Surgical entrepreneurship: Navigating the intersection of medicine, business and leadership

Surgeons possess a unique constellation of skills—adaptability, leadership, and problem-solving—that translates well to entrepreneurial ventures. This chapter outlines a framework for surgeon-entrepreneurs to identify and address unmet needs within healthcare through innovation. Beginning with ideation and problem definition, the text highlights the importance of validating market demand and engaging stakeholders early. It then describes the iterative process of prototyping and developing a minimum viable product (MVP), detailing how resource-efficient strategies can confirm feasibility and guide product refinement. Building a high-functioning team is discussed in the context of complementary expertise and shared vision, which is vital when navigating complex regulatory and financial landscapes. The chapter also explores surgeon entrepreneurs' cultural challenges, emphasizing how an entrepreneurial mindset can extend rather than detract from clinical responsibilities. By demonstrating how established surgical skills can be harnessed to create impactful new solutions, this work underscores the potential for surgeon-led ventures to improve patient care and streamline healthcare delivery on a larger scale.