Patrick Soon-Shiong is the richest doctor on our October 2026 list, with at least $3.7 billion from selling his drug company in 2008 and more from his later biotech ventures. We rank doctors who built businesses out of medicine: drug makers, hospital groups and patent holders. Doctors who became rich elsewhere are in Special mentions at the end.
| Rank | Name | Basis for the ranking |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Patrick Soon-Shiong | At least $3.7 billion (floor) |
| 2 | Thomas Frist Jr. | Multi-billion (not point-valued) |
| 3 | Phillip Frost | Multi-billion (not point-valued) |
| 4 | Gary Michelson | At least $1.35 billion (floor) |
| 5 | Prasert Prasarttong-Osoth | Multi-billion (not point-valued) |
1. Patrick Soon-Shiong: At least $3.7 billion
Soon-Shiong is a surgeon who founded APP Pharmaceuticals in 1997, holding 80% of its stock. It was sold to Fresenius for $4.6 billion in July 2008.
He went on to found NantHealth and NantWorks, and has been a minority owner of the Los Angeles Lakers since 2010. ImmunityBio traded at $8.22 on 23 October 2026.
How we valued it: Eighty percent of $4.6 billion is about $3.7 billion before tax. We treat it as a floor because his ImmunityBio and other holdings are not priced here.
2. Thomas Frist Jr.: Multi-billion
Frist is a physician and co-founder of HCA Healthcare. In 2006 he accepted $21 billion in private equity investments to take HCA private in a deal valuing it at $33 billion, the largest leveraged buyout of its time.
How we valued it: We have no current share count for his HCA holdings, so we give a tier.
3. Phillip Frost: Multi-billion
Frost bought Key Pharmaceuticals in 1972 with a partner, and his share of the 1986 sale to Schering-Plough was $100 million. He led Ivax from 1987 and sold it to Teva in January 2006 for $7.4 billion. OPKO Health traded at $1.63 on 23 October 2026.
How we valued it: His share of the $7.4 billion Ivax sale and later holdings are not disclosed in a form we can add up.
4. Gary Michelson: At least $1.35 billion
Michelson is an orthopedic spine surgeon who sold many of his spine patents to Medtronic for $1.35 billion in 2005. His foundation launched a $75 million initiative in 2008 for a non-surgical spay and neuter method for cats and dogs, and in 2024 gifted $120 million toward a new immunology institute at UCLA.
How we valued it: The $1.35 billion patent sale in 2005 is the floor. It is before tax and before his philanthropy.
5. Prasert Prasarttong-Osoth: Multi-billion (died 2026)
Prasert was a surgeon who founded Bangkok Dusit Medical Services, Thailand’s largest private healthcare group. He died on 21 April 2026, aged 93. Bangkok Dusit closed at 19.70 baht on 26 October 2026.
How we valued it: We have no verified share count, so we give a tier and show the share price only.
Special mentions
Dr. Oz built his wealth on television and books. Plastic surgeons Garth Fisher and Leonard Hochstein were on our earlier list with fortunes in the tens of millions. We found no newer basis for them, so they are not ranked.
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Who is the richest doctor in the world in 2026?
Patrick Soon-Shiong, with at least $3.7 billion from the 2008 sale of APP Pharmaceuticals, plus later ventures.
How did Gary Michelson get rich?
He sold many spinal surgery patents to Medtronic for $1.35 billion in 2005.
Is Thomas Frist Jr. a doctor?
Yes. He is a physician who co-founded HCA Healthcare.
Why are some entries not point-valued?
We found no verified share counts for those fortunes, so we show the deal that built them instead.
Why was Dr. Oz removed from the ranking?
His wealth comes mostly from television, not from a business built on medicine.
How we estimate net worth
Our estimates are based on public reporting, company valuations, and deal and earnings figures all compiled in an internal valuation model. They are approximate, and figures change over time as new information emerges.
For this list we used sale prices, patent deals and share prices on the dates shown, and we show a floor where only part of a fortune can be priced.
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Last updated: October 2026.
