The Medical Fusion conference sponsored by Freelance MD last weekend was a resounding success. It was dumb luck that I happened upon the conference while perusing the Freelance MD website. On impulse, I signed up yet was a bit skeptical about what value, if any, I would extract from the event. The experience was indeed unique and rewarding.

I left ‘traditional medicine’ in 1997. I was your typical General Surgeon pulling 1 in 2 ER call whose passion for sloshing around in someone’s ‘chitlins’ at 3:00 am was waning. I attended a 10 day seminar in cosmetic surgery held in Buenos Aires, Argentina and never looked back. I trained in cosmetic surgery for the next two years and transformed my practice into a cash only, no call, Monday – Thursday operation. In 2005 I received an MBA from the University of Texas Austin. I then partnered with an Age Management medical practice that uses bio-identical hormone replacement, nutrigenomics, and stress management to address significant patient issues ignored by our disease driven medical model. This also is an all cash, no bureaucracy, low stress-highly rewarding business.

My point in boring the reader with my mini bio is this: I thought I had independently crafted a rewarding escape from the chains of clinical practice. I had it all figured out and was doubtful that I would have much interest in other alternatives. On the contrary, the Medical Fusion conference presented a plethora of new ideas and methods via well qualified speakers to expand and evolve any practice from a non-clinical, non-traditional perspective. This well organized, brilliantly executed forum shined a light on the rich assortment of options available to us all as physicians. It revealed a world of exciting ‘possibilities’. Next year promises to be even better!