A Best of 2025 📖 PODCAST | Book Writing 101: Our Conversation with Author Dr. Gary Parker 🩺✨

Book Review | Physician Leadership, Creativity & Personal Growth
The Playbook by Gary Parker, PhD
Book review and author interview for physicians, healthcare leaders, and lifelong learners

“It touches on a lot of topics: finding peace with our past, identity, grief, relationships, growth, and life in a small town. It speaks to shared experiences for both adults and teenagers.”
— David, January 2025, Amazon Review

By the Editor-in-Chief, Concierge Medicine Today
Host, The DocPreneur Leadership Podcast

A novel about leadership, resilience, and the stories that shape us

If you’re like many physicians and healthcare leaders, you probably have several books open at once — leadership titles, clinical research, perhaps something personal or reflective for the quieter moments.

Here’s one more worth adding to the stack.

The Playbook, the latest novel from author and educator Gary Parker, PhD, explores identity, growth, leadership, adversity, and the complex relationships that shape both teenagers and adults. Set in a small town where football traditions run deep, the story brings together characters navigating change, loss, purpose, and personal transformation.

At its core, this is a story about what happens when individuals step into unexpected roles — and discover strength they didn’t know they had.

A conversation with author Gary Parker, PhD

I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Dr. Parker — novelist, educator, and longtime friend — for a wide-ranging conversation about writing, publishing, creativity, and why more physicians and healthcare professionals may benefit from putting pen to paper.

In our discussion, we explored:

Why storytelling and journaling can support reflection and professional growth
The mental clarity that can come from time spent writing and thinking
How authors find publishers and navigate the world of agents and editors
The realities of marketing and promoting a book
Why clinicians often have powerful stories worth sharing

For physicians and care teams accustomed to documenting clinical narratives, the transition to personal or professional writing can be both natural and meaningful.

→ Listen to the full interview (Podcast)

→ Watch the full interview (YouTube):
https://youtu.be/Yejw9uTycN8

About the author

“As a young boy, I loved to read and that soon became a desire to write. While a student at Furman University, I worked at the Greenville News and completed a summer internship at my hometown newspaper. After completing a PhD at Baylor University, I began writing magazine articles on parenting and family — topics I had much to learn about at the time.

Four non-fiction books followed before I attempted my first novel. Since then, I’ve written and published more than twenty titles. My hope is that each story inspires readers and offers encouragement along the way.

When I’m not writing, I enjoy golf, guitar, cycling, and time with my wife and family — nothing spectacular, just following curiosity and exploring what’s interesting.”
— Gary Parker, PhD

About The Playbook

A guitarist, a philosopher, and a natural-born leader walk onto a football field…

Set in a small mountain town where football defines community identity, The Playbook follows Chelsea Deal, a former big-city attorney who unexpectedly becomes interim head coach of the undefeated Rabon Knights. In stepping into a role few expected her to hold, she becomes mentor to two young players navigating challenges of their own.

Palmer, a quiet teenager with untapped potential
Ty, a talented quarterback facing a life-threatening diagnosis
Chelsea, determined to lead in a community slow to accept change

Together, they confront personal adversity, shifting relationships, and the pressure of expectations — discovering that leadership and resilience often emerge in unexpected ways.

From small-town traditions to deeply personal struggles, The Playbook explores how individuals grow when challenged to rethink identity, purpose, and possibility.

Why this book resonates with healthcare professionals

For physicians, practice leaders, and care teams, the themes in The Playbook may feel familiar:

Navigating change and uncertainty
Leading when circumstances shift unexpectedly
Supporting others through adversity
Finding purpose beyond professional roles
Building resilience through relationships and reflection

Stories like this remind us that growth often occurs at the intersection of challenge and opportunity — both in medicine and in life.

Learn more and get the book

→ Learn more about The Playbook: Learn More

→ Get the book: Learn More

Listen to the full episode

Click Here …

About Concierge Medicine Today

Concierge Medicine Today provides independent coverage, interviews, and educational resources for physicians, healthcare leaders, and care teams exploring innovation, leadership, and relationship-centered models of care.