Ten U.S. physicians appeared on Forbes' 38th annual list of the world's richest people.
While the physicians range from company founders to inventors, they are all varying degrees of self-made. Here is the list of U.S. physician billionaires and how they made their fortunes.
Note: Net worth is accurate as of May 30.
Thomas Frist Jr., MD, and family
Net worth: $26.8 billion
Dr. Frist, a former Air Force Flight Surgeon, founded Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare with his father in 1968 and still owns more than 20% of the company with his family. He scored a 7 out of 10 on Forbes' 400 Self-Made Score, meaning he is largely self-made but got a head start from wealthy parents.
Net worth: $6.4 billion
Dr. Soon-Shiong invented the cancer drug Abraxane and sold his drug companies Abraxis and American Pharmaceutical Partners for a combined $9.1 billion. His self-made score is a 9 out of 10, meaning he came from a working-class background and rose from little to nothing.
Net worth: $3.5 billion
Dr. Schleifer is the co-founder and CEO of drug company Regeneron. He took the company public in 1991 and owns nearly 4% of the company's common stock. His self-made score is an 8 out of 10, meaning he came from a middle-class or upper-middle-class background.
Net worth: $3.2 billion
Dr. Troendle is the president, CEO and founder of clinical research company Medpace. He owns about 24% of the stock. He was not given a Forbes self-made score, though the publication listed "self-made" as a source of wealth.
Net worth: $2.1 billion
Dr. Yancopoulos is the co-founder, president and chief scientific officer of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. He owns about 1% of the stock. He was not given a Forbes self-made score, though the publication listed "self-made" as a source of wealth.
Keith Dunleavy, MD, and family
Net worth: $1.9 billion
Dr. Dunleavy is the founder and CEO of healthcare data analytics company Inovalon, which he took public in 2015 and sold to a consortium of private equity firms in 2021. He owns around 11% of the company. He was not given a Forbes self-made score, though the publication listed "self-made" as a source of wealth.
Net worth: $1.9 billion
Dr. Leininger founded medical devices company Kinetic Concepts. Private equity firm Apax Partners acquired the company for $6.3 billion in 2012, and Dr. Leninger was the largest shareholder. He was not given a Forbes self-made score, though the publication listed "self-made" as a source of wealth.
Net worth: $2 billion
Dr. Frost runs diagnostics-maker Opko Health. He joined Key Pharmaceuticals in 1972, reformulated its asthma drug and sold the company for $836 million in 1987. He also founded drugmaker Ivaxin 1987 and sold it for $7.6 billion in 2005. His self-made score is an 8 out of 10, meaning he came from a middle-class or upper-middle-class background.
Net worth: $1.8 billion
A retired orthopedic and spine surgeon, Dr. Michelson holds more than 340 patents for orthopedic devices. He became a billionaire from a $1.35 billion settlement with Medtronic in 2005. His self-made score is a 9 out of 10, meaning he came from a working-class background and rose from little to nothing.
Net worth: $1 billion
Dr. Vagelos is the former chair and CEO of Merck. He became chairman of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals in 1995 and led the company for nearly 29 years. He was not given a Forbes self-made score, though the publication listed "self-made" as a source of wealth.