How To Think Like A CEO Physician And Escape The Employee Trap With Dr. Amy Vertrees
Wed Feb 04 2026
๐๏ธ ๐ช๐ฒ๐น๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ต๐๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฃ๐ผ๐ฑ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ต๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ฟ. ๐๐น๐ฒ๐
๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ต๐น๐ผ๐ฒ.
๐ก What if the biggest โwealth skillโ physicians never get taught isnโt investingโฆ but negotiation, leadership, and thinking like a CEOโso you can practice medicine with autonomy, purpose, and peace?
In todayโs episode, Iโm joined by Dr. Amy Vertreesโa board-certified general surgeon, Army veteran (17 years, 3 deployments), former Lieutenant Colonel, private practice surgeon, author, and founder of the Boss Business of Surgery series.
Amy shares what itโs really like doing surgery downrange with limited resources (no CT, no laparoscopy, no robot), the leadership lessons the military forces you to learn fast, and the powerful mindset shift physicians need after training: stop thinking like an employee and start thinking like the CEO of your career.
We also go deep into negotiationโhow she used principles from Never Split the Difference to increase her pay per RVU, why keeping emotions out of negotiations matters, and how knowing your value changes everything.
This episode is for the physician who wants more than โjust survivingโ medicineโwho wants to lead, negotiate, and build a career that actually fits their life.
๐ฅ ๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ผ๐โ๐น๐น ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป:
ย โ๏ธ The difference between military med school (USUHS) and scholarship routes (HPSP)
โ๏ธ What deployed surgery really looks like: limited tools, high stakes, rapid triage
โ๏ธ How the military builds leadership through responsibility, early and often
โ๏ธ Why โwe were told we could do itโฆ so we became capable of doing itโ is a life-changing framework
โ๏ธ The whiplash of combat medicine: intense stabilization โ evacuation โ little closure
โ๏ธ Why money doesnโt fix misalignment (and how autonomy + meaning matter more)
โ๏ธ Negotiation basics: know your value, keep it calm, and donโt trigger emotion
โ๏ธ Tactics from Never Split the Difference (stalling the number, anchoring, conversational tone)
โ๏ธ The CEO vs employee mindsetโand how it changes how you solve problems
โ๏ธ Emotional capacity: how naming your emotions precisely helps you lead yourself (and avoid burnout)
๐ฅ ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ง๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐๐:
ย โ
Know what you offer + know your number. Confidence comes from clarity.
โ
Negotiation isnโt combatโitโs a calm conversation that lowers emotional threat.
โ
Thinking like a CEO means you stop asking โWhat are the rules?โ and start asking โWhat are my options?โ
โ
A raise can feel goodโฆ but autonomy, purpose, and alignment are what actually sustain you.
โ
Emotional capacity is a physician skill: when you can name the feeling, youโve already started solving the problem.
โ
Your career is a businessโwhether you treat it that way or not.
Financial freedom might be a few properties awayโฆ but disability can wipe out the plan overnight if youโre not protected. Get a free disability quote today at: Leveragerx.com/physiciansandproperties
If you want to learn how investing in real estate can give you the freedom to practice medicine and live life how you want then check out the links below:
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๐๏ธ ๐ช๐ฒ๐น๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ต๐๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฃ๐ผ๐ฑ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ต๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ฟ. ๐๐น๐ฒ๐ ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ต๐น๐ผ๐ฒ. ๐ก What if the biggest โwealth skillโ physicians never get taught isnโt investingโฆ but negotiation, leadership, and thinking like a CEOโso you can practice medicine with autonomy, purpose, and peace? In todayโs episode, Iโm joined by Dr. Amy Vertreesโa board-certified general surgeon, Army veteran (17 years, 3 deployments), former Lieutenant Colonel, private practice surgeon, author, and founder of the Boss Business of Surgery series. Amy shares what itโs really like doing surgery downrange with limited resources (no CT, no laparoscopy, no robot), the leadership lessons the military forces you to learn fast, and the powerful mindset shift physicians need after training: stop thinking like an employee and start thinking like the CEO of your career. We also go deep into negotiationโhow she used principles from Never Split the Difference to increase her pay per RVU, why keeping emotions out of negotiations matters, and how knowing your value changes everything. This episode is for the physician who wants more than โjust survivingโ medicineโwho wants to lead, negotiate, and build a career that actually fits their life. ๐ฅ ๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ผ๐โ๐น๐น ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป: ย โ๏ธ The difference between military med school (USUHS) and scholarship routes (HPSP) โ๏ธ What deployed surgery really looks like: limited tools, high stakes, rapid triage โ๏ธ How the military builds leadership through responsibility, early and often โ๏ธ Why โwe were told we could do itโฆ so we became capable of doing itโ is a life-changing framework โ๏ธ The whiplash of combat medicine: intense stabilization โ evacuation โ little closure โ๏ธ Why money doesnโt fix misalignment (and how autonomy + meaning matter more) โ๏ธ Negotiation basics: know your value, keep it calm, and donโt trigger emotion โ๏ธ Tactics from Never Split the Difference (stalling the number, anchoring, conversational tone) โ๏ธ The CEO vs employee mindsetโand how it changes how you solve problems โ๏ธ Emotional capacity: how naming your emotions precisely helps you lead yourself (and avoid burnout) ๐ฅ ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ง๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐๐: ย โ Know what you offer + know your number. Confidence comes from clarity. โ Negotiation isnโt combatโitโs a calm conversation that lowers emotional threat. โ Thinking like a CEO means you stop asking โWhat are the rules?โ and start asking โWhat are my options?โ โ A raise can feel goodโฆ but autonomy, purpose, and alignment are what actually sustain you. โ Emotional capacity is a physician skill: when you can name the feeling, youโve already started solving the problem. โ Your career is a businessโwhether you treat it that way or not. Financial freedom might be a few properties awayโฆ but disability can wipe out the plan overnight if youโre not protected. Get a free disability quote today at: Leveragerx.com/physiciansandproperties If you want to learn how investing in real estate can give you the freedom to practice medicine and live life how you want then check out the links below: Facebook Community Website Instagram Youtube Invest With Me Join The RAL Room Assisted Living Mastermind