Physician Builder Spotlight: Quinn Wang

We’re shining light on MD-entrepreneurs! Each week, we feature an entrepreneurial doctor who’s building a cool product, company, or working on a big idea that you definitely want to know about. This week, meet Quinn Wang, founder of Doctors in Network (DIN) (more on the company’s mission below!).

1. Quinn, what inspired you to become a physician entrepreneur? Like most surgeons, I followed the standard path — SF Match, residency, then practice. But it didn’t take long to realize how little control we often have over how we work or how our care is valued. I didn’t want to be a cog in a system that kept me limited to one patient — or one pair of eyes — at a time. I wanted to design smarter ways for surgeons to scale their impact. The pandemic made that even more urgent. It exposed just how fragile our infrastructure is and reinforced the need to build more resilient, adaptable ways to deliver care.

2. Tell us what your company does and what problem you're trying to solve. Doctors in Network (DIN) is rethinking surgical access, starting with ophthalmology. We’re a modern staffing platform that connects skilled surgeons with hospitals and clinics in underserved areas through a flexible, logistics-enabled model focused on continuity, fairness, and strong outcomes. Unlike traditional locums, we emphasize recurring placements to build long-term relationships and partner with surgeons on both pre- and post-op workflows. We’re tackling two core challenges: the underuse — and undervaluing — of surgical talent, and the difficulty of maintaining specialty care where it’s needed most.

3. What's your advice to anyone considering entrepreneurship or a nontraditional path in medicine? Don’t assume your career has to follow a straight line. Most of us went into medicine to solve problems — not to blindly follow systems that no longer serve patients or providers. You don’t need a perfect plan. Just start by noticing what’s broken, asking better questions, and being willing to explore unfamiliar territory. When it comes time to act, don’t wait until you feel fully ready. One of my favorite quotes is from the movie We Bought a Zoo: “Sometimes all you need is 20 seconds of insane courage. Just literally 20 seconds of just embarrassing bravery. And I promise you, something great will come of it.” Whether it’s sending that cold email, speaking up in a meeting, or testing an early version of your idea — those small, bold moves create confidence and give you the experience you need to keep going.

4. How can a physician get over the “start” problem? Start with one specific problem you’ve seen in practice — something that bugs you or slows things down — and try to fix it. Talk to three people who’ve faced the same thing. Sketch out how you’d improve it. Write the workflow, build a scrappy prototype, test it with someone. Don’t worry about polish. Clarity comes from doing, not planning; action builds momentum, makes you feel more in control, and creates its own virtuous cycle.

5. What’s the #1 lesson you’ve learned that wasn’t obvious at the start? “Progress over perfection” is something my friend Jake Knapp says often, and it’s a mindset I’ve really come to internalize. You don’t need a flawless 10-year roadmap or airtight business plan — just enough clarity to take the next step with conviction.

6. What resources helped you most as an early entrepreneur?

- YC Startup School – A useful intro to startup thinking and language. A lot of the advice around speed doesn’t quite fit healthcare, but it's still worth knowing.

- Physician entrepreneur communities – InnovatorMD, SOPE, Startup Health, Rock Health. Talking to others building from within medicine made it easier to imagine a different path.

- First Round Review – Especially Jeanette Mellinger’s article on customer discovery: link.

- Sequoia Arc’s PMF Framework – One of the clearest takes on what product-market fit actually feels like: link.

- Books –Sprint and Click (Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky), The Mom Test (Rob Fitzpatrick), Shoe Dog (Phil Knight), and Creativity, Inc. (Ed Catmull and Amy Wallace) all helped in different ways. Some were practical—like testing ideas quickly and talking to users more effectively—while others shaped how I think about risk, leadership, and building a team culture that lasts.

7. How can other physicians support you? If you're a surgeon looking for a more flexible, sustainable way to practice — or if you're working at a hospital trying to improve specialty access — I’d love to connect. I'm always open to feedback, collaboration, or just trading notes. You can reach me at quinn@drs-network.com.

Bonus: Any AI resources you’d recommend to other physicians? I highly recommend using AI coding tools like V0 and Lovable to help you prototype your ideas. They’re intuitive, fast, and make it easier to bring rough concepts to life without needing a full dev team.

Connect with Quinn on LinkedIn and learn more about her company here.