Learning with Rishad

Inside the Mind of the “Guinea Pig Generation” and the Future of AI in HealthcareIn this episode, Dr. Rishad sits down with Dr. Adam Carewe, a physician-turned-healthtech innovator who believes we are the “guinea pig generation” in modern medicine. From his beginnings as a college basketball player and math enthusiast to becoming Chief Medical Information Officer at Kaiser Permanente, Adam shares his journey into the world of healthcare technology and startups.Together, they explore the intersection of medicine, technology, and uncertainty — discussing the limits of what doctors know, the rise of AI-assisted diagnostics, and the ethical challenges of over-testing in modern healthcare. Adam also reflects on his leap from a secure medical leadership position into the startup world, and why he believes the future of medicine lies in automating the routine to preserve the human.With humility and candor, Adam opens up about mental vs. physical health, longevity hype, and what he’d tell his younger self about taking risks and following instinct. Key Highlights:🧬 The Guinea Pig Generation: Why today’s patients and physicians live in an era where data grows faster than understanding. 📊 From Equations to Empathy: How Adam’s background in math and exercise science shaped his systems-thinking approach to patient care. 🤖 The AI Physician Debate: When AI might safely assist or even replace parts of clinical decision-making. 🧠 Mind and Body as One: Why the separation between mental and physical health is outdated and counterproductive. ⚕️ Too Many Tests, Too Little Meaning: How modern diagnostics often outpace interpretation, creating anxiety and unnecessary procedures. 🚀 Taking the Leap: Why Adam left a high-level role at Kaiser Permanente to join a startup, and what he’d tell his younger self about courage and timing. Resources & Next Steps:📲 Follow Dr. Adam Carewe on LinkedIn for insights on clinical innovation and healthcare tech. 🎧 Explore more episodes of Learning with Rishad for deep conversations at the intersection of medicine, AI, and human behavior. 🧠 Read about AI in clinical decision-making in publications like NEJM Catalyst or PubMed. 💡 Learn more about General Medicine, the startup Adam joined after leaving Kaiser Permanente. Episode Breakdown:00:00 We Are the Guinea Pig Generation00:51 Adam’s Early Journey05:20 When Tech Meets Medicine08:41 Will AI Replace Doctors?10:46 ChatGPT & Health Data15:05 Mind vs. Body19:17 The Longevity Paradox24:15 Too Much Testing, Too Little Clarity29:19 Whole-Body MRI & Overdiagnosis34:33 Tracking Everything38:05 Fixing the System40:36 Final Reflection

Join Rishad Usmani in a profound conversation with engineer and investor Ronjon Nag as they explore the very fabric of our existence in an age of rapidly advancing AI. This episode ventures far beyond typical tech talk, diving deep into philosophical questions about what constitutes reality, the elusive nature of consciousness (both human and artificial), the future of work in an era of abundance, and the persistent human drive for tribalism.Ronjon Nag, with his pragmatic engineering perspective, offers fascinating insights into how AI is not just changing technology, but reshaping our understanding of ourselves and the world around us. From the potential for an "aging vaccine" to the unsettling implications of a world where digital truth is easily manipulated, this episode will challenge your perceptions and spark new ways of thinking about humanity's trajectory.In this episode, you will learn:How engineers define reality: Beyond subjective perception, exploring the physical world and mental projections.The elusive nature of consciousness: A deep dive into different theories, from autonomous processes to quantum forces, and whether AI can ever truly achieve it.The "Artificial Consciousness Test": What it would take for a machine to truly feel and understand human concepts.The future of work in an AI-powered world: Will AI usher in an era of abundance where humans no longer need to work? The "lump of labor" theory vs. insatiable human desires.Human tribalism in a globalized world: Why do we cling to groups, and how might companies become the new "tribes" in a shifting power dynamic?The changing nature of truth: How AI's ability to create deepfakes and fake information threatens digital reality and elevates the importance of trusted curators and physical interaction.Moonshot thinking in longevity science: Ronjon's groundbreaking work on an mRNA "aging vaccine" and pan-cancer solutions.Guest Bio: Ronjon Nag is an accomplished engineer, inventor, and investor, with a deep expertise in AI, longevity sciences, and venture capital. His pragmatic approach to complex problems offers a unique lens through which to view the future of technology and its impact on humanity.

Episode Summary: In this episode, we sit down with Tanasi, a physician who has successfully transitioned into the world of venture capital, currently serving as a Venture Partner for Genesis Ventures, focusing on health tech, and as Chair of the board for Halo Health, Canada's physician angel group. We explore his unique journey, the fascinating differences between the Canadian and Greek venture ecosystems, and the crucial mindset shift required to move from the risk-averse world of medicine to the high-upside landscape of startup investing. Tanasi shares invaluable insights on identifying promising teams, the future of AI in healthcare, the evolving field of longevity medicine, and practical advice for physicians looking to enter the startup space.

In this episode, I sit down with Sumitra, who offers a compelling dual perspective as a practicing physician and a venture capitalist at MedMountain Ventures. We explore his distinctive background, from his early fascination with neuroscience to his experiences in medical school and a notable period involved in political initiatives during his MBA studies. Sumitra provides candid insights into his criteria for evaluating founders, his views on the utility of psychological assessments in venture capital, and how his background in political dynamics informs his investment strategy within the complex healthcare sector. We also discuss the potential ramifications of artificial intelligence on both healthcare delivery and venture capital, the significance of empirical data in assessing opportunities, and Sumitra's personal reflections on ambition, resilience following burnout, and the value of focused, in-depth work. I conclude by sharing valuable advice from Sumitra for physicians considering entrepreneurship or investment roles.MedMountain Ventures (mmv.vc)Power and Progress: Our Thousand-Year Struggle Over Technology and Prosperity by Daron Acemoglu and Simon JohnsonMedPic (sales qualification framework)

In this episode, we sit down with Josh Lee, Co-founder and CEO of SeamlessMD, a leading platform helping hospitals guide patients through episodes of care. Josh shares his unique journey from medical school to founding a successful healthtech company selling into the complex hospital market. He pulls back the curtain on the realities of healthcare entrepreneurship, from securing those challenging first customers to building a high-performing team and navigating product strategy for scale. If you're interested in healthtech, B2B sales in healthcare, or the founder's path, this episode is packed with valuable insights. Joshua Liu: / joshuapliu SeamlessMD: https://www.seamless.md/ (0:00:16)

In this episode I discuss the Canadian venture ecosytem with Meryeme Lahmami, principle at Pender Ventures 00:00 introduction 02:10 First startup, radio frequency for vitals 09:00 Path to venture capital 14:30 Diligence process 18:30 Founder vs market 21:33 Impact of US tariffs 27:12 Is entrepreneurship innate? 30:40 Founder red flags 36:20 Intuition vs structure in investing 43:50 How should we increase early stage healthcare funding in Canada? Meryeme Lahmami: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meryeme-lahmami/ Pender Ventures: https://www.penderventures.com/ Rishad Usmani: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rishadusmani/ HealthTech Investors: https://www.healthtechinvestors.com/

Transcript

Chris is a urologist, senior partner and Linivan advisory group. He completed his bachelors and M.D. at Queens University and his MBA at Wilfred Laurier. He previously ran clinical trials, has been a practicing urologist for 17 years and routinely advises medical startups. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-borth-md-mba-219a8383/ Rishad Usmani: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rishadusmani/

It was a pleasure speaking with Dr. Sohaib Siddiqui, he was very forthcoming with sharing several great insights from his experiences as an entrepreneur and investor. We talk about - His journey to running a family office fund - What he looks for in GPs - What he looks for in founders - Upcoming tailwinds in healthcare investing - Charm vs aptitude in predicting founder success - Can outsiders innovate in healthcare - His contrarian opinion in healthcare Sohaib Siddiqui: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-sohaib-siddiqui-49284180/ Kettlebeck Ventures: https://www.kettlebeckventures.com/ Rishad Usmani: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rishadusmani/ HealthTech Investors: https://www.healthtechinvestors.com/

Karim is a deep thinker and I have been lucky to have several insightful conversations with him about all things healthcare. I am excited to share some of these with you. He previously was the CEO and co-founder of Mednow, raising $44 million and taking it public at a $150 million market cap. Correction: Karim meant to say Mckesson acquired Rexall and not RemedyRx Mednow: https://mednow.ca/ Karim: https://x.com/KarimsRealm Rishad: / rishadusmani HealthTech Investors: https://www.healthtechinvestors.com/

Key takeaways: Selling a product or interviewing for a job isn’t about you, its about the customer, the user and the company respectively. Identify the world as it is, recognize the incentives and levers in place. After doing this, the path you should follow will be easier to pick. The easiest way to build a product is to build something for your past self. Books mentioned: Good to great by Jim Collins: https://a.co/d/8JGAoUx Naval Ravikants Almanac: https://a.co/d/ijoCcEv Rishad Usmani: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rishadusmani/ HealthTech Investors: https://www.healthtechinvestors.com/

Zain is someone I have known and become friends with over the past year. I am a big fan of his progress so far and can't wait to continue following his journey. It was a pleasure to have the opportunity to speak with him about his journey into healthcare startups. We talk about:HumilityHealthcare EMR'sClinician EntrepreneurshipClinical Trials in OncologyWill AI replace clinicians?The future of clinical notes