Recorded live in Chicago during the Amputation Prevention Series, this week's conversation with Dr. Mahmood Razavi, Interventional Radiologist and Director of Clinical Trials and Research at St. Joseph Vascular Institute, dives deep into the realities of innovation in medicine.
Drawing from his early days at UCLA and Stanford alongside pioneers like Thomas J. Fogarty, MD and Michael D. Dake, MD, Dr. Razavi shares how his journey from academia to entrepreneurship shaped his view of what truly drives progress in the field.
From why patents sometimes matter more than papers, to how equity builds stronger teams than consulting fees ever could, this episode captures the candid, hard-earned lessons behind a lifetime of creating, advising, and mentoring in MedTech.
š§ This episode is a masterclass in the mindset behind medical innovation, bridging the gap between clinical expertise, entrepreneurship, and the lessons learned from decades of creating real-world solutions.
03:00 How a āboringā start in radiology led to discovering interventional work
07:39 The Stanford moment that changed everything: seeing a thoracic endograft for the first time
08:40 āWe donāt publish, we file patents firstā: shifting from academia to innovation
10:19 Consulting versus creating: the real ROI of doing your own thing
12:59 Predicting the future: R&D, patents, and NIH as 5-, 10-, and 20-year indicators
15:26 Lessons from experience: why young physicians shouldnāt sell their ideas cheap
18:31 The value of equity and how to build real commitment in startups
24:43 Finding the right collaborators and learning from the wrong ones
33:00 Final advice: mentorship, asking questions, and learning by proximity
š” Who Should Listen
This episode is for interventional radiologists, vascular specialists, MedTech founders, early-career physicians, and clinical innovators seeking unfiltered insight into the intersection of medicine, business, and invention.
About Mahmood Razavi, MD
Dr. Mahmood Razavi joined the staff of St. Joseph Vascular Institute in August 2005 and currently serves as the Director of Clinical Trials and Research Center. He specializes in image-guided therapy for cancer and endovascular treatment of vascular disease, including carotid artery stent replacement.
Before moving to Southern California, he was Associate Professor of Interventional Radiology and Director of the Fellowship Program at Stanford University Medical Center, where he also served as Acting Chief of Interventional Radiology.
A graduate of the University of Southern California, Dr. Razavi completed his Radiology residency and Chief Residency at UCLA, followed by dual fellowships in Medical Imaging (UCLA) and Cardiovascular Interventional Radiology (Stanford University Hospital). He later joined the UCLA faculty before returning to Stanfordās Vascular Center, where he remained until 2005.
He has authored or co-authored over 250 scientific publications, abstracts, and book chapters, delivered more than 120 invited lectures worldwide, and serves as Editor of Techniques in Vascular & Interventional Radiology. In addition to his academic and clinical work, Dr. Razavi is co-founder of three medical device companies and sits on multiple scientific advisory boards, continuing to shape the future of minimally invasive image-guided therapies.
Connect with Mahmood Razavi, MD
š¼ LinkedIn: Mahmood Razavi
Follow Life of Flow
š² Instagram:Ā @LifeofFlowPodcast
š Facebook:Ā Life of Flow Podcast
š¼ LinkedIn:Ā Life of Flow Podcast
š¦ X:Ā @VascularPodcast
If this episode gave you new perspective on innovation, equity, and mentorship in medicine, share it with a colleague who would benefit from the conversation. And if youāve been enjoying Life of Flow, leaving a quick review helps more specialists and industry leaders discover these discussions.