Although most doctors
have to spend nearly a dozen years to get their educational requirements out of
the way, many of them find a way to build a lucrative career that makes up for
this. After all, medical professionals tend to be very well compensated. In the
case of Dr. David Hepburn, however, the compensation is not the only distinguishing
factor when it comes to his career. On the contrary, on the list of things that
he had a chance to be a part of, getting paid well would be towards the bottom
in terms of importance. This is because he is also known for being a military
physician during an active war, working at the 1994 Commonwealth Games, 1996
Olympics, the Canadian National Rugby team for juniors, and multiple hockey
teams. Not to mention the fact that Dr. David Hepburn is one of the strongest proponents of
medical-use marijuana.
What was your best/favorite subject in school?
I did not have a favorite class until the second half of my high school career when I began taking natural sciences like chemistry and biology. This is because I seemed to have a built-in curiosity for these topics. So, I was able to prepare for my exams or complete my homework with pleasure and I even went as far as studying things that were not in our curriculum. Once my family and friends noticed how involved I was with these courses, they started giving me science books that I can read in my free time.
At one point, I remember one of my friends jokingly suggested that I simply major in medicine and become a doctor. Although their statement aimed to discourage me, I have to say that it fueled me with motivation to actually become a physician. So, I took my love for chemistry, physics, biology, and anatomy to the next level!
Where and how did you first get into the industry you currently work in?
I first got into medicine when I went to the University of Ottawa. Prior to that, my only experience was working in a biology lab and dissecting rats to do some medicine-related projects. Looking back at this now, I realize that most of those projects really had nothing to do with modern-day medicine! Nevertheless, they were instrumental to me wanting to continue my pursuit of a medical degree.
How do you keep yourself motivated?
I let my patients keep me motivated! When you are a doctor, the fact that there is a person who needs your help and you possess the skills to genuinely aid them is motivating enough. That is, of course, what has been working for me all these years at least.
Have you ever tried any unorthodox techniques to attract attention to your business?
Not that I can think of. I have definitely tried a ton of unorthodox methods when it comes to studying and passing classes. Most of this, however, took place when I was a medical student who was simply trying to overcome all of the rigorous requirements to become a doctor. Ever since my graduation in 1986, I always had opportunities that presented themselves to me. So, there has never really been any need to do things out of the ordinary!
What personal achievement are you most proud of?
I am proud of finding a way to help hundreds of patients over the past several years while still having enough time to reach my professional development and career goals. When you work more than 60 hours a week on average, it is very hard to avoid getting swallowed by your job and losing focus on other things that matter in life. Well, the fact that I somehow found the perfect balance to constantly advance my career while having a lot of important personal accomplishments is something that I am extremely proud of.
What kind of business ideas excite you most?
Well, there are two types that can get me going for hours at a time. The first type is business ideas related to inventions. These are projects whose objective is to come up with something that does not exist in the market. Some common examples would be companies like Uber and Lyft when taxi services were known to be monopolized by large corporations. Also, cryptocurrencies are a great example of inventions that disrupted enormous markets which were untouched for decades.
The second type of business ideas that I love are those created by young and ambitious people! Obviously, this is a very broad category that can include a slew of different projects. Nevertheless, these ideas are more about the untapped entrepreneurial potential that I love to work with as I help those aspiring proprietors reach their goals.