

Docs Outside The Box
Dr. Nii Darko
Docs Outside the Box is a fusion of money, medicine, and pop culture. After paying off $662,000 in student loan debt, quitting their jobs, and launching 3 businesses, husband and wife, Drs. Nii and Renée Darko, have a lot to say about earning, saving, and investing your way to the lifestyle you’ve always wanted. These two docs parley about personal finance, careers, and the real world. Tune in for the gems. 💎 Stay for the laughs .😂 Welcome to medicine’s new media!
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 27, 2025 • 42min
REPLAY: Starting a Locums Company, Navigating Insurance & Why Consider Locums. #432
SEND US A TEXT MESSAGE!!! Let Drs. Nii & Renee know what you think about the show!What if you could reshape your career and lifestyle with the freedom and flexibility you’ve always dreamed of? In this episode, we explore the exciting world of locum tenens work, sharing insights on how to start your own locums company, medical malpractice insurance and why every doctor should consider doing locums.Timeline0:00 Introduction2:47 What y'all say Friday! Ask us anything y'all.3:29 Working 24 hour shifts as a doctor.7:44 Billing & Getting paid as a locums doctor10:47 How to Start a Locums Agency.14:08 Not working on important days of your life.16:24 Medical malpractice for locums doctors21:53 Rates vs travel expenses as locums doctors28:12 Why consider doing locums?35:44 Is there a Diddy in medicine y'all?FREE DOWNLOAD - 7 Considerations Before Starting Locum Tenens - https://darkos.lpages.co/7-considerations-before-locumsLINKS MENTIONED App for sending out receipts - https://www.waveapps.com/To learn Ins and Outs of locums - https://locumstory.com/SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER! https://darkos.lpages.co/newsletter-signup/ WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE!Have a question for the podcast?Text us at 833-230-2860Twitter: @drniidarkoInstagram: @docsoutsidetheboxEmail: team@drniidarko.comMerch: https://docs-outside-the-box.creator-spring.comThis episode is sponsored by Set For Life Insurance. What the Darkos use for great disability insurance at a low cost!! Check them out at https://setforlifeinsurance.com/ Locumstory. Learn how locum tenens helps doctors make more and have the lifestyle they deserve!. Check them out HERE!

Aug 22, 2025 • 50min
How to Pay for Med School After Loan Changes! #470
SEND US A TEXT MESSAGE!!! Let Drs. Nii & Renee know what you think about the show!Send us a Voice Message - https://www.speakpipe.com/docsoutsidetheboxHave a question for the podcast?Text us at 833-230-2860In this episode, we discuss a question from a pre-med student from a lower income background who is worried about pursuing medicine with the new student loan caps. We also offer advice on how to navigate these new financial obstacles, and whether becoming a doctor is still a viable path. If you're facing similar challenges, remember you're not alone. Reach out to mentors and be creative with your educational path.FREE DOWNLOAD - 7 Considerations Before Starting Locum Tenens - https://darkos.lpages.co/7-considerations-before-locumsLINKS MENTIONED International Healthcare Volunteers (IHCV) - https://www.ihcv.org/SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER! https://darkos.lpages.co/newsletter-signup/ WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE!Instagram: @docsoutsidetheboxEmail: team@drniidarko.comTwitter: @drniidarkoMerch: https://docs-outside-the-box.creator-spring.comThis episode is sponsored by Locumstory. Learn how locum tenens helps doctors make more and have the lifestyle they deserve!. Check them out HERE! Locumstory. Learn how locum tenens helps doctors make more and have the lifestyle they deserve!. Check them out HERE!

Aug 19, 2025 • 48min
REPLAY: From panic attacks to beautiful artwork. Medicine is artistry for this doc #285
SEND US A TEXT MESSAGE!!! Let Drs. Nii & Renee know what you think about the show!Dr. Lucie Mitchell is a long time listener of Docs Outside. She joins Dr. Nii today to share her story about how a major panic attack in the last 3 months of residency training led her to pay off $70,000 of student loan debt in less than a year and turn medicine into art.Things to expect in this episode:How a debt-induced panic attack and a phone call with Dr. Renée resulted in an aggressive loan repayment planHow Dr. Lucie turned her back pain into art for herself and othersHow she roped the dean of her medical school into babysitting her daughterHow one of Dr. Nii's mindset episodes helped Dr. Lucie stop stalling and take action Check out Dr. Lucie's artistry at www.phoenixnoirdesigns.comWE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!!!!TELL US WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR ON FUTURE EPISODES!!!!FILL OUT THE DOCS OUTSIDE THE BOX PODCAST SURVEY (in partnership w INCROWD)INCROWDMAKE EXTRA MONEY AS A RESIDENT OR ATTENDING - COMPLETE MEDICAL SURVEYS WITH INCROWDWATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE!https://www.youtube.com/drniidarkoJoin our communityText word PODCAST to 833-230-2860Twitter: @drniidarkoInstagram: @drniidarkoEmail: team@drniidarko.comPodcasting Course: www.docswhopodcast.comMerch: https://docs-outside-the-box.creator-spring.comThis episode is sponsored bySet For Life Insurance. What the Darkos use for great disability insurance at a low cost!! Check them out at www.setforlifeinsurance.comProvider Solutions & Development. Experts in holistic career coaching – check them out HERETwitter: @PSDConnectsFacebook: @PSDConnectsLinkedIN: Provider Solutions & Development Locumstory. Learn how locum tenens helps doctors make more and have the lifestyle they deserve!. Check them out HERE!

Aug 5, 2025 • 23min
The Tragic Loss of Malcolm-Jamal Warner & Water Safety Tips. #469 Part 1
SEND US A TEXT MESSAGE!!! Let Drs. Nii & Renee know what you think about the show!Send us a Voice Message - https://www.speakpipe.com/docsoutsidetheboxHave a question for the podcast?Text us at 833-230-2860The sudden passing of Malcolm-Jamal Warner was a shock to most of us who grew up watching him as Theo on The Cosby Show. At just 54 years old, his drowning in Costa Rica while swimming with family serves as a stark reminder that water safety remains crucial for everyone, regardless of swimming ability or experience. Check the links below for crisis hotlines, therapist directories, and water safety information that could make all the difference in someone's life.FREE DOWNLOAD - 7 Considerations Before Starting Locum Tenens - https://darkos.lpages.co/7-considerations-before-locumsLINKS MENTIONED 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline - https://988lifeline.org/National Alliance on Mental Illness - https://www.nami.org/To find a therapist - https://www.psychologytoday.com/ For online therapy - https://www.betterhelp.com/If you’re griefing and need support - https://www.griefshare.org/American Red Cross Water safety page - https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/water-safety.html?srsltid=AfmBOoqkRFh8EmoeRJy7EwclvsSPzEGe_VXYRbBgO2NEGG8vEaHnjCcuNational Weather Service Rip Current Safety page - https://www.weather.gov/mhx/ripcurrentsinfoSIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER!WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE!Instagram: @docsoutsidetheboxEmail: team@drniidarko.comTwitter: @drniidarkoMerch: https://docs-outside-the-box.creator-spring.comThis episode is sponsored by Locumstory. Learn how locum tenens helps doctors make more and have the lifestyle they deserve!. Check them out HERE!

Aug 5, 2025 • 29min
Student Loan Forgiveness Is PAUSED! What Happens Now? #469 Part 2
SEND US A TEXT MESSAGE!!! Let Drs. Nii & Renee know what you think about the show!Send us a Voice Message - https://www.speakpipe.com/docsoutsidetheboxHave a question for the podcast?Text us at 833-230-2860When the "big beautiful bill" passed, all student loan forgiveness programs were paused. In this segment we went deep into the ripple effects these changes will create across healthcare. Whether you're a healthcare professional feeling betrayed by broken government promises or a taxpayer relieved about potential savings, share your perspective with us! Are you team "responsibility" or team "broken promises"? Which side are you on?REE DOWNLOAD - 7 Considerations Before Starting Locum Tenens - https://darkos.lpages.co/7-considerations-before-locumsLINKS MENTIONED npr article on what borrowers should know about student loan changes in the One Big Beautiful Bill - https://www.npr.org/2025/07/24/nx-s1-5477646/student-loan-repayment-forgiveness-trumpCBS NEWS on student loan forgiveness - https://www.cbsnews.com/news/student-loan-forgiveness-ibr-debt-payments-education-department-cbs-news-explains/SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER! WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE!Instagram: @docsoutsidetheboxEmail: team@drniidarko.comTwitter: @drniidarkoMerch: https://docs-outside-the-box.creator-spring.comThis episode is sponsored by Locumstory. Learn how locum tenens helps doctors make more and have the lifestyle they deserve!. Check them out HERE! Locumstory. Learn how locum tenens helps doctors make more and have the lifestyle they deserve!. Check them out HERE!

Aug 5, 2025 • 17min
What Happens When Doctors Make MORE Money on TikTok Than in Hospitals. #469 Part 3
SEND US A TEXT MESSAGE!!! Let Drs. Nii & Renee know what you think about the show!Send us a Voice Message - https://www.speakpipe.com/docsoutsidetheboxHave a question for the podcast?Text us at 833-230-2860The medical profession is facing a significant shift as doctors are increasingly finding more lucrative opportunities on social media than in clinical practice. While some doctors manage to balance both worlds, the trend points toward a future where medical knowledge is increasingly monetized online rather than applied in hospitals and clinics.FREE DOWNLOAD - 7 Considerations Before Starting Locum Tenens - https://darkos.lpages.co/7-considerations-before-locumsSIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER! WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE!Instagram: @docsoutsidetheboxEmail: team@drniidarko.comTwitter: @drniidarkoMerch: https://docs-outside-the-box.creator-spring.comThis episode is sponsored by Locumstory. Learn how locum tenens helps doctors make more and have the lifestyle they deserve!. Check them out HERE!

Jul 29, 2025 • 38min
REPLAY: She's delivered a baby on almost every continent! #309
SEND US A TEXT MESSAGE!!! Let Drs. Nii & Renee know what you think about the show!Nii brings talks to Dr. Rachael Consoli, an OB/GYN who presently is working in a United States military hospital in South Korea and has the unique distinction of having delivered babies on nearly every continent in the world. Listen in as Nii asks Rachael why she chose to follow this less-than-traveled path in medicine. Things to expect in this episode:Dr. Rachael’s journey from EM residency to OB/GYNThe challenges and rewards of humanitarian and locums workTraveling the world and immersing oneself in the local cultureSaving for retirement and vetting humanitarian organizationsHer experience serving the people of Utqiagvik, Alaska, the most northern city in the worldWE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!!!!FILL OUT THE DOCS OUTSIDE THE BOX PODCAST SURVEY (in partnership w INCROWD)INCROWDMAKE EXTRA MONEY AS A RESIDENT OR ATTENDING - COMPLETE MEDICAL SURVEYS WITH INCROWDWATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE!Join our communityText word PODCAST to 833-230-2860Twitter: @drniidarkoInstagram: @drniidarkoEmail: team@drniidarko.comPodcasting Course: www.docswhopodcast.comMerch: https://docs-outside-the-box.creator-spring.comThis episode is edited by: Your Podcast PalThis episode is sponsored by:Locumstory. Learn how locum tenens helps doctors make more and have the lifestyle they deserve!. Check them out HERE!

Jul 22, 2025 • 35min
Vitals Check, Rap & The Hidden Burden Of Code Switching In Medicine. #468 Part 3
SEND US A TEXT MESSAGE!!! Let Drs. Nii & Renee know what you think about the show!Send us a Voice Message - https://www.speakpipe.com/docsoutsidetheboxHave a question for the podcast?Text us at 833-230-2860We started off by doing a check-in on Dr. Renee's health journey. We then moved on to our controversial takes on rap, and had an insightful discussion on code-switching in medicine and maintaining authenticity in professional settings.We discuss:00:00 Dr. Renee's Vitals check09:43 Our controversial takes on rap and code switchingFREE DOWNLOAD - 7 Considerations Before Starting Locum Tenens - https://darkos.lpages.co/7-considerations-before-locumsSIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER!WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE!Instagram: @docsoutsidetheboxEmail: team@drniidarko.comTwitter: @drniidarkoMerch: https://docs-outside-the-box.creator-spring.comThis episode is sponsored by Locumstory. Learn how locum tenens helps doctors make more and have the lifestyle they deserve!. Check them out HERE! Locumstory. Learn how locum tenens helps doctors make more and have the lifestyle they deserve!. Check them out HERE!

Jul 22, 2025 • 53min
The P. Diddy trial & how this relates to medicine: Power, Privilege & Accountability. #468 Part 1
SEND US A TEXT MESSAGE!!! Let Drs. Nii & Renee know what you think about the show!Send us a Voice Message - https://www.speakpipe.com/docsoutsidetheboxHave a question for the podcast?Text us at 833-230-2860On this episode we talk about the parallels between the entertainment industry scandals like the Sean "Diddy" Combs case and the power imbalances in healthcare. If you've witnessed unethical behavior in medicine that was swept under the rug, we want to hear your story. Did you speak up? If not, why? Leave us a voice message or text us.We discuss:00:00 Introduction.02:55 Shoutout to the new residents out there🥳17:38 P. Diddy trial & how this relates to medicine.FREE DOWNLOAD - 7 Considerations Before Starting Locum Tenens - https://darkos.lpages.co/7-considerations-before-locumsLINKS MENTIONED IG post on an attending who during her residency she had a coresident who broke his leg and could not operate - https://www.instagram.com/p/DL0FP9jslCc/SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER!WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE!Instagram: @docsoutsidetheboxEmail: team@drniidarko.comTwitter: @drniidarkoMerch: https://docs-outside-the-box.creator-spring.comThis episode is sponsored by Locumstory. Learn how locum tenens helps doctors make more and have the lifestyle they deserve!. Check them out HERE! Locumstory. Learn how locum tenens helps doctors make more and have the lifestyle they deserve!. Check them out HERE!

Jul 22, 2025 • 20min
Doctor Who Makes More Money On TikTok Than At Work. #468 Part 2
SEND US A TEXT MESSAGE!!! Let Drs. Nii & Renee know what you think about the show!Send us a Voice Message - https://www.speakpipe.com/docsoutsidetheboxHave a question for the podcast?Text us at 833-230-2860In this segment we discussed Dr. Fran who earns more as a TikTok influencer than at her day job.FREE DOWNLOAD - 7 Considerations Before Starting Locum Tenens - https://darkos.lpages.co/7-considerations-before-locumsLINKS MENTIONED Dr. Fran who makes more money doing TikTok than she does being a doctor- https://nypost.com/2025/06/04/lifestyle/doctor-with-300k-salary-earns-more-as-tiktok-influencer-than-atn-her-day-job/SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER!WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE!Instagram: @docsoutsidetheboxEmail: team@drniidarko.comTwitter: @drniidarkoMerch: https://docs-outside-the-box.creator-spring.comThis episode is sponsored by Locumstory. Learn how locum tenens helps doctors make more and have the lifestyle they deserve!. Check them out HERE!