This week we're talking to the Surgeon Coach, Mel Thacker, about the impact of overworking, setting well-defined goals, understanding the essential self vs. social self, finding happiness in the second curve of life, the importance of creativity in the second half of life, the pressure of external validation and imposter syndrome, navigating midlife crises, the role of vulnerability and relational competence in medicine, and the impact of fail safes and accountability in medicine.

Oh yeah it's a busy one - and a fun one. Come get some insights!

What does it mean to actually level up in medicine?

In this episode of I’m a Podstar, Not a Doctor, The American Pharaoh and Cuff Daddy sit down with Dr. Nick Pappas to break down #OrthoMaxxing — the art of becoming a better surgeon, building a real presence, and navigating the chaos of modern medicine without losing yourself in the process.

Nick shares how he built a following as a hand surgeon without sacrificing credibility, why most doctors are doing social media wrong, and how to balance education, entertainment, and authenticity in a world driven by algorithms.

We're talking to our old friend Mason - PA announcer for the Detroit Pistons this week! He's celebrating 25 years with the team and we're talking sports, AI, career paths, weird surgery shit, and just having a blast doing it all. The energy and laughs are infectous whenever he's around!

We're talking creative surgeries, our beautiful relationships with our dogs, and American Pharaoh goes deep down the rabbit hole in his own conspiracies this week...

This week we talk to Earl Cooper of East Side Golf about his journey to success. The takeaways include the themes of perseverance and manifesting dreams. Earl Cooper discusses the expansion of his brand, Eastside Golf, and his love for the golf lifestyle. He shares his journey from Atlanta to New York and LA, his experiences playing at exclusive golf clubs, and his pinch-me moments meeting Michael Jordan and achieving significant milestones. Earl also emphasizes the importance of authenticity and building the brand, as well as the expansion of the golf market and hip-hop collaborations. Throughout the conversation, he reflects on success and humility, highlighting the impact of family and legacy.

Medicine loves titles.

Chair. President. Fellow. Society this. Board that.

But when we asked Dr. Anthony Minniacci—President of the American Shoulder and Elbow Society—what he actually wants his legacy to be, the answer wasn’t what you’d expect.

In this episode of I’m a Podstar, Not a Doctor, Tony talks candidly about the long game of medicine—from immigrant beginnings to leading one of the most respected orthopedic societies in the world. We get into why some of his shoulder implant ideas took 25 years to be taken seriously, how skepticism nearly killed innovation, and why leadership only matters if you’re willing to do the unsexy work.

We also cover:

• Why chasing prestige is a trap
• How to build teams without ego
• What young surgeons misunderstand about success
• Balancing ambition without burning everything down
• And why titles fade, but impact doesn’t

This one’s for anyone grinding, doubting themselves, or wondering if all the sacrifice is actually worth it.

Welcome to 2026.

After some time off, family chaos, and whatever that weird stretch between Christmas and New Year’s actually is, The American Pharaoh and Cuff Daddy are back on the mics—catching up, resetting, and getting back into the rhythm of the show.

This episode is exactly what it sounds like:

• Life updates
• Work updates
• What the break reminded us about medicine, burnout, and balance
• Why routine matters more than resolutions
• And why this pod works best when we just show up and talk

No big agenda. No hot takes forced for the algorithm. Just two surgeons reconnecting, recalibrating, and easing back into the conversations that made I’m a Podstar, Not a Doctor what it is.

The conversation covers a range of topics including casual catch-ups, podcast introductions, banter, discussions about 50 Cent, online beefing, flight mishaps, TV shows, entertainment recommendations, Kamran's return, his book, healthcare optimism, ChatGPT, Diego Pavia's apology, and balancing family and work. The main takeaways include a sense of healthcare optimism and the challenge of balancing family and work. The conversation covers the challenges and rewards of private practice, the process of creating rap music, and its impact. It also delves into the humor in medical rap, the writing and producing of music, the concept of a social media cleanse, future projects and plans, and plans for collaboration.

Takeaways

• Healthcare Optimism
• Family and Work Balance The challenges and rewards of private practice
• The process of creating rap music and its impact

Chapters

• 00:00 Casual Conversations and Catching Up
• 05:02 The Cuff Daddy and American Pharaoh's Banter
• 10:24 Unfortunate Events and Making the Best of It
• 28:43 Kamran's Return and Catching Up
• 35:06 Identity and Iterations
• 41:36 Humor in Medical Rap
• 46:45 Social Media Cleanse