#260 Why Every Physician Needs to Understand AI — Now ft. Peter Kim, MD

Why AI Matters for Doctors

Peter kicks things off by asking a big question — why should busy doctors care about AI? The answer is simple: AI is already changing the way we live and work. Whether you realize it or not, AI is part of your daily life. And in medicine, it’s being used to help with diagnostics, charting, and patient care.

If you run a practice, AI can help automate tasks like scheduling and billing. That means fewer headaches and more time for what really matters — patients and your own well-being. Even outside medicine, AI is making financial decisions easier, helping with investments, and creating content for side hustles.

Peter shares that for him, AI is helping in all kinds of personal ways — like planning travel, reviewing contracts, and managing his personal finances. It saves him tons of time and energy.

How AI Is Already Used in Medicine

Peter explains how AI is already changing medicine. In specialties like radiology, dermatology, and primary care, AI tools are making diagnostics faster and documentation easier with virtual scribes.

Doctors who run their own clinics are using AI to handle repetitive tasks like billing, follow-up calls, and scheduling. The benefit? Smoother operations, less stress, and more focus on patient care.

On the financial side, AI tools like robo-advisors are helping physicians analyze investments without spending hours on research. Even real estate investing can be easier and smarter with AI.

And if you’re working on a side hustle — say creating a course, writing a newsletter, or building a business — AI can speed up the process, cut costs, and help you do more with less.

AI Makes Everyday Life Easier

In this part, Peter shares a real story to show how AI can help in daily life. A friend of his was stressed about planning a family trip to Europe — it felt like a full-time job. Peter had the same challenge, but used AI (like ChatGPT) to help plan the whole thing.

He used AI to map out travel routes, compare transportation times, and find activities for his family. What would normally take weeks of planning took just a weekend — and he didn’t have to spend all day on it either.

This story shows how AI can save time and energy, even in personal life. It’s not just about business — it’s about making life simpler.

Becoming AI-Literate

Here, Peter talks about a big goal: helping physicians become “AI literate.” That doesn’t mean becoming a tech expert — it just means understanding how to use AI tools to make life easier.

He compares it to when smartphones and the internet first came out. They changed everything. AI is doing the same — and we need to learn how to use it, or we’ll get left behind.

Peter shares that Passive Income MD is going to focus even more on AI over the next year. There will be blogs, resources, conference sessions, and community discussions — all to help doctors learn how to use AI effectively.

Getting Started With AI: Grab Our FREE PDF Guide

To end the episode, Peter gives listeners a simple first step: pick just one AI tool (like ChatGPT or Google Gemini), and try using it for one task in your work or life.

Start small — maybe automate some documentation, help plan a trip, or write some content. Once you get the hang of it, move on to the next task. Over time, AI will become part of your daily routine.

He also shares a free downloadable resource: The Physician Starter Guide to AI, which will help you navigate AI daily and is great for beginners or even those with experience.

Peter’s final message offers encouragement:

“I don’t believe AI will replace physicians… but physicians who use AI will stand out. They’ll have more time, more control, and more opportunities.”