Ep 168: How to Become an Advisor for Startup Companies with Dr. Alison Curfman

02 Oct 2025 • 15 min • EN
15 min
00:00
15:51
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Alison Curfman, MD, MBA is a pediatric emergency physician and healthcare strategist who’s built clinical models and led companies at the intersection of innovation and impact.  After launching her first startup inside a private equity firm, she became founding Chief Medical Officer of Imagine Pediatrics, a value-based medical group for medically complex children on Medicaid. Under her leadership, the company grew to 300+ employees, serving over 35,000 patients and reaching a multi-9-figure valuation in less than two years.  Alison now leads Startup Physicians, a platform designed to help physicians apply their clinical expertise beyond the bedside as advisors, operators, founders, and investors. She advises early-stage companies and funds on clinical strategy, go-to-market planning, and physician engagement.  Her mission: empower physicians, especially women, to reclaim their creativity, autonomy, and leadership by stepping into healthcare innovation. She believes that doctors are not leaving medicine, they"re redefining it.  Some of the topics we discussed were: Working as an advisor, consultant, and board member for early-stage and mid-stage companies in healthcareHow to work with startups without experience or coming from a more traditional healthcare environmentDr. Curfman’s program training physicians on how to become consultants and advisors for startupsUnderstanding the value of your own skill set and how transferrable they areDifferent roles you can take on in consulting and advisingThe high demand for medical expertise because companies need the clinical voice represented to get their contractsBeing on advisory boards, working on product development, helping with the marketing/brand/spokesperson side of thingsHaving the freedom to choose companies who you truly believe inHow to identify a target market for the types of startups you want to work withIdentifying what draws you and recognizing what transferrable skills you might already haveHow to start strategically networking And more! Learn more about me or schedule a FREE coaching call: https://www.joyfulsuccessliving.com/ Join the Voices of Women Physicians Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/190596326343825/  Connect with Dr. Curfman:  Website: www.alisoncurfmanmd.com  Startup Physicians Podcast:  Apple Podcasts  Spotify  LinkedIn: Alison-Curfman-MD-MBA 

From "Voices of Women Physicians"

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