The Better YOU

In this episode of The Better You Podcast, Kanav Paliwal sits down with Rick Gannotta, a healthcare leader, professor, and former CEO whose career took him from leaving high school to becoming a nurse, earning an MBA and doctorate, and eventually leading major healthcare organizations.Rick shares how an unconventional path, personal instability, education, mentorship, and a willingness to keep learning shaped his career. He also talks about the pressure young people face today, especially from social media, and why students should focus less on comparing themselves to others and more on staying curious and discovering what genuinely interests them. The conversation also explores the future of AI in healthcare. Rick explains how AI could reduce administrative work for doctors and nurses while accelerating areas such as drug development and computational biology. He also discusses potential challenges, including regulation and the digital divide. Ultimately, Rick's story is a reminder that your path does not have to be straight. You can change direction, return to education, learn from setbacks, and discover new opportunities along the way. His advice to young people is simple: stay curious, keep learning, and don't feel like you need to have your entire future figured out at 16. 00:00 Rick's unconventional journey to becoming a CEO01:00 Leaving high school and finding his own path04:00 Education, nursing, and controlling your own destiny07:00 Why your path doesn't have to be straight08:00 Social media and the pressure to compare yourself11:00 What to do when you don't know what you want to do13:00 Staying curious in a rapidly changing world15:00 Returning to education and discovering healthcare19:00 The mentors who changed Rick's career22:00 Learning from mistakes without living in the past24:00 AI and the future of healthcare28:00 The potential downsides of AI30:00 Advice for students who feel lost31:00 Rick's advice to his younger self

What does it really take to become a doctor—and how do you know whether medicine is actually the right path for you?In the first episode of The Better You Podcast, a high school student’s questions about the future meet two perspectives from the world of medicine: Dr. Neelam, a pediatric geneticist at Wake Forest School of Medicine, and Sneha, a medical student experiencing the journey toward becoming a physician right now. They talk about what inspired them to pursue medicine, what they wish they’d done differently in high school, and why choosing a career at 16 or 17 doesn’t mean choosing it forever.The conversation also tackles the pressures students face outside of career decisions: grades, procrastination, motivation, peer pressure, imposter syndrome, fitting in, failure, and the fear that one mistake could derail your future.Whether you’re considering medicine or still trying to figure out what comes next, this episode offers practical advice for exploring your options, developing useful skills, recovering from setbacks, and giving yourself room to grow.CHAPTERS00:00 Why It’s Okay Not to Have Your Future Figured Out02:10 Is Becoming a Doctor Right for You?03:15 Meet Dr. Neelam and Sneha04:09 Growing Up Across Different Cultures04:45 Why They Chose Medicine06:44 What They’d Do Differently in High School09:00 Why Students Should Explore Different Careers10:26 High School Regrets, Peer Pressure & Imposter Syndrome11:16 Dealing With Stress and Self-Doubt12:26 Why Fitting In Matters Less Than You Think14:34 Do You Need Straight A’s to Succeed?16:03 Recovering From Bad Grades17:25 Is It Ever Too Late to Turn Things Around?18:27 Choosing a Career in High School19:23 How to Stop Procrastinating20:27 Staying Motivated When You Don’t Feel Like Working21:11 Daily Habits That Make a Difference21:46 Feeling Like You’re Not Good Enough23:08 Turning Failure Into Growth24:44 How to Recover From a Major Setback26:02 What High Schoolers Don’t Realize About Being a Doctor27:18 Final Advice & Closing ThoughtsSubscribe to The Better You Podcast for honest conversations with people at different stages of their journeys—and lessons that can help you discover your own.#TheBetterYouPodcast #CareerAdvice #HighSchool #MedicalSchool #FutureDoctors #StudentLife #CollegeAdvice #CareerExploration #StudentMotivation #GrowthMindset #ImposterSyndrome #TeenLife

Helping middle and high school students—and their parents—navigate life’s biggest questions through conversations with inspiring people from every walk of life.