World-renowned plastic surgeon Dr. Terry Dubrow (star of Botched) sits down with Randall Kaplan for a raw, inspiring conversation on rising from poverty in Los Angeles to medical excellence at UCLA and Yale, the mentors who changed his life, and what it really takes to build a top practice in Newport Beach. We cover career pivots, boldness vs. fear, medical training, research & publishing, and wild rock-n-roll stories with his brother Kevin DuBrow of Quiet Riot—plus practical, step-by-step success frameworks you can use today. If you’re chasing excellence in medicine, entrepreneurship, or any high-stakes field, this episode is your blueprint.

Timestamps (Key Moments / Chapters)

‍00:00 Intro — Why Dr. Terry Dubrow’s story matters for anyone pursuing excellence

‍02:10 Childhood in LA: poverty, the stray cat, and early identity & grit

‍06:30 Step-family turbulence, sharing a room with Kevin, and drive to “escape”

‍10:05 The whiskey incident at 12 & lifelong alcohol aversion (and a tequila detour)

‍12:40 From “pre-dent” to “this isn’t for me”: volunteering at USC Dental vs. UCLA ER

‍16:35 Yale pivot: pre-med sprint + master’s; MCAT mastery & teaching Kaplan

‍20:20 The ER “smell” & “relaxed brilliance” of residents—falling in love with medicine

‍23:00 The moment with Dr. Mal Lesavoy: the lecture, the hallway chase, the lab

‍26:45 Publishing as career currency: scalp defect flaps & trauma research wins

‍30:10 Quiet Riot vs. Ozzy: Randy Rhoads, loyalty, and the Forum backstage night

‍36:00 How to actually earn mentorship: authenticity, research, and adding value

‍40:25 The Newport Beach leap: leaving celebrity practices and building a brand

‍44:10 Action steps: Be clever, be bold, and publish (or ship) meaningful work now If this episode helped you,

please like, subscribe, and comment with your biggest takeaway.

Share it with a friend who’s pursuing a high-performance career. Your engagement helps us bring on more world-class guests.Guest Bio — Dr. Terry DubrowDr. Terry Dubrow is a board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon, star of the hit TV show Botched, and a nationally recognized expert in complex reconstruction and cosmetic surgery. He trained at UCLA and completed advanced academic work at Yale, where he honed a research mindset that led to dozens of publications early in his career. Today, he practices in Newport Beach, CA, while educating millions on surgical safety, outcomes, and ethics

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