In real life, Dr. James Murtagh is a doctor of pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine. Dr. Murtagh’s career combines both writing and science. He has earned awards as an essay writer, Merit scholar, and Westinghouse science award recipient. After graduating with top honors from a six-year combined medical program at the University of Michigan medical school, Dr. Murtagh did his residency in internal medicine at Parkland Hospital in Dallas, Texas. He then subspecialized in pulmonary and critical care at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), where he served as a staff scientist in molecular biology for five years.
Later, he took the lead in the emerging field of Sleep Medicine.
In 1991, Dr. James Murtagh became an assistant professor at Emory University medical school. He earned tenure in less than four years, was awarded more than 2 million dollars in grants for innovative research, and was awarded three patents for DNA detection methods. Murtagh became a prolific writer, authoring more than 40 articles (in the Journal of Biologic Chemistry, Biotechniques, Nucleic Acid Research), and contributed to books on more general medicine topics and on bioethics. Dr. Murtagh became a scientific advisor to Boehringer Mannheim. He served at Atlanta VA hospital and Grady Memorial County Hospital on a joint appointment.
In recent years, Dr. James Murtagh joined a coalition of doctors and citizens alarmed at the current healthcare crisis, especially as it affects indigent and working families at inner-city public hospitals.
Dr. Murtagh continues to practice medicine and devotes a substantial portion of his time to a company he formed to promote integrity in healthcare. His contact with this unusual group of concerned citizens and healthcare whistleblowers forms the basis of this book.
Recently, his life as an author has expanded as he publishes regular Op-eds in major newspapers and is starting a series of columns on medical ethics in the New York Sun and Hastings center.
How did you get started in this business?
40 years. Medical School
How do you make money?
Take care of patients
How long did it take for you to become profitable?
Immediately
When you were starting out, was there ever a time you doubted it would work? If so, how did you handle that?
No doubt
What is the toughest decision you’ve had to make in the last few months?
Entering Telemedicine
What do you think it is that makes you successful?
Persistence
What has been your most satisfying moment in business?
Reform in medicine
What does the future hold for your business? What are you most excited about?
The new vaccines are great
What advice would you give to your younger self?
Macintosh laptop