Meet Sam Bierstock, MD, BSEE | Physician, Entertainer, Song-Writer & Featured Speaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sam Bierstock, MD, BSEE and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sam, what is the most important factor behind your success?
I think my success has evolved from simply allowing my mind to go in non-conventional directions. I am creative by nature, and I have found that when I give thought to a problem or an idea, approaches that may seem out-of-the-ordinary often become doable and the results can be unique. Then it’s just a matter of being willing to take associated risks risk and go for it.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Although my professional career began somewhat unconventionally because I went from becoming an electrical engineer in the 1960’s to medical school (something very rarely done at the time), I spent the next 20 years in a rather conventional role as a practicing ophthalmologist. After a skiing accident which resulted in a injury that prevented me from doing surgery I left practice with very little idea of what I wanted to do or how I would make a living.. At age 43 this was the greatest challenge I had ever encountered. I spent a few years consulting for physicians computerizing their practices but truly hated the consulting arena. I had always played the blues harmonica semi-professionally and realized that what I really wanted to do was play music – although I had no idea of how I would make a living doing it or how I could stay in the medical field as a musician. This was in the 1990’s and managed care was making everyone miserable – so while feeling very low on a drive back from the airport after a consulting engagement, I had the idea to entertain at medical events and to form a band called Dr. Sam & The Managed Care Blues Band (www.managedmusic.com) . I assembled some life-long professional musicians, and to make a very long story short, spent the next decade touring the country in more than 40 states, and getting national attention in both the print and broadcast media. The Sept 11, 2001 attacks resulted in the end of our event bookings, but upon a return from one of our last events I had an encounter with a WWII veteran that moved me enormously and changed my life. The next day I wrote a song in thanks and tribute to the WWII veterans that ended up becoming an international hit song – playing more than 25 million times from it’s internet site and as often as 50,000 times a day, and resulting in performances all over the US, It has been the honor of my life to have been able to thank so many WWII veterans while we still had them – and still do. The song, “Before You Go” (www.beforeyougo.us) is unquestionably the accomplishment I am most proud of in my life. I have served as Chief Medical Office of major international medical information systems companies, and as a consultant to start-up companies with innovative healthcare technology products and services, but “Before You Go” has been my greatest achievement. I continue to write, record and perform when asked, and I build custom guitars and other instruments, and although the original band dispersed long ago, I still get the hankering to get out on the road again. In lieu of a geriatric wardrobe malfunction, the attention getting element of my current musical activities is my home-made, great sounding guitar – made out of a bedpan.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Just about anywhere in Delray Beach. It is a great place to live with wonderful restaurants, entertainment and the beach.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I always admired George Plimpton who was a participatory journalist. To fully understand his subject he was willing to do anything – get into a boxing ring, participate in professional sports such as football, acting in a movie, getting on stage at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas to try to do a comedy routine, playing with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. The guy just wanted to do it all. Another individual I admired for similar reasons was Steve Allen, an amazing comedian, writer, composer, lyricist, actor, musician and concert artist. He wrote thousands of songs (once writing 400 songs in one day), and was a brilliant comedian. I also regard him as extremely courageous because decades ago he took on his own industry by writing a book called “Vulgarians at the Gate” which took Hollywood to task for their gratuitous depiction of death and violence for the purpose of financial gain. That book is a “must read”. I was scheduled to meet him in California but unfortunately, he passed away a few weeks before my trip. Although I did not meet him, he significantly influenced my willingness to explore very diverse paths.

Website: www.beforeyougo.us www.managedmusic.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sambierstock/