For the Physician Who Wants More Than Medicine

Discover a new blueprint for success - one built on balance, clarity and control

A Step-by-Step Roadmap to Freedom

Eight proven steps to escape the lifestyle hamster wheel, reduce financial stress and create a life where medicine becomes a calling, not an obligation.

Turn Your Surgical Skills Into Investment Superpowers

Learn how pattern recognition, discipline, and data analysis – the very skills that make you an excellent physician – can be applied to build lasting wealth.

surgical investor Wheel

Stories That Mirror Your Own

Real, relatable experiences from surgeons who broke free from burnout and reclaimed balance – so you know you’re not alone in this journey.

Redefining True ROI

Discover why the greatest return isn’t just financial growth, but the ability to choose how you spend your time, show up for your family, and leave a lasting legacy.

For the Physician Who Wants More Than Medicine

Discover a new blueprint for success - one built on balance, clarity and control

surgical investor Wheel

A Step-by-Step Roadmap to Freedom

Eight proven steps to escape the lifestyle hamster wheel, reduce financial stress and create a life where medicine becomes a calling, not an obligation.

Turn Your Surgical Skills Into Investment Superpowers

Learn how pattern recognition, discipline, and data analysis – the very skills that make you an excellent physician – can be applied to build lasting wealth.

Stories That Mirror Your Own

Real, relatable experiences from surgeons who broke free from burnout and reclaimed balance – so you know you’re not alone in this journey.

Redefining True ROI

Discover why the greatest return isn’t just financial growth, but the ability to choose how you spend your time, show up for your family, and leave a lasting legacy.

Book Overview

An Overview of the Book’s Insights

This transformative guide tackles the “lifestyle hamster wheel” that traps so many high-income professionals. Despite earning substantial incomes, medical professionals often find themselves caught in cycles of time scarcity, tax burdens, and financial stress, overworked yet underfulfilled.

The solution? Becoming a “Surgical Investor,” someone who channels the same skills that make them excellent surgeons into building wealth. Think about it: pattern recognition, data analysis, discipline, resilience. These aren’t just medical skills, they’re investment superpowers waiting to be unleashed in real estate and strategic investing.

The book walks you through eight practical steps, covering everything from applying your surgical mindset to finance, building mental endurance, and ultimately shaping your financial destiny. Each chapter includes real stories, actionable tools, and self-reflection exercises.

Here’s what makes this different: it’s not about choosing between fulfillment and finances. The core message is that money should be a tool for alignment and impact, not just accumulation. The real return on investment isn’t about quitting medicine. It’s about reclaiming your autonomy and living life on your terms.

Here’s what makes this different: it’s not about choosing between fulfillment and finances. The core message is that money should be a tool for alignment and impact, not just accumulation. The real return on investment isn’t about quitting medicine. It’s about reclaiming your autonomy and living life on your terms.

An Overview of the Book’s Insights

Endorsements

What People Say

The surgical Investor

Peter Mallouk

“In my work, I see a common pattern with my clients. They’ve done everything ‘right’ professionally but still feel financially and personally stuck. The Surgical Investor is the kind of book I wish more people had earlier in their journey. Vasu combines smart strategy with real heart, helping readers move from financial pressure to intentional freedom. It’s practical, personal, and long overdue.”
—Peter Mallouk, President & CEO of Creative Planning, Forbes Top Advisor, Barron’s #1 Independent Wealth Management Firm, Leading a National RIA with $354B+ in Assets Under Management

Ajay K. Gupta

“In my work with family offices and high-net-worth individuals, the most effective financial strategies are always those anchored in clarity, discipline, and purpose. That’s exactly what Vasu delivers in The Surgical Investor. He offers physicians a roadmap not only to financial freedom but to living a life more aligned with their values. This book is thoughtful, methodical, and deeply human … everything a great plan should be.”
—Ajay K. Gupta, CIMA®, CPWA®, CRPC®, Founding Principal, Robbins Gupta Holdings, Family Office of Tony Robbins and Ajay Gupta

Robert G. Allen

“Dr. Vasu Kakarlapudi’s The Surgical Investor is more than a guide to real estate investing … it’s a guide to reclaiming joy, time, and purpose in a high-pressure profession.”
—Robert G. Allen , #1 New York Times bestselling author of the million-copy, bestsellers: Creating Wealth, Nothing Down, Multiple Streams of Income, The One Minute Millionaire

Leisa Peterson

“I love how Dr. Kakarlapudi translates investing concepts using terms doctors already understand, making financial literacy accessible for busy medical professionals. The Surgical Investor brilliantly bridges the gap between medicine and money, offering a practical entry point for physicians who want to develop an investor mindset but struggle to find the time or know where to start. Highly recommended for any doctor ready to think differently about their financial future.”
—Leisa Peterson, Author of The Mindful Millionaire and The Money Catalyst

Justin Donald

“What if the mindset of a high-performing physician could unlock smarter investing? Dr. Vasu’s relatable story and how he blends surgical precision with savvy investing and intentional living make The Surgical Investor a must-read for anyone looking to stop trading time for money and start building a life they actually love.”
—Justin Donald , #1 Wall Street Journal and USA Today best-selling Author of The Lifestyle Investor, Founder of The Lifestyle Investor Mastermind, Host of The Lifestyle Investor Podcast

John Lee Dumas

“This book doesn’t just teach you about wealth, it teaches you how to think like a creator, move like a game-changer and live like every second matters. The Surgical Investor is the book I wish I had in my twenties. It’s a bold and practical playbook for owning your future, your freedom and your fire.”
—John Lee Dumas, Host: Entrepreneurs on Fire

Jim Dew

“As the son of a doctor and someone who runs Fractional Family Offices for wealthy entrepreneurs, I have first-hand experience with brilliant practitioners who never become savvy investors. In this powerful book, The Surgical Investor, Vasu gives you actionable steps so that, in addition to serving your patients, you can serve yourself and your family on the journey to financial freedom. This is a must-read for all surgeons!”
—Jim Dew, CFP®, MBA, ChFC®, CDFA™, CPWA®, ADVISOR TO THE ENTREPRENEUR®, CEO and Co-Founder, Dew Wealth Management

David Lindahl

“I’ve spent over two decades helping people build generational wealth through multifamily real estate. What Vasu has done with The Surgical Investor is deliver a values-aligned playbook that speaks directly to professionals who are ready to move from burnout to balance. This book is the bridge between high-income and high-impact living, and it’s exactly what the market needs right now.”
—David Lindahl, Founder of RE Mentor, Best-Selling Author: Multi-Family Millions, Emerging Real Estate Markets, The Six-Figure Second Income

Brian Tracy

“Even when you love your work and you are good at what you do, one of your life goals is to reach the point where you never have to work again. This amazing book, The Surgical Investor, will save you many years of hard work in achieving the financial success that is possible for you.”
—Brian Tracy, Speaker and Consultant, Author: The Psychology of Selling & No Excuses!: The Power of Self-Discipline

Kristopher B. Jones

“You’ve built a successful career, but are you truly free? Dr. Vasu Kakarlapudi, an ENT surgeon, knows the trap of trading time for money all too well. He once thought a big paycheck would bring freedom, only to find himself on a relentless treadmill. In The Surgical Investor, he reveals a new paradigm for high achievers, showing how to leverage your existing skills to build a life where your money works for you. This is your guide to escaping the hustle, gaining control of your time, and finding the fulfillment you’ve always wanted.”
—Kristopher B. Jones, Founder, LegacyAdvisors.io (M&A Advisory), Author: The Entrepreneur’s Exit Playbook

Alidad Arabshahi

“The Surgical Investor is a profoundly inspiring vision of what life can be like for us surgeons, when we live life on our own terms. It is a work of love and a gift to any reader. It is written in the most authentic and real way by a person who truly embodies what he reflects in these meticulously and passionately woven thoughts and words. This book will not only change the course of the reader’s future financial outlook, but it will also inspire a change in their life, business, and relationships. I cannot wait to share this book with all my managers and directors at my healthcare company and with doctors, nurses, and managers in my medical practice. I highly recommend this as required reading for all medical professionals who want to provide the best patient care while also taking care of their personal lives and family.”
—Alidad Arabshahi, MBA, MD, Rhinoplasty Surgeon, Otolaryngologist, Founder: Avosina Healthcare Solutions, SomnoSleep Consultants, and Nova Rhinoplasty

Ramdev Konijeti

“The Surgical Investor is far more than a guide for the novice on how to enter into the seemingly daunting world of real estate investment. It’s a treatise on how to live a fruitful life, a reminder for self-actualization and understanding of one’s own value and how to translate that into a life of meaning and purpose in every aspect. Kakarlapudi outlines how the very principles we learn in the clinic and OR can be applied to every corner of our existence.”
—Ramdev Konijeti, FACS, MD, Urologic Oncologist

Sai Chavala

“If you’re tired of losing money on speculative ventures and working yourself to exhaustion, The Surgical Investor is a game-changer. This book delivers powerful, actionable insights that empower you to make your money work smarter through real estate. The Surgical Investor is essential reading for anyone ready to build wealth and improve their quality of life.”
—Sai Chavala, MD, Retina Surgeon

Kevin Huguet

“The Surgical Investor is an actionable guide to living an amazing life on your own terms! It is full of pearls of wisdom that can be passed on to generations. It’s not just about financial strategies; it’s about understanding your values, setting meaningful goals, and creating a life that is both prosperous and fulfilling.”
—Kevin Huguet, MPH, FACS, MD, Bariatric Surgeon, Founder and CEO of MIIS

Tom Burns

“If you are a healthcare professional and wish to understand real estate investing, The Surgical Investor is the perfect guide. The mindset and action steps are elegantly presented to help you create a better life for you and your patients.”
—Tom Burns, MD, Orthopedic Surgeon, Speaker and author of Why Doctors Don’t Get Rich

George Pazos

“For any physician solely practicing medicine today and is seeking ancillary income through real estate or a different career path altogether, The Surgical Investor will serve as an inspirational foundation to start that journey.”
—George Pazos, MD, Otolaryngologist

C. Matthew Stewart

“The Surgical Investor will be an excellent and inspirational source of answers to real-life questions about how to navigate the opposing forces of diversification and risk aversion, how to face your fears, and how to appreciate the power of passive income strategies. Most importantly how to use surgical precision to create opportunities to maximize the joy from the practice of medicine.”
—C. Matthew Stewart, PhD, FACS, MD, Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery
View all

Illustrations

Illustrations That Tell a Deeper Story

The journey of The Surgical Investor isn’t told in words alone. Woven through the chapters are original illustrations – each one capturing a turning point, a hidden tension or a breakthrough moment on the path from burnout to balance.

These aren’t decorative drawings. They’re metaphors. Visual cues that invite you to pause, reflect, and see your own journey in a new way. From surgeons at the card table, to mountains summited, to scales of balance – each illustration mirrors a truth about transformation, freedom and redefining success.

Just as the book blends real stories with practical tools, these illustrations blend art with meaning. They remind us that the path from burnout to balance isn’t abstract – it’s real, human, and deeply personal.

About the Publisher

Doctors by Design Publishing

Doctors by Design Publishing was created with a simple belief – physicians have powerful stories to tell, but most never get the chance to share them. We exist to change that.

This imprint was founded by Dr. Vasu Kakarlapudi as part of a broader mission: to help doctors design lives and legacies with purpose. The Surgical Investor is the first book released under this banner, a blueprint for how physicians can reclaim their time, wealth and wellbeing without leaving the calling that defines them.

Through Doctors by Design Publishing, we aim to amplify voices that inspire transformation stories that move beyond medicine to explore mindset, meaning, and mastery. Every project we publish reflects the same values that shaped Apta and VasuMD: authenticity, alignment, and impact.

Vasu Kakarlapudi, MD

Doctors by Design Publishing
The surgical Investor
The surgical Investor

Inside, Dr. Vasu Kakarlapudi shares the mindset shifts and strategies that helped him move from burnout to balance and how you can do the same. Whether you’re a surgeon seeking financial independence, or simply someone ready to live with more freedom and clarity, this is your starting point.

Peter Mallouk

Make It Yours

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The Surgical Investor is more than a book, it’s a roadmap for physicians and professionals ready to take back control of their time, money, and purpose.

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