In this episode, I interview Ed about his diverse career path. Ed shares insights from his childhood as the son of immigrants in San Francisco, his journey through medicine from primary care to developing health technology, and his recent focus on lifestyle medicine. We discuss how early career experiences, like the introduction of EHRs, shaped his interests, the reasons physicians seek non-clinical roles, and his approach to balancing career ambitions with family and personal well-being. Ed also offers his perspective on the evidence behind lifestyle medicine, the potential of GLP-1 drugs, and the evolving role of physicians in the age of AI.
Ed: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edlee-md-mph/
Show Notes:
(0:00) Childhood Influence: Ed's upbringing in an immigrant family and how it shaped his path.
(2:56) Career Path vs. Expectations: How Ed's actual career differed from his early plans in medical school.
(4:43) EHR Impact & Tech Interest: How the introduction of electronic records led Ed to develop health tech tools.
(7:52) Transition to Non-Clinical: Discussing Ed's gradual shift away from full-time clinical work.
(10:21) Why Docs Seek Side Gigs: Ed's take on the administrative burden driving physicians to explore non-clinical roles.
(14:13) Advice for Non-Clinical: Ed's guidance on the importance of "why" when seeking non-clinical work.
(16:04) Finances & Lifestyle: Ed's perspective on financial planning and maintaining a modest lifestyle.
(19:24) Work-Life Balance: How Ed balances his career with family life, prioritizing loved ones and health.
(21:05) Finding Balance: Variety in roles as key to Ed's work-life balance.
(24:22) Prioritizing Health: Discussion on why health is Ed's top priority.
(28:09) The Role of Family: Ed shares a story about the importance of family support.
(29:49) Lifestyle Medicine: Discussing the perception and evidence base for lifestyle medicine.
(34:40) GLP-1s: Ed's thoughts on GLP-1 medications (like Ozempic), their benefits, and challenges.
(37:30) Physicians & AI: Ed's view on whether physicians are overtrained and the potential for AI replacement.
(38:11) Future of Physicians: Ed's belief that physicians will remain essential, highlighting human qualities and the "human in the loop" concept with AI.
(42:10) Advice to Daughter: What Ed would tell his daughter about pursuing primary care.
(44:05) Career Reflections: Ed's look back at his career path and where he sees himself heading.
(45:57) Conclusion: Closing remarks.
