Dr Andre Posner is a respected physician, educator, and mentor whose success has been built on clarity, calm, and consistency. Born in Dakar, Senegal, while his parents served in the Peace Corps, he was raised in Merion Station, Pennsylvania, in a home filled with family, curiosity, and purpose. His father, a doctor who worked to eradicate smallpox in Africa, inspired his lifelong interest in service through medicine.
Andre studied pharmacology at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Sciences before earning his medical degree from Nova Southeastern University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine. Over the years, he has worked at several major institutions, including Frankford Hospital, Main Line Health, and Penn Medicine, where he is recognised for his leadership and excellence in teaching.
What separates Andre from many in his field is his approach to success. He doesn’t equate success with noise or status—it’s about impact. His teaching philosophy focuses on helping young doctors think clearly, communicate effectively, and stay grounded under pressure. “You don’t need to be the loudest voice in the room,” he often says. “You just need to be the clearest.”
Outside the hospital, Andre finds balance through meditation, chess, and nature walks—habits that mirror the steady, thoughtful mindset he brings to medicine. His career is defined not only by achievement but by the legacy of confidence and clarity he’s passed on to hundreds of medical students and residents.
Q&A with Dr Andre Posner
How do you define success?
For me, success is clarity. It’s the ability to stay calm and make the right decision when everything around you feels chaotic. In medicine, that might mean choosing to pause for ten seconds before giving an order. In life, it’s knowing what matters most and keeping your focus there. Success isn’t about being the smartest person in the room—it’s about being the most present.
Was there a defining moment that shaped how you view success?
Yes. Early in my career, I was rounding with a group of residents. A patient coded unexpectedly, and the room became chaos. One of the residents froze. I remember feeling frustrated, but after we stabilised the patient, I realised something: she didn’t freeze because she didn’t care. She froze because she’d never been taught how to think under pressure. That moment changed how I taught. Success became about creating clarity for others, not just for myself.
You’re known for being a quiet leader. How has that shaped your career?
I used to think I had to talk fast and lead loudly to be taken seriously. Over time, I realised people don’t remember the loudest person—they remember the one who helps them make sense of things. I started focusing on giving my residents structure. I developed a four-question framework for case presentations. It wasn’t flashy, but it worked. It gave them something solid to rely on when stress hit.
What habits help you stay grounded in a demanding profession?
Every morning, I do a short chess puzzle. It’s a small ritual that trains my brain to think strategically before reacting. During the day, I take walks between hospital buildings without my phone. Those few minutes of quiet often reset my focus. At the end of the day, I meditate or sit outside. I don’t see those things as “extras.” They’re maintenance for the mind.
You’ve mentored a lot of young doctors. What’s one lesson you hope they remember?
That learning isn’t about performing. I tell them, “You don’t need to impress me—you need to impress yourself with how much you’ve grown.” I also remind them that mistakes are part of medicine. I once missed an early sign of infection on a case years ago. It taught me humility. I share that openly. Transparency helps others learn faster.
What advice would you give someone struggling to find success early in their career?
Don’t chase everything at once. Pick one skill or goal and get good at it. The rest will follow. Early in my career, I tried to master every speciality at once. It just made me exhausted. The day I focused on being excellent at internal medicine, everything else fell into place. Simplicity wins.
How do you measure success now compared to when you started?
When I started, success meant doing everything perfectly. Now it means helping someone else do it well. My biggest achievements are my students’ successes. I still get emails from former residents telling me they’re using the same frameworks we built years ago. That’s the kind of success that lasts.
What’s one piece of advice that’s guided you over the years?
My father told me, “Good doctors heal people. Great doctors teach others to heal.” That stuck. It’s the same in any profession. Whatever you learn, pass it on.
What’s one thing you wish more people understood about success in medicine—or any field?
That success and happiness aren’t opposites. You don’t have to burn out to be great. You can be excellent and still take a breath. You can lead and still listen. I think success is quieter than people think. It’s found in steady progress, small wins, and clear minds.
Final thoughts?
I think success is less about climbing and more about connecting. If you make the people around you better, you’re already succeeding. That’s something I remind myself of daily.