💡 ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Natalie sits down with Dr. Miko Rose, founding dean of Indiana University of Pennsylvania's proposed College of Osteopathic Medicine, board-certified physician in psychiatry and neurology, and one of Pennsylvania's 50 Over 50 most influential leaders in government, business, and media. Dr. Rose pulls back the curtain on what it actually takes to build a medical school from the ground up — securing 247% of required clinical rotations before a single student has even applied, navigating national accreditation, fundraising, and assembling a team willing to take on something nobody has done in this region before. They dig into the rural healthcare crisis and why it's not a rural problem — it's a canary in the coal mine for a nationwide system that is quietly breaking down.
Dr. Rose also challenges the traditional model of who gets recruited into medicine, making the case that growth mindset, service experience, and intrinsic motivation are better predictors of a great physician than grades and test scores alone. She's a first-generation physician who didn't discover medicine until after undergrad, took night classes while working, and built a second career that led her here — to Indiana, Pennsylvania, building something from nothing that could reshape how rural communities across the state access care. Nobody's pretending this is easy, and that's exactly what makes this conversation worth the listen.
🎯 KEY TAKEAWAYS
Rural healthcare is everyone's problem The gaps in rural access aren't a niche issue — they're a warning sign for a healthcare crisis that's coming for urban communities too.
Growth mindset beats grades The students who struggle to get in but stay open to learning often outperform the ones who looked perfect on paper.
Building something new requires a specific kind of person Whether it's a medical school or a career — the people who lean into uncertainty instead of running from it are the ones who pull it off.
Intrinsic motivation changes the trajectory of care Physicians driven by connection and purpose deliver fundamentally different care than those chasing prestige or income.
It's never too late to follow a calling Dr. Rose wasn't pre-med in undergrad — medicine became her second career, and she's now leading the charge to train the next generation.
The healthcare system survives on disease, not wellness Until we recruit and train physicians around preventative, community-centered care, the system will keep producing the same outcomes.
TOPICS
LEADERSHIP & CAREER
STRATEGIC THINKING
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
