Certified financial planners Michael Lynch and Alisa Olsen discuss their article "Create your own financial vision for independence [https://kevinmd.com/2025/09/create-your-own-financial-vision-for-independence.html]," an excerpt from their book Taking Care of Your Future: Your Simple System for a Big Retirement. Michael and Alisa explain why your financial plan must be driven by your personal vision, not someone else's. They share a critical concept for planning: your income drives your working life, but your expenses drive your retired life. This single shift in perspective determines how much you need to save and what your financial independence will look like. This episode explores how to set a clear vision (like the nurse who just wanted to avoid nor'easters), how financial goals for housing and education are interrelated, and why the two most important elements in any plan are time and money. Learn how to define your own vision and make the decisions that will turn it into your reality.

Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot [https://aka.ms/kevinmd].

Want to streamline your clinical documentation and take advantage of customizations that put you in control? What about the ability to surface information right at the point of care or automate tasks with just a click? Now, you can.

Microsoft Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Offering an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform, Dragon Copilot can help you unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, it's backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise, and it's part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, built on a foundation of trust.

Ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow.

VISIT SPONSOR → https://aka.ms/kevinmd

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast

RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

A financial vision to define your retirement

Certified financial planner Paul Morton discusses his article "Physician practice ownership: risks, rewards, and reality [https://kevinmd.com/2025/08/physician-practice-ownership-risks-rewards-and-reality.html]." Paul breaks down the massive differences between an employed physician's financial journey and that of an equity owner physician, exploring the reasons doctors choose the high-risk, high-reward path of private practice: the desire for control over patient culture, the "visionary" mindset, and the potential for a nonlinear financial reward. Paul dives into the challenging realities of managing overhead, dealing with inconsistent income from reimbursements, and the critical importance of strategic tax planning. This episode is a must-listen for any physician weighing the risks of entrepreneurship against the massive potential payoff of a "liquidity event." Learn the financial strategies that separate struggling practice owners from the highly successful ones.

Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot [https://aka.ms/kevinmd].

Want to streamline your clinical documentation and take advantage of customizations that put you in control? What about the ability to surface information right at the point of care or automate tasks with just a click? Now, you can.

Microsoft Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Offering an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform, Dragon Copilot can help you unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, it's backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise, and it's part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, built on a foundation of trust.

Ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow.

VISIT SPONSOR → https://aka.ms/kevinmd

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast

RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

Is owning a medical practice worth the ultimate financial risk?

Diagnostic radiologist Rakesh A. Shah discusses his article "A critique of medicine's response to RFK Jr [https://kevinmd.com/2025/09/a-critique-of-medicines-response-to-rfk-jr.html]." Rakesh argues that major physician organizations have failed in their duty to protect public health by remaining silent and timid in the face of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s anti-vaccine misinformation. He contends that this "cowardice" prioritizes institutional self-interest over patient welfare and endangers not just immunization programs but the future of medical research, including promising mRNA-based cancer treatments. This episode explores the crisis of leadership in organized medicine, the difference between being apolitical and surrendering to a public health threat, and why Rakesh believes this silence is a profound abdication of professional duty. Learn why he argues that when politicians show more courage than doctors, the very credibility of medicine is at stake.

Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot [https://aka.ms/kevinmd].

Want to streamline your clinical documentation and take advantage of customizations that put you in control? What about the ability to surface information right at the point of care or automate tasks with just a click? Now, you can.

Microsoft Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Offering an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform, Dragon Copilot can help you unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, it's backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise, and it's part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, built on a foundation of trust.

Ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow.

VISIT SPONSOR → https://aka.ms/kevinmd

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast

RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

Medicine's silence on RFK Jr.

Health attorney Dennis Hursh discusses his article "First physician employment agreement mistakes [https://kevinmd.com/2025/10/first-physician-employment-agreement-mistakes.html]." Dennis shares his amazement after 30 years in health law at the timidity of new attending physicians during contract negotiations. He explains why the "seller's market" created by a massive physician shortage means that young doctors have far more leverage than they think. Dennis debunks the myths of the "standard contract" and the fear of "losing the job" by asking for reasonable, median compensation. This episode is a critical guide for any new physician, exploring why the employer is the "motivated buyer" and why the competition is already over once the job offer is made. Learn how to stop being competitive and start negotiating for the reasonable contract you've earned.

Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot [https://aka.ms/kevinmd].

Want to streamline your clinical documentation and take advantage of customizations that put you in control? What about the ability to surface information right at the point of care or automate tasks with just a click? Now, you can.

Microsoft Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Offering an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform, Dragon Copilot can help you unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, it's backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise, and it's part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, built on a foundation of trust.

Ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow.

VISIT SPONSOR → https://aka.ms/kevinmd

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast

RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

An attorney's guide to your first physician contract

Health care executive Kimberly Smith discusses her article "Why clinicians must lead health care tech innovation [https://kevinmd.com/2025/08/why-clinicians-must-lead-health-care-tech-innovation.html]." Kimberly explains why clinicians, who are on the front lines of patient care, are in the unique position to solve health care's most complex challenges. As a registered wound care nurse, Kimberly has seen how technology like AI and advanced EHRs can both help and hinder clinical workflows. She argues that for health care tech to be effective, it must be developed with clinicians, not just for them, to ensure new tools ease administrative burdens and enhance patient care. This conversation explores how to bridge the gap between tech developers and frontline staff, ensuring the next wave of health care innovation is built from a clinical lens first. Learn why the future of health tech depends on the invaluable insight of clinical innovators.

Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot [https://aka.ms/kevinmd].

Want to streamline your clinical documentation and take advantage of customizations that put you in control? What about the ability to surface information right at the point of care or automate tasks with just a click? Now, you can.

Microsoft Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Offering an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform, Dragon Copilot can help you unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, it's backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise, and it's part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, built on a foundation of trust.

Ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow.

VISIT SPONSOR → https://aka.ms/kevinmd

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast

RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

Why clinicians must lead the health care tech revolution

Patient advocate and author Irene Tanzman discusses her article "A mother's question about PCOS and her son's autism [https://kevinmd.com/2025/10/a-mothers-question-about-pcos-and-her-sons-autism.html]." Irene shares her personal journey as a mother to a son with severe autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), exploring the challenging but necessary questions about the link between maternal PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome), the modern metabolic crisis, and fetal neurodevelopment. Irene advocates for looking "upstream" at maternal health before conception, questioning if fertility treatments are addressing the underlying hormonal environment needed for optimal development. This episode dives into the realities of caregiving for severe autism, the need for better pre-conception support for women with PCOS, and the urgent call for a broader, more honest public health conversation. Learn why exploring maternal metabolic health is a critical, compassionate step toward understanding autism.

Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot [https://aka.ms/kevinmd].

Want to streamline your clinical documentation and take advantage of customizations that put you in control? What about the ability to surface information right at the point of care or automate tasks with just a click? Now, you can.

Microsoft Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Offering an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform, Dragon Copilot can help you unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, it's backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise, and it's part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, built on a foundation of trust.

Ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow.

VISIT SPONSOR → https://aka.ms/kevinmd

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast

RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

A question about maternal health and the rise in autism

Cardiologist Saurabh Gupta discusses his article "Physicians must lead the vetting of AI [https://kevinmd.com/2025/11/physicians-must-lead-the-vetting-of-ai.html]." In this episode, Saurabh explores how artificial intelligence is reshaping medicine and why its future depends on physician leadership, not passive adoption. Drawing from his experience in cardiology and AI development, he explains why every algorithm influencing clinical care must meet the same rigorous standards as any medical device or drug. Saurabh emphasizes that unvetted AI, not AI itself, is the real risk, underscoring the need for continuous validation, bias testing, and transparency. Viewers will learn how clinicians can move from users to stewards of technology, applying medical reasoning, accountability, and ethics to ensure that innovation truly serves patients.

Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot [https://aka.ms/kevinmd].

Microsoft Dragon Copilot [https://aka.ms/kevinmd], your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Now you can streamline and customize documentation, surface information right at the point of care, and automate tasks with just a click.

Part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, Dragon Copilot offers an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform to help unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, it's backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise, and it's built on a foundation of trust.

It's time to ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow.

VISIT SPONSOR → https://aka.ms/kevinmd

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast

RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

Why physicians must lead the vetting of medical AI

Psychiatrist, internist, and addiction medicine specialist Muhamad Aly Rifai discusses his article "The crisis in inpatient psychiatric care [https://kevinmd.com/2025/09/the-crisis-in-inpatient-psychiatric-care.html]." In this episode, Muhamad examines the growing dysfunction within the nation's psychiatric hospital system, where patients in crisis are too often turned away or kept too long because of policy failures, financial pressures, and insurance algorithms that override clinical judgment. Drawing from two decades on the front lines, he describes the moral tension faced by psychiatrists navigating laws that punish both over- and under-admission, and insurers that cut coverage precisely when patients begin to improve. Muhamad calls for a new social contract for crisis care grounded in fairness, transparency, and dignity, where hospitals, insurers, and clinicians are all accountable to the patients they serve. Viewers will gain a clear and compassionate understanding of how reform can make psychiatric care humane, accessible, and just.

Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot [https://aka.ms/kevinmd].

Microsoft Dragon Copilot [https://aka.ms/kevinmd], your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Now you can streamline and customize documentation, surface information right at the point of care, and automate tasks with just a click.

Part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, Dragon Copilot offers an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform to help unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, it's backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise, and it's built on a foundation of trust.

It's time to ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow.

VISIT SPONSOR → https://aka.ms/kevinmd

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast

RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

Fixing the system that fails psychiatric patients

Patient advocates Alan P. Feren and Joyce Griggs discuss the article "Why agency and partnership are vital in modern health care [https://kevinmd.com/2025/07/why-agency-and-partnership-are-vital-in-modern-health-care.html]." In this episode, Alan and Joyce explore how collaboration, advocacy, and shared responsibility create stronger, more effective care. Together, they unpack the four pillars of good medicine—agency, advocacy, responsibility, and partnership—and highlight how each empowers patients to play an active role in their health. Through Alan's personal story about a missed follow-up that could have had serious consequences and Joyce's perspective on navigating the system as an advocate, they reveal why mutual trust and communication are essential to safe, humane care. Viewers will learn how patients and physicians can work together to strengthen agency, support advocacy, and build the partnerships that restore confidence in modern health care.

Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot [https://aka.ms/kevinmd].

Microsoft Dragon Copilot [https://aka.ms/kevinmd], your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Now you can streamline and customize documentation, surface information right at the point of care, and automate tasks with just a click.

Part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, Dragon Copilot offers an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform to help unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, it's backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise, and it's built on a foundation of trust.

It's time to ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow.

VISIT SPONSOR → https://aka.ms/kevinmd

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast

RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

Redefining health care through agency and partnership

Family physician Grace Yu discusses her article "The backbone of health care is breaking [https://kevinmd.com/2025/09/the-backbone-of-health-care-is-breaking.html]." In this episode, Grace reflects on the urgent decline of the primary care workforce and the growing crisis facing family medicine. She shares personal stories from more than two decades of practice—delivering babies, guiding families, and caring for patients across generations—to illustrate why strong, relationship-based primary care remains essential for equitable and effective medicine. Grace explores how debt, burnout, and institutional culture drive medical students away from primary care and calls for reforms in education, payment, and technology that honor its value. Viewers will learn how revitalizing primary care can restore trust, sustainability, and humanity in health care.

Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot [https://aka.ms/kevinmd].

Microsoft Dragon Copilot [https://aka.ms/kevinmd], your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Now you can streamline and customize documentation, surface information right at the point of care, and automate tasks with just a click.

Part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, Dragon Copilot offers an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform to help unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, it's backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise, and it's built on a foundation of trust.

It's time to ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow.

VISIT SPONSOR → https://aka.ms/kevinmd

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast

RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

Rebuilding the backbone of health care

Social media's leading physician voice, Kevin Pho, MD, shares the stories of the
many who intersect with our health care system but are rarely heard from. 15
minutes a day. 7 days a week. Welcome to The Podcast by KevinMD.

Kevin Pho

Shows