Most physicians did not go into medicine to become entrepreneurs. We trained to care for patients, solve clinical problems and improve lives.
But healthcare is changing rapidly and physicians can no longer afford to ignore the business forces reshaping medicine. Private equity. Consolidation. AI. Digital health. Value-based care. Declining payment. Administrative complexity. These realities now influence nearly every aspect of how physicians practice.
That is why more physicians are thinking differently about leadership, innovation and entrepreneurship; not because they want to leave medicine, but because they want more control over how they practice it.
Some are exploring independent practice. Others are building new care models, launching companies or finding ways to improve care delivery within large health systems. Many simply want to better understand the business environment surrounding them so they can make informed decisions about their careers and their patients.
The challenge is that most physicians were never formally taught these skills.
We learn medicine through years of rigorous education and training. But few of us are taught how to evaluate a contract, assess a partnership opportunity, navigate private equity, lead a team, or build a sustainable practice.
Too often, physicians are forced to learn these lessons informally, after hours, and under pressure.
This is exactly why the AMA created the Physician Entrepreneur Forum. Scheduled for Aug. 7–8 at AMA headquarters in Chicago, the forum is designed to help physicians, medical students, residents and fellows strengthen their business leadership skills and better navigate the changing healthcare landscape. Registration is open through July 6.
Building beyond the bedside
This is not a traditional medical meeting. It is a practical, physician-focused workshop centered on the real-world challenges physicians face every day—running practices, evaluating opportunities, integrating technology, reducing administrative burden, and maintaining professional autonomy in a rapidly evolving system.
The strength of the forum is the people in the room. Physicians who have built practices. Physicians who have launched startups. Physicians leading innovation inside health systems. Physicians who have made mistakes, adapted and learned valuable lessons along the way.
Participants will hear candid conversations about contracts, reimbursement pressures, partnerships, investment decisions, and practice sustainability. They will explore how technology and operational innovation can improve efficiency, reduce friction, and create more time for patient care.
These conversations matter because physician leadership matters.
When physicians better understand the business of medicine, they are in a stronger position to advocate for patients, protect clinical decision-making and shape care delivery in ways that align with professional values. And whether you are employed by a health system or running an independent practice, these pressures affect all of us.
Many physicians today feel increasingly disconnected from decisions that shape their work. Burnout is often discussed as an individual issue, but much of it stems from systems physicians do not control.
That is why leadership and business literacy are no longer optional skills in medicine. They are essential.
Network with leaders
The forum is also about community. Too many physicians try to solve these challenges alone. The pace of medicine leaves little time to step back, exchange ideas or think strategically about the future. This meeting creates space for that.
It allows physicians to connect with peers facing similar questions, share practical solutions and build relationships that continue long after the meeting ends. And importantly, this is not about turning physicians into business executives.
It is about ensuring physicians remain central to the future of healthcare. If physicians are absent from conversations about technology, innovation, operations and payment reform, others will make those decisions for us.
We are already seeing the consequences of that dynamic across the health system.
The future of medicine will require physicians who can lead not only in the exam room or operating room, but also in boardrooms, startups, policy discussions and technology development.
That does not mean abandoning the profession’s core values. It means protecting them.
The AMA Physician Entrepreneur Forum is ultimately about giving physicians the tools, knowledge, and relationships to shape their own path—and help shape the future of medicine itself.
Because physicians should not simply adapt to change. We should lead it.
