Guest Faculty
Neil Badlani, MD, MBA
Chair: IEP Young Spine Surgeons Conference
Physicians should be the primary leaders in the healthcare field. It’s better for our patients when we are in control which is why I’m passionate about helping my colleagues learn from my own successes and failures in the economics and entrepreneurship of medicine. Our goal is to provide educational tools to physicians to maintain autonomy, maximize our financial value, and formulate a strategy to best control our own careers and the future of healthcare.
Cynthia Emory, MD, MBA, FAOA, FAAOS
Professor and Vice Chair,
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation
Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist
Understanding how to advocate for your patients and practice is essential for healthcare delivery. As we transition from fee-for-service to value-based care, it’s important for surgeons to understand how to thrive in various practice models. We spend our years in training learning how to provide excellent clinical care and become technically competent, and there is little emphasis on the business side of medicine. This Foundation provides the necessary education for young surgeons to make informed decisions about their future practices.
Carl Herndon, MD
Department of Orthopedic Surgery
Division of Hip and Knee Replacement
Columbia University
In medical school, residency, and beyond we are trained in the art and science of patient care at the bedside, in the OR, and the clinic. To be a successful physician, you need to excel at all of that, but as the landscape shifts and other entities enter into the patient care mix we need to take a seat at the table, and speak/understand their language. I was fortunate enough to attend FPA events and leaning into this aspect of medicine and consider it the best practical education I’ve ever received. I am honored to be a part of that now as we pass that along to the next generation.
Chad A Krueger, MD, FAAOS, FAOA
Associate Professor, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital
One of the hard truths that doesn’t seem to be well taught or stressed in medical training is that very little of what makes a physician “successful” in practice has to do with clinical acumen. We’ve all see excellent physicians who seem to struggle because they don’t know how to work within a team, build relationships and strong teams, manage finances, or identify strengths and weaknesses. These soft skills are equally important to a physician’s clinical abilities. I got involved in FPA to help as many early career surgeons understand this fact to help with professional development that augments clinical skill sets.
Elizabeth Lieberman, MD
Money, politics, and religion might be off-limits for the Thanksgiving dinner table, but they’re also rarely discussed in medical school or residency training. However, our ability to deliver patient care relies on successful business practices, engaged surgeon leaders, and diverse representation. The Foundation for Physician Advancement (FPA) has created the perfect forum to discuss these topics and learn how to incorporate them with our clinical and scientific knowledge to build a successful practice.
Frank Phillips, MD
Director, Division of Spine Surgery
Section Head, Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
Fellowship Co-Director, Spine Surgery
Rush University Medical Center, Chicago IL
2023: President, Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery (SMISS)
Past President, International Society for Advanced Spine Surgery (ISASS)
I believe helping young surgeons set themselves up for success is a topic not often discussed yet is critically important for setting their careers in motion. FPA courses provide an ideal focus on this topic, which is probably one of the most important we all have faced. Over the years I’ve learned a lot about medicine, patient care, and mentoring future generations of surgeon leaders. I hope my involvement with FPA helps pay it forward to reach more surgeons and set the Orthopedic community up for continued success.
Augustus (AJ) Rush III, MD
Our entire academic careers from college through fellowship focuses on patient to care and building medical and surgical skills. Little, if any, time is spent focusing on our future job, and running a successful practice, no matter which practice model we go into. Whether we want to acknowledge it or not, understanding the business side of medicine is a necessity for being able to practice in today’s healthcare setting. Helping residents, fellows, and early career surgeons navigate that landscape effectively is why I got involved with FPA. I want to share tips and best practices my mentors gave me, and what I’m actively learning to help others maintain happy, healthy, lives and prevent burnout and career changes.
Linda I. Suleiman, MD, FAAOS
Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion
Adult Hip and Knee Reconstruction and Replacement
Department of Orthopedic Surgery
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
During our medical school and residency training we predominantly see one type of practice and we are not educated on how a variety of practices function on a day-to-day basis. Many of the discussions during our training with faculty are focused on the clinical aspects of Orthopaedics and very little on the various business models. In addition to the business of medicine gaps, we’re not educated on how to actually build a practice, manage conflicts, develop our teams, and expand into other aspects of Orthopaedics outside of operating. I got involved in the Foundation For Physician Advancement to take what I’ve learned, and help others develop their practice and perhaps avoid some of the pitfalls I’ve seen others fall into.
Leigh-Anne Tu, MD
Illinois Bone and Joint Institute
The first year of practice is challenging, you’re on your own for the first time and learning to care for your own patients while growing your practice. I wish I had been educated on the business of medicine to make this transition easier. The Foundation for Physician Advancement empowers young physicians to advocate for themselves and their business. I hope to share what I’ve learned building my subspecialized practice in a large private practice setting, learn from the faculty, and help my peers build a thriving practice.
Jessica Woodcock, MD
I believe in promoting the practice of orthopedics for our patients and specialty, through best practices and lessons learned. This education should include different perspectives and experiences to enable the development of orthopedic surgery to grow sustainably and allow for balanced fulfillment of the practicing orthopedic surgeon.