"At the end of the day, we don't really invest as much into products as we do into people. It's the people behind the products that are going to make the product successful"
— Dr. Amandeep Hansra
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Dr. Amandeep Hansra is a general practitioner turned health tech entrepreneur, advisor, and investor, founder of the Creative Careers in Medicine community (with over 25,000 members), co-founder of Australian Medical Angels and is the Chief Clinical Adviser for the Australian Digital Health Agency. From accidentally falling into telehealth to building virtual care services across Australia and Asia, Dr. Hansra has spent her career at the intersection of clinical practice and technology innovation. Her work with Medical Angels provides crucial funding and expertise to health tech startups, while her community platform showcases the diverse career paths available to medical professionals beyond traditional clinical roles.
Key Takeaways
Say yes to unexpected opportunities: Career pivots often happen by accident - being open to opportunities outside your planned path can lead to transformative experiences and skills you never knew you needed.
Networking is essential but different for doctors: Medical professionals aren't taught to network, but being visible in health tech communities and conferences is crucial for discovering non-traditional opportunities.
Regulation vs. innovation balance: Health tech faces unique challenges in evidence generation and regulation that differ from those of pharmaceuticals, requiring new approaches to safety while not stifling innovation.
People over products in investing: When investing in health tech startups, the founding team matters more than the initial product. Mission-driven founders with clinical awareness are more likely to succeed.
Where to Find Dr. Amandeep Hansra
In This Episode
00:35 - Accidental entry into digital health: from GP to telehealth pioneer
04:13 - The power of saying yes: building a portfolio career through opportunities
06:45 - Creating community: building Creative Careers in Medicine from scratch
10:25 - Global burnout crisis: why 70-80% of doctors wouldn't recommend medicine to their children
15:26 - Investment challenges: why health tech struggles to attract traditional VCs
19:40 - Evidence standards: adapting pharmaceutical rigour to rapidly evolving technology
25:23 - Regulatory sweet spot: balancing safety with innovation accessibility
29:32 - What investors look for: mission-driven teams over hockey-stick projections
32:42 - Corporate vs startup innovation: lessons from building inside Telstra
39:31 - Global expansion: how the same product succeeds differently across health systems
47:07 - Exit strategies: why health tech doesn't follow traditional pathways
Referenced
Contact
If you have any feedback, questions or if you'd like to get in touch, reach out at jono@clinicalchangemakers.com
Music Attribution: Music by AudioCoffee from Pixabay
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