In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Shahla Moghbel, D.O., a board-certified neurologist based in California who works as an independent contractor, and Dr. Santoshi Billakota, M.D., a board-certified neurologist and epileptologist based in New York City who works full-time in locum tenens. They share why they stepped away from traditional physician employment, how they prepared financially for the change, and what doctors need to understand about credentialing, contracts, taxes, benefits, and retirement before going independent. They also speak candidly about the identity shift that can come with leaving academic medicine or another traditional institutional path, and learning to separate professional value from institutional affiliation. 04:54 The shame and identity shift that can come with leaving a traditional career path 11:34 The random Wednesday that changed Lucas’s definition of freedom 17:10 Santoshi’s one-year plan for researching and preparing to leave her job 21:26 Shahla’s strategy of reducing her hours and calculating her minimum financial needs 27:32 Using locums as a bridge and learning how to negotiate better opportunities 30:24 The difference between hospital privileges and insurance credentialing 37:08 Why medical training leaves out contracts and the business side of medicine 39:47 Moving from W2 employment to 1099 work with support from a lawyer and CPA 44:10 Solo 401(k) plans, health benefits, and outsourcing financial planning Who Should Listen This episode is for physicians considering locums, independent contract work, or a move away from academic or employed medicine. It is especially relevant for doctors who want more autonomy but need a practical view of the financial, administrative, and personal decisions involved. About Shahla Moghbel, D.O. Dr. Shahla Moghbel is a board-certified neurologist based in Walnut Creek, California. She completed her neurology residency at Georgetown University, an administrative and business fellowship at Vituity Stanford, and a clinical neurophysiology fellowship at Stanford Medicine. After working in a partnership, she moved into independent contract work across neurology and also does nonclinical work. She co-hosts the Be Empowered podcast, where she and Santoshi speak with physicians about burnout, career changes, and work outside the traditional path. Connect with Shahla Moghbel, D.O. 💼 LinkedIn: Shahla Moghbel D.O. About Santoshi Billakota, MD Dr. Santoshi Billakota is a board-certified neurologist and epileptologist based in Brooklyn. After completing residency at Duke, fellowship at Columbia, and an academic appointment at NYU, she left academic medicine and now works full-time as a locums physician while also taking on nonclinical work. She co-hosts the Be Empowered podcast, which focuses on healthcare issues, including topics concerning women. Connect with Santoshi Billakota, M.D. 💼 LinkedIn: Santoshi Billakota M.D. 🎙️Connect with Be Empowered: The Podcast Spotify: ⁠Be Empowered: The Podcast⁠ Apple: ⁠Be Empowered: The Podcast⁠ YouTube: ⁠Be Empowered: The Podcast⁠ Instagram: ⁠@Empowermedlife⁠ About Locumstory Locumstory is a free, unbiased educational resource about locum tenens to answer your questions about the how-tos of locums on their website, podcast, webinars, videos, and a locums 101 crash course. Visit locumstory.com to find out if locum tenens makes sense for you and your career goals. Follow Life of Flow 📲 Instagram: @LifeofFlowPodcast 👍 Facebook: Life of Flow Podcast 💼 LinkedIn: Life of Flow Podcast 🐦 X: @VascularPodcast If this conversation changed how you think about physician independence, locums, and what it takes to step away from traditional employment without leaving the financial side to chance, share it with a colleague who’s considering a different path in medicine. And if you’re enjoying Life of Flow, a quick review helps more physicians and healthcare leaders find conversations like this.

In this episode of Life of Flow, we sit down with Dr. Eric Smuclovisky, M.D., an interventional radiologist in Indianapolis, Indiana, affiliated with Elkhart General Hospital. Eric joins us for a direct conversation about physician independence, why the old private practice model became harder to sustain, what changed for OBLs, and how independent physicians can think about hospital service agreements without becoming hospital employees. 04:30 What changed when OBL revenue took a hit 07:56 How physician fees shaped the old private practice model 13:04 Why hospital privileges once gave physicians more control 15:40 The history behind physician lounges and hospital incentives 31:28 Why physicians need to understand how the money moves 40:17 Why OBLs may still matter, even as the model gets harder 43:39 Why RVUs keep physicians disconnected from real revenue 46:01 Charge lists, commercial payers, and understanding what hospitals bill 56:28 Selling a service line to a hospital and negotiating a fixed rate Who Should Listen This episode is for vascular surgeons, interventional radiologists, cardiologists, independent physicians, and early career physicians who want to understand the business side of medicine. It is especially relevant for anyone thinking about OBLs, hospital relationships, service agreements, or how to maintain more autonomy without working fully outside the system. About Dr. Eric Smuclovisky, M.D. Dr. Eric Smuclovisky is an interventional radiology doctor in Indianapolis, Indiana and is affiliated with Elkhart General Hospital. He received his medical degree from Ponce Health Sciences University and has been in practice between 11 and 20 years. In the episode, Eric shares that he started out in academics, later left, opened an OBL and ASC with a partner, and now works through a professional service agreement with a hospital alongside his partner Brian. Connect with Dr. Smuclovisky 💼 LinkedIn: Eric Smuclovisky About Locumstory Locumstory is a free, unbiased educational resource about locum tenens to answer your questions about the how-tos of locums on their website, podcast, webinars, videos, and a locums 101 crash course. Visit locumstory.com to find out if locum tenens makes sense for you and your career goals. Follow Life of Flow 📲 Instagram: @LifeofFlowPodcast 👍 Facebook: Life of Flow Podcast 💼 LinkedIn: Life of Flow Podcast 🐦 X: @VascularPodcast If this conversation changed how you think about physician independence, hospital service agreements, and what it takes to build leverage without becoming employed by the system, share it with a colleague who’s thinking about the business side of medicine. And if you’re enjoying Life of Flow, a quick review helps more physicians and healthcare leaders find conversations like this.