Dominic Tong, M.D.

Physician executive with deep experience and ability to rapidly establish a knowledge “beachhead” across diverse therapeutic areas and technologies. Medical and scientific “voice” of a Company.

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/dominictongmd
Twitter: @dtongmd
Boston, MA and San Diego, CA, United States
Member since March 10, 2010

Enterprising and accomplished life sciences professional with diverse healthcare practice and executive management experience in the academic, public and private sectors and clinical development/medical affairs industry experience in the biopharmaceutical, medical device and diagnostics space with the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies and early-stage life science companies. Exceptionally adaptive and able to rapidly acquire new skills and responsibilities. Major strengths include relationship-building, creative problem-solving, strategic thinking, cross-function collaboration and development of synergies in the life sciences across multiple disease and therapeutic areas. Quote_down

About

Education

1984 Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons , MD , Doctorate in Medicine

1978 University of Hawaii , BA , Biology

I am a(n):

Aspiring entrepreneur

Companies I work or worked for:

TrueAngular

If you're an entrepreneur or corporate innovator, why?

I want to change the world.

My favorite startups:

Groupon, Skype, Foursquare, Tesla

What's most frustrating and rewarding about entrepreneurship/innovation?

Most frustrating: fund-raising
Most rewarding: white space

What's the No. 1 mistake entrepreneurs/innovators make?

Undercapitalization.

What are the top three lessons you've learned as an entrepreneur?

The importance of the following:
1. Total team commitment
2. Equitable compensation
3. The understanding that change is the only constant

What do you hate most about being an entrepreneur or working at startups?

Imbalance between project challenges and funding.
Lack of total team commitment.

What entrepreneurs do you most admire and why?

Steve Jobs, Tony Hsieh

What industries are you interested in investing in or innovating in?

Life sciences and healthcare.

What do people misunderstand about being an entrepreneur?

The misguided notion that entrepreneurship = success.
Underestimate the importance of perseverance and time rather than the underlying idea or technology.
Entrepreneurs are born, however, success involves the natural selection process.

What investors, angels, VCs, do you most admire and why?

Warren Buffett

Full bio

Enterprising and accomplished life sciences professional with diverse healthcare practice and management experience in the academic, public and private sectors and clinical development/medical affairs industry experience in the biopharmaceutical, medical device and diagnostics space with the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies and early-stage lifescience companies. Extensive knowledge and reference base in science, internal medicine and diagnostic radiology. Exceptionally adaptive and able to rapidly acquire new skills and responsibilities. Major strengths include relationship-building, creative problem-solving, strategic thinking, cross-function collaboration and development of synergies in the life sciences across multiple disease and therapeutic areas.