Spine surgeon making 'many millions' shares how—would you take the same gamble?

Grigoriy Arutyunyan, MD, a multimillionaire spine surgeon, just went viral—and it’s not for a novel surgical technique or a new robotic tool. It’s for what he revealed about his salary.

In a recent Instagram Reel, a spine surgeon revealed that he had made his first million at 39 (and many more by 40) perhaps for one primary reason—he started his own practice.

How did this doc make his millions?

That one move—leaving behind the security of a traditional job and taking the risk of solo practice ownership—unlocked not only higher income, but control over how he works and scales.

“When you took the leap is when it happened?” the interviewer asked the surgone. “Correct,” he replies without hesitation.

Now that he’s earning millions, how is he keeping it?

It’s not a typical answer—and that’s the point. It's about self-discipline, forward planning, and resisting “shiny object syndrome” that can hit hard after years of delayed gratification in training.

His business advice for younger doctors

The doc also talked tips on what docs can do to earn, keep, and protect their money. "Always have a plan for the future because today’s sunshine will turn into tomorrow’s rain,” he said. And more importantly: “I’ve had everything I ever dreamed of. It doesn’t make you happy. Happiness is in the pursuit.”

When asked his secret to success, he says: “I take care of people. I care about people. And people know that.”

The best advice he ever received? “Don’t ever give up. I believe anything that’s good is worth fighting for. And that journey is always hard. The view from the mountaintop is beautiful only because you took the effort to climb it."

For physicians on the fence about entrepreneurship or private practice, this surgeon’s story is less about overnight success—and more about mindset, mission, and choosing purpose over paycheck. The money followed.