Breaking Into Pharma and Biotech as a Physician Leader with Dr. Nerissa Kreher

In this episode of the Startup Physicians Podcast, Dr. Alison Curfman sits down with Dr. Nerissa Kreher, MD, MBA—a pediatric endocrinologist who transitioned into biotech and pharma and went on to serve as a four-time Chief Medical Officer with multiple IPOs.Nerissa shares how an unexpected career setback opened the door to the pharma industry, what medical affairs and clinical development roles actually look like, and how physicians can build the business and regulatory skill sets needed to thrive in biotech. She explains how to communicate across cross-functional teams, design clinical trials, and navigate both the highs (like successful IPOs) and the lows (like program shutdowns).Alison and Nerissa also dig into imposter syndrome, confidence, humility, and why physicians must embrace learning and ask for help—just like they do in clinical practice. Nerissa also highlights her work developing first-in-human transfer RNA therapies and discusses her coaching program, Pharma Industry MD Coach, which supports physicians exploring industry roles.This episode is packed with tactical insights and mindset shifts for any physician curious about biotech, pharma, or leadership roles beyond clinical medicine.00:00 – Introduction to Dr. Nerissa Kreher01:08 – A Career Pivot That Changed Everything04:01 – Entering Pharma + Early Mindset Shifts07:14 – Building New Skills Beyond Medicine11:23 – Clinical Development & Designing Trials13:59 – Moving Through Companies & Becoming a CMO16:18 – Handling Setbacks in Drug Development18:27 – Mindset, Imposter Syndrome & Asking for Help23:05 – Inside the IPO Experience28:04 – What She’s Building Now29:35 – Supporting Physicians Through Coaching30:57 – Closing ThoughtsPharma Industry MD Coach Website: www.industryMDCoach.comIG: PharmaindustryMDCoachLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/the-industrymdcoach-b501301ba/