From Medicare Fraud to Military Leadership: Dr. McConkey’s Hard-Won Wisdom on Mistakes and Courage

In this episode of My Favorite Mistake, I talk with Dr. Josh McConkey — emergency physician, Air Force Reserve Commander, medevac leader, and Pulitzer Prize–nominated author. Known as the “MacGyver Doc,” Josh has spent his career solving problems in environments where you rarely get a second chance.

Episode page with transcript, links and more: http://markgraban.com/mistake332

Josh shares the most painful and expensive mistake of his life: entering a business partnership without doing the proper due diligence. What followed was a cascade of Medicare violations, financial misconduct, threats, a $3.4M bribe offer he refused, a destroyed business, and a personal loss of more than $5 million.

Yet the deeper story is about integrity, resilience, and the weight of leadership when the stakes are high.

We also talk about his experiences in emergency medicine, the opioid crisis incentives that pushed physicians into dangerous territory, and the importance of character and accountability in both healthcare and public service. Josh also reflects on how these lessons shaped his books — “Be the Weight Behind the Spear” and the new children’s leadership series starting with “The Heart of a Leader.”

Whether you’re interested in leadership, medical ethics, military decision-making, or what it looks like to stay grounded when everything goes sideways, Josh offers a candid and thoughtful perspective.

Topics in this episode:
• The business mistake that cost Josh $5M
• Why he refused a $3.4M bribe
• Reporting fraud to the FBI — and its limits
• Lessons from emergency medicine and the opioid epidemic
• Integrity vs. incentives in high-stakes environments
• Leadership, resilience, and teaching courage to the next generation
• Why he’s running for North Carolina Lieutenant Governor in 2028