In this episode of Startup Physicians, Dr. Alison Curfman interviews Dr. Jhonatan Bringas Dimitriades, a Peruvian physician whose global journey led him from clinical practice in Latin America to recertifying in the Netherlands and ultimately becoming a health tech CEO.

Jhonatan shares how he navigated the challenge of learning Dutch, rebuilding his medical career abroad, and entering the world of health tech without a formal business background. His curiosity and clinical expertise propelled him through roles in product management and business development before co-founding Keiku, an AI-powered digital stethoscope and ambient scribe designed to transform how clinicians capture and interpret patient data.

Together, they explore the realities of building hardware as a physician founder, the power of partnerships, the importance of embracing imperfect MVPs, and the many translatable skills physicians already possess that prepare them for startup leadership. This episode offers a clear, inspiring look at what’s possible when physicians step into innovation.

00:00 – Introduction & Global Background
01:10 – Training in Latin America & Moving to Europe
03:05 – Recertifying in Dutch
04:55 – Entering Health Tech as a Medical Advisor
07:15 – Physicians’ Translatable Skills
10:20 – Growing into Business & Startup Roles
13:35 – The Origin of Keiku
18:10 – What Keiku Is & What It Does
22:50 – AI, Auscultation, and Documentation
26:15 – How Hardware Gets Built
29:25 – Advice for Physician Innovators
30:50 – Startup Physicians Pathways & Closing

Jhonathan's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbringasd/

Keikku Smart Stethoscope - https://www.keikku.health/

In this episode of the Startup Physicians Podcast, Dr. Alison Curfman talks with Dr. Lyndsey Garbi, neonatologist, pediatrician, and co-founder/CMO of Blueberry Pediatrics. Lyndsey shares how she went from new attending to startup founder, why she became the “professional naysayer” to protect pediatric safety, and how Blueberry built a scalable, high-quality virtual care model for kids.

Alison and Lyndsey explore what children actually need from care, why telehealth can enhance safety when designed well, and how creativity becomes an antidote to burnout for physicians. They also break down what CMO roles look like inside startups and offer practical paths for doctors who want to get involved in digital health or leadership.

Whether you’re a pediatrician, a parent, or a physician curious about the startup world, this conversation will open your eyes to what’s possible beyond traditional practice.

00:00 — Welcome & Reconnecting
01:48 — Lyndsey’s Path to Pediatrics & Startups
03:37 — Staying Clinical While Founding
05:05 — Founding Blueberry Pediatrics
07:30 — Building Safe Pediatric Telehealth
08:56 — Challenging Traditional Medical Dogma
11:05 — What Families Really Need in Pediatric Care
12:23 — Telehealth Safety & Continuity
14:08 — “Attending… Now What?”
15:34 — Blueberry’s Model & Quality Measures
19:11 — What a CMO Does in a Startup
22:57 — Pathways Into Startup Roles for Physicians
26:01 — Academia vs. Industry Growth
29:04 — Creativity as an Antidote to Burnout
30:59 — Advice to Pediatricians: Ask for What You Need
32:37 — Closing & Where to Find Lyndsey

website: www.blueberrypediatrics.com

@blueberrypediatrics on socials

In this episode of the Startup Physicians Podcast, Dr. Alison Curfman sits down with Dr. Nerissa Kreher, MD, MBA—a pediatric endocrinologist who transitioned into biotech and pharma and went on to serve as a four-time Chief Medical Officer with multiple IPOs.

Nerissa shares how an unexpected career setback opened the door to the pharma industry, what medical affairs and clinical development roles actually look like, and how physicians can build the business and regulatory skill sets needed to thrive in biotech. She explains how to communicate across cross-functional teams, design clinical trials, and navigate both the highs (like successful IPOs) and the lows (like program shutdowns).

Alison and Nerissa also dig into imposter syndrome, confidence, humility, and why physicians must embrace learning and ask for help—just like they do in clinical practice. Nerissa also highlights her work developing first-in-human transfer RNA therapies and discusses her coaching program, Pharma Industry MD Coach, which supports physicians exploring industry roles.

This episode is packed with tactical insights and mindset shifts for any physician curious about biotech, pharma, or leadership roles beyond clinical medicine.

00:00 – Introduction to Dr. Nerissa Kreher
01:08 – A Career Pivot That Changed Everything
04:01 – Entering Pharma + Early Mindset Shifts
07:14 – Building New Skills Beyond Medicine
11:23 – Clinical Development & Designing Trials
13:59 – Moving Through Companies & Becoming a CMO
16:18 – Handling Setbacks in Drug Development
18:27 – Mindset, Imposter Syndrome & Asking for Help
23:05 – Inside the IPO Experience
28:04 – What She’s Building Now
29:35 – Supporting Physicians Through Coaching
30:57 – Closing Thoughts

Pharma Industry MD Coach Website: www.industryMDCoach.com

IG: PharmaindustryMDCoach

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/the-industrymdcoach-b501301ba/