EPISODE 154
After an ill family member introduced Justin Barad to the world of healthcare, he decided to earn a bioengineering degree, then an MD, and eventually specialized in pediatric orthopaedics. However, Justin later opted to combine his surgical skills with his passion for software and gaming to take on a new challenge: the training of surgeons. He decided to switch from academic medicine and start Osso VR in 2016, and now the company has grown to over 60 employees serving 20 countries with over 70 procedures loaded on the platform. In this interview with host Geoff Pardo, Justin shares his view on the challenges of surgical training, how Osso VR’s virtual surgical training procedures can be used to both train and assess surgeons remotely, his transition from clinician to CEO, his experience fundraising as a new entrepreneur, and advice for other surgeons considering entrepreneurial endeavors.
Podcast Guest
Justin Barad, MD
Co-Founder & CEO
Osso VR
Co-Founder and CEO of Osso VR, Dr. Justin Barad, is a board-eligible orthopaedic surgeon with a bioengineering degree from UC Berkeley, and an MD from UCLA, where he graduated first in his class. He completed his residency at UCLA and his fellowship in pediatric orthopaedics at Harvard and Boston Children’s Hospital. Justin is currently practicing at the Orthopaedic Institute for Children. Aside from medicine, Justin, who has been a lifelong coder and has a game credit with Activision, originally wanted to be a game developer. When a personal family health incident introduced him to the world of healthcare, he decided to find a way to combine his passions and use his technology background to solve medical problems. During his residency, he identified what could be one of the most pressing medical challenges of this century: how we are training our surgeons. With a strong interest in gaming and a first-hand understanding of the challenges facing residents and experienced doctors, he co-founded Osso VR with a mission to improve patient safety and democratize access to modern surgical techniques.
Meet Our Host
Geoff Pardo
Geoff has been in medtech for over two decades in both operational and investment roles. He is passionate about the industry potential and sharing stories from the front lines of innovation.