In this episode of The Medical Sisterhood, physician entrepreneurship is explored as Meagen McCusker, MD, shares lessons on private practice, leadership, and career.
In the latest episode of The Medical Sisterhood podcast, produced by HCPLive, host Mona Shahriari, MD, associate clinical professor of
McCusker is known for her role as medical director of Integrated Dermatology of Enfield & Simsbury. She joined the podcast for a candid conversation about leaving academic medicine, embracing entrepreneurship, and building a career aligned with both professional goals and personal priorities.
Reflecting on her early career, McCusker explained that practice ownership was never part of her original plan. Like many physicians, she followed the traditional path from residency into academic medicine, where she found fulfillment in patient care, teaching, and mentorship. Business ownership simply was not something she had considered, largely because physicians receive little formal training in the operational side of medicine.
Over time, however, her priorities evolved. As her family grew, McCusker found that the structure of academic medicine no longer provided the flexibility she needed. She described wanting greater control over her schedule while also creating a workplace culture centered on collaboration, mentorship, and supporting women in medicine. Rather than viewing the decision as leaving something behind, she framed it as an opportunity to build an environment that reflected her own values.
Throughout the discussion, McCusker emphasized that career decisions should reflect the season of life physicians are currently in, rather than expectations formed years earlier. She encouraged listeners to recognize that professional goals naturally evolve over time and cautioned against remaining in situations that no longer foster personal or professional growth.
Although launching a practice came with uncertainty, McCusker explained that her greatest concerns centered less on clinical medicine and more on learning the business aspects of healthcare. Understanding insurance systems, building employee benefits, hiring staff, and leading a team represented entirely new skill sets that residency had not prepared her to manage.
Rather than attempting to master every aspect herself, she advocated surrounding oneself with experienced professionals who complement a physician's expertise. Building a trusted team, she noted, allows physician leaders to focus on delivering excellent patient care while developing a sustainable practice.
Shahriari and McCusker also discussed the pressures many women place on themselves to feel completely prepared before making major career decisions.1 McCusker acknowledged that her own approach differed from meticulous planning, explaining that she relied heavily on instinct when she recognized it was time to move forward.
She argued that waiting for perfect circumstances can delay meaningful opportunities, encouraging physicians to trust their experience and remain open to change even when uncertainty remains. Growth, she suggested, often requires accepting discomfort rather than avoiding it.
The conversation also highlighted the importance of mentorship throughout a physician's career. Shahriari reflected on McCusker's own influence during residency, while McCusker reinforced the idea that women supporting one another remains one of the profession's greatest strengths. Together, they underscored that leadership extends beyond clinical excellence and includes empowering colleagues, cultivating workplace culture, and helping future generations of physicians succeed.
Closing the discussion, McCusker shared that despite the challenges of entrepreneurship, she continues to find fulfillment in dermatology because of the meaningful relationships built with patients and colleagues alike. For physicians contemplating a similar path, her message was clear: career fulfillment often comes from creating a professional life that aligns with one's values rather than following a predetermined roadmap.
Editor’s note: Neither speaker had any relevant disclosures of note. This episode was summarized with the help of AI tools.
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