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The E-Myth Physician: Why Most Medical Practices Don't Work and What to Do About It
Michael E. Gerber, bestselling author of The E-Myth Revisited shares his powerful insights to lead independent physicians to successful practices and enriched lives. Michael Gerber has dedicated much of his professional life to the study of entrepreneurship and business dynamics. His E-Myth Academy is renown in the entrepreneurial world for its business insight and guidance as well as its inspirational advice. In the E-Myth Physician , bestselling author Gerber returns to his roots in order to provide indispensable advice to doctors who own and run their own practices. Gerber provides excellent business insights into topics such as streamlining systems, effective small-business management practices, healthy patient relations and managing cash flow, all with the goal of freeing physicians from the daily grind of running a business and leading them to a happier and more productive life while doing the job they love - practising medicine.
144 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
40 people are currently reading
167 people want to read
About the author
Michael E. Gerber
112 books636 followersMichael E. Gerber is an American author and founder of Michael E. Gerber Companies, a business skills training company based in Carlsbad, California.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
June 3, 2013
This book can be thought of as the skinny version of Gerber's more detailed book, "The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It." This shorter version, which can be read in a few hours, is designed to be read by busy professionals who are trying to think strategically about managing or directing their professional practice. Although it is written specifically for Doctors, the word "Lawyer" or "Accountant" or "Dog Trainer" could be substituted and the principles applied by anyone who has a professional skill that they need to utilize in a way that is life sustaining for themselves and for their clients.
The book principally describes the various roles involved in directing a professional practice (technical, entreprenurial, and managerial) and illustrates why and how to think strategically regarding these roles. It provides guidance I found both concrete and practical, designed to help the professional build a stronger and better practice that meets the goals and needs of both the professional and their clientele. I liked it that this is also more than just a book about how to use a professional practice to make money. As distinct from many other types of business ventures, the book recognizes that many professionals feel a responsibility to meet human needs of clients in a way that transcends mere widgets and numbers. It explicitly pays heed to these important human values and goals which cause many people to choose the helping professions, while at the same time coaching the professional in how to apply their skill to build a satisfying professional practice which also includes work-home balance and financial integrity.
If you are a busy professional trying to run a practice, working too many hours, and who thinks to themselves, "they never taught me this [the business side of a professional practice] in professional school," then this book is for you. I think it will help you think strategically and systematically to build and direct your practice in a way that will be positive for both you and your clients.
The book principally describes the various roles involved in directing a professional practice (technical, entreprenurial, and managerial) and illustrates why and how to think strategically regarding these roles. It provides guidance I found both concrete and practical, designed to help the professional build a stronger and better practice that meets the goals and needs of both the professional and their clientele. I liked it that this is also more than just a book about how to use a professional practice to make money. As distinct from many other types of business ventures, the book recognizes that many professionals feel a responsibility to meet human needs of clients in a way that transcends mere widgets and numbers. It explicitly pays heed to these important human values and goals which cause many people to choose the helping professions, while at the same time coaching the professional in how to apply their skill to build a satisfying professional practice which also includes work-home balance and financial integrity.
If you are a busy professional trying to run a practice, working too many hours, and who thinks to themselves, "they never taught me this [the business side of a professional practice] in professional school," then this book is for you. I think it will help you think strategically and systematically to build and direct your practice in a way that will be positive for both you and your clients.
December 18, 2023
there are no other books here and I don’t wanna read the alchemist again just yet so this is what I got! I did try to be open in the beginning and there were some nuggets of wisdom that I’ve heard plenty of times before in varying iterations. but something about comparing a medical practice to McDonald’s and Walt Disney doesn’t seem quite right … also this man is not a doctor so idk why he wrote this it feels very gimmicky this e-myth series has like so many books luckily i have one other so shall see if it just regurgitates the same shit over and over. but even in this book alone it was very repetitive omg it really did feel like he was trying to hit that 100 page count saying the same thing in slightly different ways. surprised to see a fellow Nigerian’s testimony at the end so that was like cool … I guess the book seemed to help him so happy for him! idk would likely hit better if I was a physician but also feel like my points still stand!
October 30, 2022
Terrible book.
Reads like the author is just cashing in on the success of his original book. This book offers no insight and the authors complete lack of research and understanding of the nature of medicine comes thru. You just cannot see a patient just for his/her flu symptoms and ignore any other complaints for the sake of have a standardised time for a flu consult. Nature of medicine is during a consult things unravel what the patient booked THEMSELVES in for. He clearly has no idea. For a procedure, yes, a lot easier to stardardise time, outcome etc. It's simply the same as an estimate how long it takes to paint a room. The author rambles on about change, fear of it etc etc as though Drs are weded to current practices because they're fearful or haven't been trained in business. Complete rubbish. This book is trash. Seriously disappointed.
Reads like the author is just cashing in on the success of his original book. This book offers no insight and the authors complete lack of research and understanding of the nature of medicine comes thru. You just cannot see a patient just for his/her flu symptoms and ignore any other complaints for the sake of have a standardised time for a flu consult. Nature of medicine is during a consult things unravel what the patient booked THEMSELVES in for. He clearly has no idea. For a procedure, yes, a lot easier to stardardise time, outcome etc. It's simply the same as an estimate how long it takes to paint a room. The author rambles on about change, fear of it etc etc as though Drs are weded to current practices because they're fearful or haven't been trained in business. Complete rubbish. This book is trash. Seriously disappointed.
Read
July 22, 2025#### **Core Premise**
* Most physicians wrongly assume that clinical expertise naturally translates into business success.
* The “E-Myth” (Entrepreneurial Myth) is that if you understand the technical work—medicine in this case—you can also run a successful practice.
* Gerber argues that without entrepreneurial and managerial thinking, most medical practices are unsustainable, inefficient, and overly dependent on the physician.
#### **Key Concepts**
* **Three Essential Roles:**
* *Technician*: The physician focused on patient care and clinical excellence.
* *Manager*: The one who coordinates operations, staff, and systems.
* *Entrepreneur*: The visionary who designs and leads the practice toward long-term growth and independence.
* Most physicians function solely as technicians, neglecting the business-building roles essential to practice sustainability.
* **Working *On* the Practice, Not Just *In* It:**
* Physicians must take time to develop systems, strategy, and business structure rather than getting caught in the daily demands of patient care.
* The goal is to design a practice that can operate successfully without being entirely dependent on the physician’s presence.
* **Systematization of the Practice:**
* Gerber stresses the need to document and standardize all aspects of practice operations:
* Appointment scheduling
* Patient intake and follow-up
* Billing and collections
* Human resources and training
* Clinical protocols and quality control
* Systems should make results predictable, consistent, and measurable.
* **Franchise Thinking Applied to Medicine:**
* Build the practice as if it could be replicated or sold. Even if you never franchise, this mindset leads to creating scalable, efficient systems.
* Every task and process should be able to be taught and executed by others according to a written protocol.
* **Clarifying the Physician’s Personal and Professional Goals:**
* Define your *Primary Aim*—your vision for your life, not just your business.
* Design the business to serve that aim, rather than letting it control your time and identity.
* **Seven Steps of Business Development (Medical Practice Adaptation):**
* *Primary Aim*: Life goals and values.
* *Strategic Objective*: Long-term business vision (e.g., size, scope, lifestyle impact).
* *Organizational Strategy*: Clear structure of roles—even if one person holds multiple roles initially.
* *Management Strategy*: Tracking, oversight, and accountability processes.
* *People Strategy*: Hiring and training based on defined systems, not personal charisma or guesswork.
* *Marketing Strategy*: Building a consistent patient experience and brand aligned with patient needs.
* *Systems Strategy*: Detailed documentation of all processes for repeatability and quality assurance.
* **Addressing Common Physician Pitfalls:**
* Overworking and burnout from handling both patient care and business operations alone.
* Hiring based on urgency rather than systemized criteria and training.
* Neglecting the patient experience due to time pressures and disorganization.
---
### **Tone and Writing Style**
* **Tone:** Practical, urgent, and motivational
* **Style:** Clear, instructive, and conversational
* Gerber uses accessible language and directly addresses the physician-reader, often framing the business challenge in familiar terms from clinical practice.
* He uses analogies and storytelling to help physicians connect business principles with real-world practice issues, supporting understanding and engagement.
---
### **Author Qualifications and Relevance**
* **Michael E. Gerber** is a highly regarded business consultant and the best-selling author of *The E-Myth* series.
* His expertise lies in transforming small businesses through systemization, strategic design, and long-term vision development.
* While not a physician, Gerber’s collaboration with healthcare professionals and understanding of practice management challenges lend credibility.
* His business framework offers a unique and highly applicable perspective for medical professionals who have not been trained in entrepreneurship but must manage complex businesses.
* Most physicians wrongly assume that clinical expertise naturally translates into business success.
* The “E-Myth” (Entrepreneurial Myth) is that if you understand the technical work—medicine in this case—you can also run a successful practice.
* Gerber argues that without entrepreneurial and managerial thinking, most medical practices are unsustainable, inefficient, and overly dependent on the physician.
#### **Key Concepts**
* **Three Essential Roles:**
* *Technician*: The physician focused on patient care and clinical excellence.
* *Manager*: The one who coordinates operations, staff, and systems.
* *Entrepreneur*: The visionary who designs and leads the practice toward long-term growth and independence.
* Most physicians function solely as technicians, neglecting the business-building roles essential to practice sustainability.
* **Working *On* the Practice, Not Just *In* It:**
* Physicians must take time to develop systems, strategy, and business structure rather than getting caught in the daily demands of patient care.
* The goal is to design a practice that can operate successfully without being entirely dependent on the physician’s presence.
* **Systematization of the Practice:**
* Gerber stresses the need to document and standardize all aspects of practice operations:
* Appointment scheduling
* Patient intake and follow-up
* Billing and collections
* Human resources and training
* Clinical protocols and quality control
* Systems should make results predictable, consistent, and measurable.
* **Franchise Thinking Applied to Medicine:**
* Build the practice as if it could be replicated or sold. Even if you never franchise, this mindset leads to creating scalable, efficient systems.
* Every task and process should be able to be taught and executed by others according to a written protocol.
* **Clarifying the Physician’s Personal and Professional Goals:**
* Define your *Primary Aim*—your vision for your life, not just your business.
* Design the business to serve that aim, rather than letting it control your time and identity.
* **Seven Steps of Business Development (Medical Practice Adaptation):**
* *Primary Aim*: Life goals and values.
* *Strategic Objective*: Long-term business vision (e.g., size, scope, lifestyle impact).
* *Organizational Strategy*: Clear structure of roles—even if one person holds multiple roles initially.
* *Management Strategy*: Tracking, oversight, and accountability processes.
* *People Strategy*: Hiring and training based on defined systems, not personal charisma or guesswork.
* *Marketing Strategy*: Building a consistent patient experience and brand aligned with patient needs.
* *Systems Strategy*: Detailed documentation of all processes for repeatability and quality assurance.
* **Addressing Common Physician Pitfalls:**
* Overworking and burnout from handling both patient care and business operations alone.
* Hiring based on urgency rather than systemized criteria and training.
* Neglecting the patient experience due to time pressures and disorganization.
---
### **Tone and Writing Style**
* **Tone:** Practical, urgent, and motivational
* **Style:** Clear, instructive, and conversational
* Gerber uses accessible language and directly addresses the physician-reader, often framing the business challenge in familiar terms from clinical practice.
* He uses analogies and storytelling to help physicians connect business principles with real-world practice issues, supporting understanding and engagement.
---
### **Author Qualifications and Relevance**
* **Michael E. Gerber** is a highly regarded business consultant and the best-selling author of *The E-Myth* series.
* His expertise lies in transforming small businesses through systemization, strategic design, and long-term vision development.
* While not a physician, Gerber’s collaboration with healthcare professionals and understanding of practice management challenges lend credibility.
* His business framework offers a unique and highly applicable perspective for medical professionals who have not been trained in entrepreneurship but must manage complex businesses.
November 22, 2024
Mostly platitudes I’m afraid
I like the E-myth revisited. This book read like a first draft to me. It has high level concepts which are useful, but never really created a picture of what change would look like in a practice. The organization lacked flow, it seemed to keep circling back to the same points. If you own a practice (I do BTW) I think there are more useful books to choose from.
I like the E-myth revisited. This book read like a first draft to me. It has high level concepts which are useful, but never really created a picture of what change would look like in a practice. The organization lacked flow, it seemed to keep circling back to the same points. If you own a practice (I do BTW) I think there are more useful books to choose from.
July 14, 2025
great inspiration
Found this very inspirational. If you are a true entrepreneur much of this you were doing already but definitely some great inspiration to keep working towards what I’m working towards. That said, I don’t think I’m the typical medical practice owner/clinician. From the moment I decided to create my practice I imagined its future. I think those that don’t have that entrepreneurial mindset will learn a lot they didn’t know. I really loved the book.
Found this very inspirational. If you are a true entrepreneur much of this you were doing already but definitely some great inspiration to keep working towards what I’m working towards. That said, I don’t think I’m the typical medical practice owner/clinician. From the moment I decided to create my practice I imagined its future. I think those that don’t have that entrepreneurial mindset will learn a lot they didn’t know. I really loved the book.
June 19, 2021
The fatal flaw is that patients visit a clinic to see a specific doctor. People don’t go to McDonalds demanding burgers made by Ray Kroc. That’s the difference. That’s why the entire book is not applicable in real life. Just good on paper.
July 20, 2025
A necessary book for a young physician
This book should be a subject in med school, the only sin is that it needs a second part detailing how to create the ‘’system’’ for the practice.
This book should be a subject in med school, the only sin is that it needs a second part detailing how to create the ‘’system’’ for the practice.
December 5, 2023
Complete waste of time. The author is just milking the success of his original book here. No substance nor anything applicable is contained in this book.
September 6, 2024
Quick and easy read. Really good for big concepts but wish there were more specifics.
September 26, 2024
Very well written. Removes the owner from the situation (business) and you can see it as a framework that helps you to thrive
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 1, 2025
Los primeros 5 o 6 capítulos están bien.
Luego de ahí se siente vacío.
Luego de ahí se siente vacío.
November 25, 2008
Good practical advice on running a system based small business. I suspect it will help me to become the wealthiest man alive.
May 9, 2015
Quick read, easy concepts and good nuggets to consider when building your practice.
September 1, 2015
I was hoping that the book had more practical ideas for practice development, but it was still thought provoking in terms of thinking more strategically about onr's medical practice.
May 29, 2008
interesting thoughts on building a medical business
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews