The Fire Chief

In this engaging episode, host Lee Scheinbart interviews Dr. Michael Suk, orthopedic surgeon, physician executive, attorney, and co-founder of MDEnvoy, a physician representation company built around a provocative idea: physicians, much like professional athletes, should not have to navigate their careers alone.

Lee and Michael explore the concept of career stewardship and why physician representation should extend far beyond negotiating a contract. Their conversation examines coaching, leadership development, financial guidance, intellectual property, career transitions, and the value of having an advocate who can help physicians ask difficult questions on their behalf. They also explore why health systems and CMOs should view physician representation as a potential partner rather than an adversary—and how greater transparency and career support may strengthen retention, engagement, and professional fulfillment. Finally, Michael turns the agent model toward aspiring CMOs themselves, challenging physician leaders to recognize their own value and seek representation as they move into the C-suite.

In this dynamic episode, host Lee Scheinbart interviews Dr. Victor Vargas, physician executive, retired U.S. Air Force flight surgeon, and founder and CEO of CrediSync. Drawing on lessons from military medicine, special operations, and his own journey into physician executive leadership, Victor explores how a relentless focus on mission and systems improvement shaped the way he approaches one of healthcare’s most persistent administrative challenges: physician credentialing.

Lee and Victor examine why credentialing remains fragmented and labor-intensive, and why many of its problems originate long before a file reaches the credentials committee. Their conversation explores the critical partnership between physician leaders and medical staff professionals, moving from reactive problem-solving to upstream system design, and using technology to reduce repetitive administrative work. Dr. Vargas also shares his vision for clinician-owned, portable credentials and a “credentialing readiness” approach designed to identify gaps before an application is submitted—allowing everyone involved in credentialing to focus more attention on what matters most: quality and patient safety.

In this thought-provoking episode, host Lee Scheinbart interviews Dr. Sheri Mancini, surgeon, physician advisor, U.S. Navy veteran, and author of Healthcare as Infrastructure: A Constitutional Approach to Reform. Drawing on more than two decades inside the healthcare system, Sheri challenges leaders to consider whether healthcare has drifted away from its fundamental mission—and what it would mean to treat healthcare as essential national infrastructure rather than ordinary commerce.

Lee and Sheri explore the tension between mission and margin, how financial incentives shape everyday operational decisions, and why CMOs are uniquely positioned to recognize institutional drift. Using examples from the operating room and beyond, they discuss resource allocation, physician incentives, stewardship, and the responsibility of physician executives to advocate for change. Dr. Mancini ultimately challenges CMOs to put on their “mission goggles” and examine where financial pressures may be pulling their organizations away from the communities they exist to serve.

In this forward-looking episode, host Lee Scheinbart interviews Dr. Matthew Mazurek, physician leader, medical educator, and co-editor of Systems Thinking for Physician Leaders. Drawing on his work in leadership, professionalism, and medical education, Matt challenges the traditional approach of expecting physicians to learn leadership informally through experience and mentorship alone.

Lee and Matt explore how leadership education could be intentionally incorporated into medical school and residency, from foundational concepts such as emotional intelligence and leadership styles to conflict management, difficult conversations, and understanding the healthcare system itself. The conversation examines the challenges of an already crowded medical curriculum, the need to prepare faculty to teach leadership, and the value of longitudinal, case-based, and experiential learning. Dr. Mazurek also looks ahead to simulation and AI as tools that could allow future physicians to practice leadership skills in realistic, psychologically safe environments.

In this thought-provoking episode, host Lee Scheinbart interviews Dr. Jess Bunin, retired U.S. Army colonel, physician leader, executive coach, and author of From the Inside Out: How Self-Aware Leaders Build Trust and Transform Healthcare. Drawing on her experiences in military medicine, medical education, and healthcare leadership, Jess explores why building trust with others must first begin with understanding ourselves.

Lee and Jess examine the relationship between self-awareness, trust, and accountability, including how leaders can address harm without creating more harm in the process. The conversation introduces restorative justice as a different way to approach conflict—looking beyond individual behavior to understand who has been affected, what systems may have contributed, and how relationships can be repaired. Dr. Bunin also challenges CMOs to balance accountability with support, resist organizational scapegoating, and recognize that meaningful culture change begins with the leader’s willingness to look inward before leading outward.

In this insightful episode, host Dr. Lee Scheinbart interviews Dr. Anne Hirsch, certified physician coach and expert in physician professionalism and behavioral concerns. Drawing on decades of clinical practice and extensive experience with physician peer review, Dr. Hirsch challenges leaders to look beyond the label of the “difficult physician” and understand what may actually be driving problematic behaviors.

Lee and Anne explore how stress, burnout, communication styles, and a lack of self-awareness can turn good physicians into perceived problems—and why coaching should be viewed as an opportunity rather than a punishment. The conversation examines the importance of understanding intent versus impact, recognizing patterns of behavior, and helping physicians see how their words and actions land with others. Dr. Hirsch also challenges CMOs to intervene earlier, normalize coaching, and build cultures where difficult conversations happen directly rather than through labels and complaints. Ultimately, the discussion asks leaders to consider whether the physician is truly disruptive—or whether the physician themselves has become disrupted.

In this compelling episode, host Lee Scheinbart interviews Colonel Michael Kloepper, Director of Leader Development and Character at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Drawing on decades of experience leading soldiers in combat and developing future military leaders, Colonel Kloepper shares timeless leadership principles that translate remarkably well to healthcare and physician leadership.

Lee and Mike explore how effective leaders make high-stakes decisions under uncertainty, the role of humility in leadership growth, and why influence ultimately becomes more powerful than authority. The conversation highlights practical lessons on building trust, avoiding overconfidence bias, developing psychological safety, and shaping organizational culture through everyday actions. Colonel Kloepper also offers valuable insights into developing future leaders, reminding us that leadership is measured not only by the decisions we make today, but by the people we prepare to lead tomorrow.

In this thought-provoking episode, host Lee Scheinbart welcomes Dr. James "Jim" Lindberg, Chief Medical Officer, physician executive, board-certified coach, and an incredible essayist on physician leadership. Drawing from decades of experience across clinical practice, academic medicine, and executive leadership, Jim challenges physicians to rethink many of the assumptions they hold about leadership, organizations, and professional influence.

Lee and Jim explore why so much physician frustration is rooted not in difficult people, but in misunderstood organizational structures. Together they examine the critical distinctions between physician buy-in and true engagement, physician leaders and physician executives, presence and governance, and leadership, relationship, and structural problems. The conversation offers a practical framework for diagnosing organizational challenges while encouraging physicians to develop the "structural literacy" needed to move beyond adapting to healthcare systems and toward helping architect them. Ultimately, Dr. Lindberg reminds us that the future of healthcare will belong to physician leaders who are willing to engage boldly, think systemically, and earn the opportunity to shape the organizations in which they serve.

In this in-depth episode, host Lee Scheinbart welcomes retired U.S. Navy submarine commander Robert "Navy Bob" Roncska for a conversation that bridges military command and physician leadership. Drawing on decades of experience leading nuclear submarine crews, Bob shares practical lessons on building trust, developing people, and creating high-performing teams through genuine relationships rather than authority alone.

Lee and Bob explore the principles of Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) and discuss how leaders move beyond constantly "fighting fires" by investing in the people they serve. Through memorable stories from life aboard a submarine and while carrying the nuclear football for President George W. Bush, Bob illustrates how psychological safety, purposeful communication, and authentic care can transform organizational culture and improve performance. The conversation challenges leaders to discover their own purpose while helping others find theirs, reminding us that leadership is ultimately measured by the lives we influence and the legacy we leave behind. By the end of the conversation, listeners will discover that some of the most enduring lessons in physician leadership come not from a hospital—but from hundreds of feet beneath the ocean's surface.

In this thoughtful episode, host Lee Scheinbart interviews Dr. Vidhya Prakash, physician executive and author of The Leadership Learning Curve: A Woman Physician's Journey as a Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Prakash shares candid reflections on her evolution from an infectious disease physician to Chief Medical Officer and the leadership lessons learned along the way.  Lee and Vidhya explore the transition from clinical expert to enterprise leader, the importance of adaptive leadership, and why effective leaders must learn to manage tension by containing the heat rather than eliminate it. The conversation highlights practical strategies for building trust, breaking down silos, listening deeply, and recognizing when leadership requires a shift in role or perspective.  Dr. Prakash also discusses the value of journaling, embracing failure, and viewing leadership as a continual process of learning, resilience, and growth.  Ultimately, Dr. Prakash earns the distinction of becoming the ultimate Chief Firewoman!