MDLife Summit 2026
The Conference Agenda
Strategy in Action.
Over two intensive days, you’ll work alongside business leaders and physician executives to build the financial, operational, and leadership frameworks that drive sustainable success.
OPENING REMARKS
2:00 - 2:30 PM
Registration & Networking
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An informal gathering designed to spark meaningful connections.
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Interactive brainstorming activity focused on attendee goals and priorities for the conference.
2:30 - 2:45 PM
Welcome & Opening Remarks | Krishnan Chakravarthy, MD, PhD and Amitabh Gulati, MD
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Set the tone for the conference by addressing the unique challenges of leading a medical practice while maintaining a clinical career, and emphasizing the importance of practical leadership, organizational strategy, and business acumen.
TOPICAL PROGRAM 1: FINANCIAL PRACTICE PLANNING
2:45 - 3:15 PM
Session 1: Physician Wealth, Tax, & Growth | Kameron Helmuth, CFP®, CHFC®, AWMA® (Vestia Personal Wealth Advisors)
Key Topics:
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Tax management strategies to help you keep more of what you earn
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Aligning income and investments to support long-term wealth building
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Asset protection strategies to safeguard income, assets, and practice
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Values-based planning to align wealth with personal and professional goals
3:15 - 3:30 PM
Q&A
3:30 - 4:00 PM
Key Topics
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Understand the key factors that influence job selection after residency/fellowship
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Compare the opportunities, tradeoffs, and lifestyle considerations of private practice versus academic practice
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Identify the core elements of physician contract negotiation, including compensation structure, restrictive covenants, partnership track, and call responsibilities
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Appreciate how geography and local market dynamics can materially impact compensation, autonomy, and long-term opportunity
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Develop a basic framework for financial planning during the transition from training to practice
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Understand the different types of loans and credit products commonly encountered by early-career physicians looking to open their practice
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Recognize how borrowing decisions and early financial habits can affect long-term credit profile and financial flexibility
Session 2: Business Financial Strategy | Zwade Marshall, MD, MBA (Doc2Doc Lending), Melika Hesseltine (MPH Health)
4:00 - 4:15 PM
Q&A
4:15 - 4:45 PM
Session 3: Strategic Investment in Medical Real Estate |
Collin Hart (ERE Healthcare Real Estate Advisors)
Key Topics:
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Real estate strategy for medical practices
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Leasing vs. buying considerations
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Structuring real estate investments for long-term value
4:45 - 5:00 PM
Q&A
KEYNOTE SESSIONS
5:00 - 6:00 PM
Lifestyle Management in the 21st Century Medicine | Vipin Goyal (UpBuild)
Key Topics:
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The “Wheel of Life” framework
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Time optimization and prioritization
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Work-life integration (not just balance)
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Aligning personal fulfillment with professional growth
6:00 - 7:00 PM
How I Built My Practice | Krishnan Chakravarthy, MD, PhD; Amitabh Gulati, MD; Zwade Marshall, MD, MBA; Michael Suk, MD, JD, MPH, MBA
Key Topics:
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Real-world playbooks from physician entrepreneurs on building and scaling successful companies—from idea to revenue to exit
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How top physicians engineered their ideal lifestyle: optimizing work-life balance, income streams, and long-term career flexibility
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Behind-the-scenes stories of impact beyond the clinic—securing patents, shaping healthcare innovation, and influencing policy at the national level
7:00 - 8:00 PM
Cocktails & Networking Reception
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An informal setting designed to foster meaningful relationship-building and peer-to-peer idea exchange.
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Opportunity to connect with speakers and discuss shared challenges with fellow physician leaders.