more.

                  Find more of our content at www.physiciansidegigs.com, our Facebook communities, and our Instagram account!

                  49 min
                • CMS’ 2027 Physician Compensation Proposal: The Good, Bad, & Ugly, with Dr. Saurin Patel

                  In this episode, Dr. Nisha Mehta is joined by Dr. Saurin Patel, cardiologist and co-founder/Medical Director of MD365, a multi-specialty primary care and cardiology group. They break down CMS’s proposed 2027 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, and what the changes could mean for physicians, private practices, and the future of healthcare reimbursement, both good and bad.

                  They discuss:

                  • What the proposed 2027 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule reveals about CMS’s broader push away from fee-for-service and toward value-based care
                  • Proposed changes to G2211 payments, and why physicians participating in Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) could see greater reimbursements – and how ACO models and value based care models work
                  • Why proposed changes to remote patient monitoring (RPM) could make existing programs difficult for practices to sustain
                  • Why CMS’s latest proposals may finally signal that telehealth is here to stay and how greater certainty could change the way practices invest in virtual care
                  • How proposed Modifier 25 changes could reduce reimbursement for same-day E&M visits and procedures, particularly for procedural and surgical specialties, and create widespread issues for access to care
                  • The larger questions these proposals raise about Medicare reimbursement, declining physician payments, and the future of independent practice

                    • Anybody wanting to submit a comment before the commenting period closes on 9/14/26 should go to https://www.regulations.gov/document/CMS-2026-2377-0002/comment 

                    Find more of our content at www.physiciansidegigs.com, our Facebook communities, and our Instagram accounts!

                    This episode is sponsored by our mortgage lenders directory at Physician Side Gigs. If you’re a physician looking to buy your first home out of training, purchase a new home, or refinance your existing mortgage, we’ve curated a list of physician loan & conventional loan lenders who work specifically with doctors and who were recommended by members in our communities. Find lenders in your state by visiting https://www.physiciansidegigs.com/mortgage-lenders-for-physicians.

                    1 hr
                  • Lessons from a Year of Running a Direct Primary Care (DPC) Practice, with Christine Li Wan Po, D.O.

                    In this episode, Dr. Nisha Mehta is joined by Dr. Christine Li Wan Po, board-certified family medicine physician and owner of Pinnacle Health, to discuss what it’s like to leave traditional employed medicine and build a direct primary care (DPC) practice.

                    They discuss:

                    • Why she transitioned from a high-volume, insurance-based practice to direct primary care — and how it has helped her to maximize the joy in the doctor-patient relationship
                    • Why direct primary care doesn’t automatically mean more income or better work-life balance, and common misconceptions about the model
                    • The financial realities of starting a DPC practice, from funding startup costs and building a patient panel to determining membership fees – and when you can finally pay yourself
                    • The unexpected challenges of becoming a DPC practice owner, including staffing, business operations, and setting boundaries around availability
                    • The pros, cons, and limitations of the DPC model, and why she’s ultimately happy with her decision to make the switch

                      • Find more of our content at www.physiciansidegigs.com, our Facebook communities, and our Instagram accounts!

                      This episode is brought to you by the Physician Side Gigs job board. Whether you’re interested in exploring jobs with private practices owned by our physician members or hospital systems, our job board features opportunities directly with the hiring company without having to work with a third-party recruiter, allowing you to control your search under your terms. If you’re considering a move or want to list an opportunity, visit physiciansidegigs.com/job-board to learn more.   

                      Find more of our content at www.physiciansidegigs.com, our Facebook communities, and our Instagram account!

                      57 min
                    • How to Start (and Sustain) a Successful Podcast, with Dr. Jay Sridhar

                      In this episode, Dr. Nisha Mehta is joined by Dr. Jay Sridhar, vitreoretinal surgeon and host of two popular medical podcasts, to discuss what it really takes to build a successful podcast while balancing a busy clinical career and personal life. Whether or not you’re interested in starting a podcast, the second half of this episode carries valuable insights for any side gig that involves consistent content creation.

                      They discuss:

                      • How Dr. Sridhar built two medical podcasts from scratch with no audience, funding, or production experience and why consistency—not perfection—is the key to long-term success in content creation
                      • Practical tips for planning ahead, batching recordings, and preventing burnout while podcasting, and how delegating is key to making a podcast sustainable
                      • The unexpected career opportunities that come from building a trusted professional platform, including consulting, speaking engagements, and brand building
                      • Common mistakes new podcasters make, from choosing a podcast name to episode length and branding, and how to fix them
                      • Whether it’s still possible to start a successful podcast today—and what it takes to stand out in an increasingly crowded landscape

                        • This episode is sponsored by UpToDate. Unlike many open-source AI tools, UpToDate® Expert AI is built exclusively on the UpToDate clinical content you know and trust. And it is included with every personal subscription in the US.* Access relevant clinical insights with clear sourcing and explainable reasoning to support clarity and confidence at the point of care. 

                        As you use Expert AI to explore clinical questions, you can earn CME seamlessly in the flow of care. † And with UpToDate Pro Plus, state-tagged topics for physicians make it easier to find eligible content that meet your state-specific requirements—so there’s less guesswork and less manual tracking.

                        Plus, as a PSG clinician, you can save 15% with code PODP, and as a PSG resident, you can save 20% with code PODR when you purchase an annual or longer personal subscription. ‡ Visit utm.io/pod to subscribe. These offers are valid for a limited time and are subject to change. 

                        *Products not available in all regions.

                        † Visit www.uptodate.com/cme for CME details. Physicians may need to self-report credits per state board

                        requirements.

                        ‡ Proof of status is required for all trainee and student orders.

                        Find more of our content at www.physiciansidegigs.com, our Facebook communities, and our Instagram accounts!

                        59 min

                      About Inside The Doctor's Lounge

                      From the publisher's feed

                      Inside the Doctor’s Lounge is a podcast by the Physician Side Gigs team, hosted by Dr. Nisha Mehta, which showcases popular topics from our online communities of over 220,000 physicians. We interview…