On/Offcall: Will AI Replace Doctors? Top Medical Specialist Weighs In
Welcome back to On/Offcall!
Pediatric trauma surgeon. Journalist. Gun violence researcher. Part of an Oscar-winning film…and now he’s taking on one of the hardest problems in medicine: getting specialists to rural America. This week’s How I Doctor guest is Dr. Chethan Sathya, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at Northwell Health. Dr. Sathya is focused on solving a difficult problem in healthcare: Rural patients who wait months and drive hours to see a specialist, and who sometimes arrive with the wrong tests or at the wrong specialist. He hits down with Offcall co-founder Dr. Graham Walker to discuss: Why specialists aren’t moving to every rural town and what we can do about it.
🎙️ New How I Doctor episode out now
Download to join the waitlistMedicine 
is complex enough.
Referrals 
shouldn't be.
Send and receive referrals, build wealth, and grow your physician community with Offcall.
Physicians, See You This Week At HLTH
Headed to HLTH this week? Be sure to check out the "Physician's Guide to HLTH 2026" compiled by Dr. John Dayton which has a run-down of the parties and events throughout the conference. We also started an Offcall "Physician Innovators" Lounge, a private space to connect with other physicians at HLTH, coordinate events in real-time, and get updates about all the best parties and panels. If you’re headed to the conference, you can join us here!
Offcall is also co-hosting Physician AI at the Crossroads, an invitation-only breakfast for physicians and health system leaders alongside Regard, Wildfire Partners, and MDCalc. Space is limited but reply directly and join the Lounge if you are interested in joining us.
Join the Physician Innovators Lounge
Most Talked About On Offcall
Building Professional Communities That Follow Physicians Throughout Their Career
From Dr. John Dayton: Why it’s important to build and maintain physician networks, and why every physician should start using Offcall’s new ‘Lounges’ feature. Try it out here!
Will AI Replace Medical Specialists?
From Dr. Spencer Dorn: “AI won't eliminate specialists, but it will change how medical work is divided. Generalists may be empowered to practice more broadly, while specialists become even more narrowly specialized.”
What Doctors Are Paid Vs. What Hospitals Bill (Part 3)
For the exact same procedures…
Highlights From Our Community
Each week, we celebrate career milestones, launches, & other goings-on in the physician community. Have something to promote? Reply and we’ll feature you.
Give it a read, Adam J. Bruggeman
Dr. Adam Bruggeman broke down where the money in CMS’ fee schedule actually goes. Read it here.
Great event, Lucy McBride
Dr. Lucy McBride and Dr. Suzanne Koven discussed how to become a more empowered patient and the importance of evidence-based, patient-centered primary care during a talk at Harvard Medical School. Learn more here.
Fascinating perspective John Dayton
Dr. Dayton shared his take on Google’s roll out of 'Gemini for Healthcare' and whether the will succeed in their quest to be healthcare's AI operating system to connect clinical records, administrative workflows, and payer systems. Read it here.
Career news, congratulations all
Dr. Michael Gritti is starting a new position as a Pediatric Interventional Cardiologist at Children's Hospital Colorado and Assistant Professor at University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine. Dr. Daniella Kadian-Dodov won FMDSA’s Founders Award. Celebrate her here. Dr. Chris Connor was named the Charles Vacanti Chair in Anesthesiology at Mass General Brigham (h/t Dr. Seun Johnson-Akeju). Patrick Wojtylak has officially been appointed Clinical Associate Professor of Radiology at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. Thomas Ng started a new position as Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School.
Even more career news, congratulations
Dr. Matthew Callstrom was selected to serve as the next president and CEO of Mayo Clinic (h/t Dr. Gianrico Farrugia). Dr. James McDeavitt is joining the University of Central Florida as Vice President for Health Affairs and Dean of the College of Medicine.
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Download to join the waitlistMedicine is complex enough.
Referrals shouldn't be.
Send and receive referrals, build wealth, and grow your physician community with Offcall.
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