From the Clinic to the Cabinet: Secretary David Shulkin on Healing Healthcare

Smart Medicine  |  21 November 2025

What if your calling went beyond caring for patients to caring for the entire system that serves them?

In this episode of Smart Medicine, Dr. Scott Sigman sits down with Secretary David Shulkin, former U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA), for an inside look at what it takes to lead change in one of the nation’s largest healthcare networks. From his early days as a practicing physician to his time shaping national policy, Secretary Shulkin shares how curiosity and courage guided him through both public service and private innovation. Together, they explore what Secretary Shulkin learned from his time leading the VA, and most importantly, what those lessons mean for the system at large. Get ready to go from the exam room to the White House, in this rare, unfiltered conversation about leadership, purpose, and the future of medicine.

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Podcast   Smart Medicine   healthcare leadership   healthcare innovation   healthcare technology   physician leadership   health policy   healthcare leadership  

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