Eric Topol author photo
Image via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Eric Topol

Born: June 26, 1954 – Queens, New York, United States

Eric Topol is an American cardiologist, scientist, and author whose work centers on cardiovascular medicine, genomics, digital health, and artificial intelligence in healthcare. He wrote Deep Medicine, The Patient Will See You Now, and The Creative Destruction of Medicine, and has significantly shaped research and public debate on personalized, technology-enabled care.

Biography & Author's Journey

Eric Topol came to medicine from a nonmedical family—his mother was a schoolteacher, his father an accountant—and his early ambition was shaped by watching his father suffer severe complications of type 1 diabetes. While working night shifts as a respiratory technician during college, he saw intensive-care medicine at close range and decided that medicine could be his life’s work. He earned his M.D. at the University of Rochester, then trained at UCSF and Johns Hopkins. Although he first intended to become an endocrinologist and diabetologist, mentors at UCSF redirected him toward cardiology. After faculty years at the University of Michigan and a prominent run at Cleveland Clinic, where he helped build its heart program and founded the Lerner College of Medicine, he made a defining move to La Jolla to found the Scripps Research Translational Institute, built around genomics, digital tools, and individualized medicine. ((https://news.sanfordhealth.org/podcast/ep-20-renowned-medical-thought-leader-visits-sanford-health/))

Show More

Quotes

quote
The machine will see things that humans will never see
-Dr. Eric Topol on How AI is Transforming Health and Medicine
quote
AI has tremendous promise to transform the future of medicine
-Scripps Research Translational Institute and NVIDIA partner to advance artificial intelligence in genomics and digital medicine
quote
The intersection of life science and medicine is now center stage
-Eric Topol named executive vice president at The Scripps Research Institute
quote
We are excited to launch a unique study that combines an iOS app and genomics to help guide important health decisions
-New ResearchKit App from Scripps Research Looks at How Genetic Risk Influences Heart Health Decisions
quote
The ability to diagnose an imminent heart attack has long been considered the holy grail of cardiovascular medicine
-Team Develops Simple Test to Predict Heart Attacks
quote
The strains that COVID-19 has placed on healthcare professionals underscore the need to restore and protect the patient-doctor relationship
-Eric Topol to receive Gold Foundation medal for humanism in healthcare
quote
With the rise of artificial intelligence and other technologies, we’re living in the most transformative time yet in medicine
-TIME100 Health list features Scripps Research Executive Vice President Eric Topol
quote
Boiling it down to how anyone could understand it is the goal and doing it in a way that is accurate
-Beyond the hype: AI’s impact on medicine and science with Eric Topol
quote
The digital part never gets the respect that it deserves
-Futureproof: Eric Topol on revolutionizing pandemic preparedness
quote
But in addition to that, we've gotta get back the time
-Can AI make healthcare human again? with Eric Topol

Discover more

The Smart Decade in Medicine
LEARNING PLAN

The Smart Decade in Medicine

This learning plan explores the frontier where biology meets engineering, detailing the technologies redefining human health. It is essential for healthcare professionals, biotech investors, and tech enthusiasts looking to understand the next decade of medical innovation.

1 h 24 m4 Sections
The Medicine 3.0 Performance Manual
LEARNING PLAN

The Medicine 3.0 Performance Manual

This manual is essential for high-performers and health-conscious individuals seeking to move beyond traditional healthcare. It provides a data-driven framework for extending lifespan through metabolic optimization and advanced preventative screening.

3 h4 Sections
New research in cardiometabolic disease
LEARNING PLAN

New research in cardiometabolic disease

As chronic diseases become increasingly complex, understanding the synergy between heart health and metabolic function is essential for modern healthcare providers. This plan is designed for clinicians and researchers looking to bridge the gap between molecular mechanisms and practical clinical translation.

5 h 2 m4 Sections
The Health Entrepreneur's Seven-Figure Blueprint
LEARNING PLAN

The Health Entrepreneur's Seven-Figure Blueprint

This blueprint is designed for healthcare professionals and entrepreneurs looking to disrupt the traditional medical model. It provides a modern roadmap for building a scalable, tech-enabled health business without the need for a custom technical team.

1 h 36 m4 Sections
MD developing AI for health prediction models
LEARNING PLAN

MD developing AI for health prediction models

This learning plan is designed for physician-entrepreneurs who are building AI healthcare ventures at the intersection of clinical medicine, data science, and business strategy. With your internal medicine background, MBA in finance, and active AI startup focused on behavioral and mortality prediction, you need specialized knowledge that bridges technical AI development, healthcare innovation frameworks, and venture scaling strategies. This curriculum addresses the unique challenges of commercializing predictive health models while maintaining clinical validity and ethical standards.

6 h 15 m4 Sections
The Medicine 3.0 Longevity Blueprint
LEARNING PLAN

The Medicine 3.0 Longevity Blueprint

This blueprint is designed for individuals looking to move beyond traditional medicine and take control of their aging process. It is ideal for high-performers and health-conscious learners who want to build a science-backed foundation for lifelong vitality and physical independence.

1 h 45 m4 Sections
Modern Clinical Practice: Beyond Foundational Theory
LEARNING PLAN

Modern Clinical Practice: Beyond Foundational Theory

This learning plan is designed for healthcare practitioners looking to modernize their approach by integrating neurobiology and technology. It provides the tools necessary to move beyond standard protocols into a more precise, data-informed era of patient care.

1 h 12 m3 Sections
AI Strategies for Radical Longevity
LEARNING PLAN

AI Strategies for Radical Longevity

This plan is essential for researchers and tech innovators aiming to merge biotechnology with artificial intelligence. It provides the framework needed to transform aging from an inevitability into a manageable biological process through data-driven engineering.

1 h 12 m3 Sections

Community Voices

"Eric Topol established himself as one of medicine's most innovative thinkers about the digital future"

The New York Times Book Review

"Eric Topol's optimistic and inspiring vision makes this book an essential guide to the future of health"

Jennifer Doudna

"Eric Topol reveals the extraordinary breakthroughs that are transforming medicine—and our lives"

Mustafa Suleyman

"Eric Topol is the most widely read and credible health 'futurist' I know"

Abraham Verghese

"Eric Topol's vision of how AI will reduce age-related diseases is truly inspiring"

Geoffrey Hinton

"Eric Topol is uniquely positioned to write such a timely and important book"

James Fowler

"Eric Topol has a unique knack for bringing us to the frontiers of medicine in his books"

Siddhartha Mukherjee

"In Super Agers, Eric Topol offers detailed insight into the factors that affect aging"

Demis Hassabis

FAQs about this page

From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco

BeFreed Brings Together A Global Community Of 1,000,000 Curious Minds

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA
platform
comments
12
likes
117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum
platform
comments
12
likes
108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC
platform
comments
254
likes
17

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful
platform
comments
96
likes
4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon
platform
comments
201
thumbsUp
16

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn
platform
comments
37
likes
483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA
platform
comments
12
likes
117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum
platform
comments
12
likes
108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC
platform
comments
254
likes
17

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful
platform
comments
96
likes
4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon
platform
comments
201
thumbsUp
16

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn
platform
comments
37
likes
483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA
platform
comments
12
likes
117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum
platform
comments
12
likes
108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC
platform
comments
254
likes
17

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful
platform
comments
96
likes
4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon
platform
comments
201
thumbsUp
16

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn
platform
comments
37
likes
483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu
platform
star
star
star
star
star
1.5K Ratings4.7
Start your learning journey, now