NerdMDs | Efficiency Unlocked Ep 45 | "Physician Upskilling" | Dr John Dayton | Healthcare Innovator
🎧 Episode Summary:In this insightful episode, emergency physician and healthcare innovator Dr. John Dayton (LinkedIn) joins host Dr. Adam Carewe to unpack the evolving landscape of physician upskilling. They explore how clinicians can thrive beyond traditional clinical roles by leveraging communities, embracing digital tools like AI, and rethinking medical education. From crafting personalized discharge instructions to advising health tech startups, Dr. Dayton shares how intentional career design, continuous learning, and professional risk-taking can empower physicians to shape the future of medicine on their own terms.
Episode Resources:
* Physician Upskilling Resource
🔹 00:00 – Introduction & John's Career JourneyAdam introduces Dr. Dayton, highlighting his unique blend of emergency medicine, entrepreneurship, and policy work. John shares his path from clinical practice to health innovation, emphasizing the importance of designing a fulfilling and intentional career.
“You have to be careful. We all have the same amount of time... but at some point, you realize what your priorities are and how your life should be.”
🔹 07:50 – Do You Need an MBA?The duo explores the role of formal education like MBAs in non-clinical physician careers. John shares his tailored experience in healthcare innovation and venture capital and reflects on whether degrees are necessary or if curated resources and learning communities can suffice.
🔹 14:15 – Modern Medical Education & AI ToolsJohn discusses the shift from textbooks to digital learning, advocating for tools like OpenEvidence and AI models to enhance decision-making and personalized care. They examine how today’s physicians must balance foundational knowledge with real-time, tech-enabled insights.
🔹 21:30 – The Upskilling Resource GuideJohn dives into the upskilling guide he co-created—a crowdsourced list of tools, communities, and conferences to help clinicians explore health tech, policy, social media, and business. The guide aims to make self-directed learning approachable and actionable.
“A lot of physicians want to know about medical business... and this guide gives them a starting place.”
🔹 29:40 – Finding Community & Creating OpportunitiesJohn emphasizes the importance of finding your "tribe"—from attending conferences like HLTH and NextMed to joining groups like Physician Side Gigs. He shares how proactively reaching out—like cold messaging Jonathan Bush—led to impactful advisory roles.
🔹 37:10 – When & Why to UpskillThey reflect on personal burnout, the employee-physician dynamic, and the need for career reinvention. John explains how COVID, professional stagnation, and a tragic colleague’s passing inspired his own pivot into innovation and VC.
🔹 44:20 – Filtering the NoiseThe conversation shifts to how to stay focused when exploring new interests. John suggests aligning new ventures with personal values and long-term goals and starting small—advising a startup, joining an angel group, or enrolling in a micro-course.
🔹 50:30 – Nerd Alert RoundIn a lightning round, John shares his ambition to master venture capital, how he's using AI to personalize patient discharge instructions, and the underrated power of finishing every patient encounter with a well-crafted final impression.
“If their cast is janky, they’ll think I didn’t know what I was doing—even if I set the bone perfectly.”
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