As of Sept. 18, here’s how the five richest physicians rank, per Forbes:
1. Thomas Frist Jr., MD, and family
Net worth: $32.2 billion
Dr. Frist co-founded HCA Healthcare with his father in 1968. While he no longer holds an executive role, he retains more than 20% ownership in the company. Both of his sons now serve on HCA’s board of directors.
Net worth: $5.9 billion
Best known for developing the cancer drug Abraxane, Dr. Soon-Shiong sold two pharmaceutical companies — Abraxis in 2010 and American Pharmaceutical Partners in 2008 — for a combined $9.1 billion. He later took two ventures public: NantKwest in 2015 and NantHealth in 2016, both focused on cancer treatment and biotechnology.
Net worth: $3.8 billion
Dr. Troendle is the founder, president and CEO of Medpace, a clinical research organization where he holds a 24% ownership stake. Before launching Medpace, he worked at Sandoz (now Novartis), gaining industry experience that helped shape his entrepreneurial path.
Net worth: $2.2 billion
Dr. Schleifer co-founded Regeneron Pharmaceuticals in 1988 and has served as its CEO since inception. He led the company through its IPO in 1991 and currently holds just under 4% of its stock. Regeneron is known for several FDA-approved drugs, including the blockbuster macular degeneration treatment Eylea.
Net worth: $2.1 billion
Currently CEO of diagnostics and pharmaceutical company Opko Health, Dr. Frost has a long history of biotech entrepreneurship. He helped revamp Key Pharmaceuticals in the 1970s before selling it for $836 million, and later sold Ivax, a company he founded in 1987, for $7.6 billion in 2005.
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