Consider 3 groups:

1. Grandmasters (incl. Emeritus profs.): >300 papers, H-index 50-100+, 30+ yrs in practice.
2. Rising stars: >100 papers, H-index >20, 5-10 years as an Attending.
3. Contrarians. Who are the Prusiners, Warrens, and Marshalls “before their Nobel” in your area of interest? 

History has shown that groundbreaking thinkers are often dismissed before their ideas are validated:

• Robin Warren & Barry Marshall were widely mocked for linking H. pylori to peptic ulcers.
• Stanley Prusiner’s prion hypothesis remained controversial for a decade even after his solo Nobel win.

Example: Dr. Axel Haverich is a known contrarian in rethinking the pathogenesis of coronary atherosclerosis.

October 7, 1997. “U.S. Scientist Wins Nobel Prize for Controversial Work”:

https://web.archive.org/web/20160303204529/http://www.ou.edu/cas/zoology/Courses/3333/prusiner.html

“Prion Hypothesis: The end of the Controversy?” (2012)

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3056934/ 

https://www.medicaldaily.com/mad-scientist-6-scientists-who-were-dismissed-crazy-only-be-proven-right-years-later-362010 

https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/2005/press-release/ 

Use https://app.dimensions.ai 

Search for any diagnosis, then open the “Researchers” tab (right side). The default view is “Aggregated” (list of experts). It may include some noise, but it is a strong starting point.

Use the “Network” tab to generate a visual graph of connections between top researchers. Select “Show up to: 50 researchers” to reduce clutter and highlight key contributors. Bubble size corresponds to publication volume.

Tip: The network graph is only available when search results are limited to under 25,000 publications. For common diagnoses with large publication volumes (e.g., >5K/year), use the Filters (left side) to narrow the publication date range. This lets you focus on recent activity (e.g., past 5 years) or prior time periods and thus distinguish Rising Stars from Grandmasters and emeritus faculty.

Obviously, PubMed and its “Review” or other selectors can be used to identify leading researchers. Cross-check with Dimensions AI for publication metrics and network visualization.

If you already know a leading expert, start with them. Securing one or two interviews early on builds momentum and credibility.

Once a few masterclasses are recorded, it becomes easier to recruit others—especially when you can name prominent participants.

This is why building a redundant list of potential experts is essential: scheduling and outreach can take time.

You and the experts are busy—efficiency is key. Use our templates. Aim to complete the process in three emails:

1. Introduction and invitation
2. First draft of questions and scheduling
3. Final materials: curated question list, calendar invite, and tech setup guide

If you are looking to build professional relationships with top experts in your area of interest, it’s ideal for you to contact them directly. We provide email templates to streamline outreach.

Alternatively, we can manage all logistics, including expert communication and interview scheduling.

Once an expert agrees, draft ~50 questions (with AI assistance) and send them for review.

This allows the expert to refine the list and help define the scope of the interview.

Long-form interviews are now the norm. To benchmark:

• MasterClass average length: 3–4 hours, split into 20 ten-minute segments.
• Longest: Chris Hadfield’s course — 29 lessons, 7h 47m.
• Shortest: 1h 31m, 11 segments

• Expect to cover 8–10 questions per hour.
• Consider splitting the session into two or more parts to maintain energy and depth.

Provide the expert with a PDF guide on video and audio best practices (we’ll supply this) to ensure professional recording quality.

Always send the expert the question list in advance. The goal of each masterclass is to help the expert share as much knowledge and wisdom as possible. Knowing the questions—and their sequence—ahead of time allows them to prepare thoroughly and deliver their best.

We partner with highly motivated pre-med students, many of whom are alumni of NYC’s specialized high schools (Stuyvesant, Bronx Science, Brooklyn Tech), to assist with question development.

These students:

• Are eager to build professional networks in medicine
• Seek mentorship from fellows and attending-level physicians
• Are looking for early opportunities to contribute meaningfully

As an additional incentive, each student has the chance to ask 2–4 of the questions they helped prepare.

These are pre-recorded for technical convenience and inserted during post-production. During the live interview, you introduce these as “student-submitted questions.”

We’ll match you with a student who will use our AI-enhanced workflow and prompts to draft the first version of the question list. You can then review, edit, and contribute your own questions relevant to the expert and topic.

As outlined in our raison d’être, masterclasses are designed in total to reflect 80% of the insights a patient would receive in a one-on-one consultation with a top specialist.

This model addresses a global gap:

• Most patients don’t have access to world-class experts.
• But medical knowledge is scalable—and the 80/20 rule applies: ~80% of information is broadly relevant to patients with the same disease subtype and stage.
• By interviewing multiple experts per condition, we provide diverse perspectives and deeper understanding.

We aim for three outcomes:

1. Empower patients with accurate, in-depth knowledge.
2. Raise expectations for quality of care.
3. Improve treatment adherence through better understanding.

Primary care physicians are also a potential audience, especially for in-depth subspecialty content.

These should form the core of the masterclass. They cover the expert’s unique clinical and research contributions.

• Use the expert’s publication history as a foundation.
• A pre-med student can draft these with AI assistance.
• Your goal is to spotlight the expert’s strengths - not to challenge them.
• Avoid “gotcha” questions. This is about amplifying - not testing - their expertise.

These highlight nuances and critical decision points that patients often misunderstand or overlook.

• Focus on areas where patients are likely to misinterpret symptoms, prognosis, or treatment options.
• Consider topics that often go undiscussed in standard consultations.
• Think about “decision forks” where patient pathways diverge and informed decisions are crucial.

Include questions relevant for non-specialists who are often the first point of contact.

• What should PCPs know about early signs, red flags, or treatment triggers?
• What are the common misconceptions PCPs may have about this diagnosis?
• These questions add value and extend the impact of the masterclass beyond patients and families.

In addition to diagnosis-specific questions, I include four standard questions in every masterclass interview. These consistently elicit unique insights and help create a well-rounded conversation.

1. What is the future in [expert’s subspecialty]?

Explore examples here:

https://diagnosticdetectives.com/collections/future-of-medicine

2. What are the top 2-3 questions patients ask you most often? What are the questions patients should ask — but often don’t?

This reveals communication gaps and helps patients better prepare for medical consultations.

3. Could you share a clinical story that illustrates some of the topics we discussed today?

Real clinical experiences bring abstract topics to life and ground the conversation in practice.

See more here:

https://diagnosticdetectives.com/collections/clinical-cases

4. Is there anything from your personal philosophy, life experience, or interests that you’d like to share?

This final question often leads to profound, unexpected reflections. I always ask this question. Some truly insightful answers can be seen here:

https://diagnosticdetectives.com/collections/wisdom 

Even when an expert declines (“I think we’ve covered it all”),  the invitation itself can be a meaningful conclusion to a masterclass conversation.

Effective keyword usage enhances SEO and improves the discoverability of each video segment. All interviews are transcribed automatically, and each question typically becomes the title of a segment—so spoken text matters.

1. Frontload relevant keywords and use synonyms

• Start each question with the primary keyword(s).
• In the same sentence, repeat synonyms or closely related terms.

Example: “Pancreatic cancer treatment. What are the most effective treatment options for pancreatic cancer, including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or targeted therapy approaches for pancreatic tumors?”

This improves SEO and ensures better alignment with patient search behavior.

2. Avoid pronouns - repeat full terms:

• Always spell out diagnoses, treatments, and technical terms - even if they’ve just been mentioned.
• Minimize the use of pronouns like it, they, or them when referring to previously stated medical terms.

While this may feel repetitive or unnatural in conversation - and it is - but it’s vital for:

• Accurate transcription
• Better SEO ranking
• Clearer understanding by a broad, global audience

3. Introduce the topic before asking a new question.

• Start with a keyword-frontloaded topic introduction: “Recurrence in early-stage breast cancer.” (it is what a patient would search for)
• Then ask your main question.
• Follow with a rephrased version using synonyms or ask an adjacent follow-up question.

This technique achieves two goals:

1. Reinforces keyword clusters, making the content more searchable.
2. Gives the expert time to mentally transition and broaden their answer scope.

It creates a gentle “ramp” into the topic and supports more fluid, insightful responses.

You need minimal gear for a high-quality online interview. But small upgrades make a big difference.

Full HD 1080p USB webcam. No need for 4K. 

I use Logitech BRIO 4K Pro. Other solid options: Logitech C920S, C922, or 500. 

Audio quality matters most. Poor sound undermines an otherwise strong interview.

Avoid the following:

• Playing your guest’s voice through external speakers — this creates feedback loops.
• Built-in computer microphones — they pick up too much background noise and reduce clarity.

Here’s how to dramatically improve your audio:

1. Use an In-Ear Monitor:

These are subtle, audio-only ear buds that don’t visually distract.

I use MEE M6 PRO In-Ear Monitors ($50) with 72” Replacement Cable ($12) for comfortable movement. Both are sold on MEE site and on Amazon. 

https://meeaudio.com/products/m6pro 

https://meeaudio.com/products/pro-replacement-cables?variant=40550881198166 

Avoid AirPods:

• The white design draws attention away from your face.
• Audio performance is suboptimal for recording.

Examples:

• Yeti Nano (~$70)
• Rode NT-USB Mini (~$98)
• Rode XCM-50 (Pro-level: ~$140)

This is a valuable investment—not just for interviews, but for all online communication.

To plug in both a camera and mic into one USB slot in a computer, I use a Satechi USB-C Hub

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQwanxQmFnc  

• Face a window with indirect daylight. It provides the most flattering, even lighting.
• Avoid direct sunlight (harsh shadows) and backlighting (e.g., windows behind you).
• If no window is available, use two light sources at eye level, angled toward your face to form a triangle of light.

• Place your webcam at eye height. Use a stack of books or a laptop stand if needed.
• Avoid angling the camera upward toward your face. This results in unflattering shots and ceiling backgrounds.

• The ideal distance from camera to face is about one stretched arm’s length.
• Being too close distorts your face; being too far makes you look disconnected.

• The top of your head should sit just below the top edge of the frame.
• When interviewing, ensure both your and the expert’s heads are similarly framed.

Tip: Watch any professional TV interview to see consistent framing of “talking heads.”

• A plain wall immediately behind you flattens the image and looks unnatural.
• Create depth by having a few background objects and as much distance between you and the wall as your environment allows.
• Avoid cluttered or distracting backgrounds: aim for clean, balanced visuals.

• Both faces should be centered.
• The top of each head should sit just below the top edge of the frame.
• Try to align at the same vertical level.

I always share the following three points:

2.1. Total freedom on length and content

“Please speak as much as you’d like. Use each question as a starting point and take the conversation in any direction you feel is important. There’s no time limit. You’ll receive a private link to the first edit, and we’ll make any changes you request.”

2.2. How to rephrase smoothly

“If you’d like to rephrase something, pause for 1–2 seconds without speaking, moving, or looking away, then start again. This makes the edit seamless.”

2.3. Camera eye contact

“When you speak, look into the camera, not at me on the screen. It may feel unnatural, but it will look like you’re speaking directly to the viewer.”

• Press the red Record button.
• Begin with a short introduction, reading a few highlights from the expert’s bio.
• Then proceed with the questions in the same order as the finalized list.

This applies to both you and the expert: When speaking, always look into your camera - not the screen. It may feel unnatural, but it creates the strongest viewer connection.

Video editing is manual (for now), so please follow these practices to simplify post-production:

• Let the expert speak fully. Don’t interrupt mid-answer.
• Avoid overlapping speech - it’s difficult to edit and transcribe.

Ask follow-up questions with full context and relevant keywords.

• Start with a short recap: “Earlier, we discussed… Now I’d like to ask…”
• Think of each question as a standalone segment title.

Recall how each episode in a TV series starts with a voiceover “Previously on XYZ”, followed up by a brief recap of key previous events.

This is a masterclass, not a casual back-and-forth banter as in some (incl. health-related) podcasts.

• Use a Question → Expert Answer format as much as possible. 
• When, and if, you do comment, do so only after the expert finishes, at the conclusion of the discussion of a segment. Then pause briefly, and continue to the next question.

Remember:

• Each masterclass will be cut into 5–10 minute segments.
• Longer answers are fine - they’ll become Part 1, Part 2, etc.

Once the conversation ends:

• Wait for the upload progress bars (from both your and the expert’s devices) to complete.
• Once fully uploaded, thank the expert again, and you can safely disconnect.

You don’t need to worry about editing - we’ll handle the entire post-production process.

Once editing is complete:

• You and the expert will receive a private link to the first cut of the interview for review.
• If there’s anything you’d like to change or trim, just let us know.

We can provide embed codes for:

• Your personal or institutional website
• Social media platforms (optimized for easy sharing and visibility)

Our goal is to make participation seamless while ensuring the final product reflects the quality and expertise of the conversation.