Why Listen? This episode dives into what drives the next generation of physicians to fight for their profession.

Dutch Rojas sits down with neurosurgeon and podcast host Dr. JP Kolcun for a candid, funny, and deeply human conversation about the moral obligation to speak up, the optimism of young doctors, and why the future of medicine might depend on radical honesty and renewed physician leadership.

Host: Dutch Rojas – Founder, Rojas Media and Bliksem Health

Guest: Dr. JP Kolcun – Neurosurgeon, Co-Host of The Neurosurgery Podcast

Episode Overview

In this wide-ranging conversation, Dutch and Dr. Kolcun discuss everything from Founders Podcast and leadership lessons from NVIDIA’s Jensen Huang to the realities of physician advocacy, the neurosurgery culture, and the challenges of uniting physicians under one mission.

Dr. Kolcun reflects on his journey from musician to neurosurgeon, the influence of optimism and honesty in medicine, and why he co-founded The Neurosurgery Podcast as a counterpoint to Dr. Death. Dutch and Dr. Kolcun also tackle generational mindsets, the fight for physician-owned hospitals, and how advocacy starts with understanding the “rules of the game.”

💬 Notable Quotes

• “I have this vein of almost pathological honesty in me. When I see something wrong, I feel compelled to call it out.” – JP Kolcun, MD

• “You can’t morally place yourself in someone else’s position and pretend you’d do better. We’d all be jerks too.” – Dutch Rojas

• “Every neurosurgeon likes to think we’re the Navy SEALs of medicine—but under the surface, we’re all geeks about our own little thing.” – JP Kolcun, MD

• “We can’t own the means of production in our own industry. That’s an affront to the profession.” – JP Kolcun, MD

• “The way you get doctors on the same page is by focusing on what benefits all physicians—at the expense of no one.” – JP Kolcun, MD

📚 What You’ll Learn

– Why young physicians are more optimistic than ever

– The origin story of The Neurosurgery Podcast and its mission

– How neurosurgeons are leading advocacy for physician-owned hospitals

– Why unity across medical specialties is essential for reform

– The role of honesty and moral courage in physician leadership

– How generational perspective can reframe pessimism in healthcare

– What advocacy looks like from within the neurosurgical community

– Why optimism is a prerequisite for medicine—and for reform

⏱ The Episode (Timestamps)

00:00 – Introduction & The Founders Podcast

03:45 – Leadership lessons from NVIDIA’s Jensen Huang

07:30 – JP’s journey: from musician to neurosurgeon

12:40 – Discovering advocacy and the moral duty to speak up

18:25 – Physician optimism and generational mindset shifts

24:15 – How neurosurgeons organize and advocate nationally

28:00 – Building unity across medical specialties

31:45 – Inside The Neurosurgery Podcast

35:10 – Why advocacy is an act of optimism

39:00 – Dutch’s reflections and closing