Forbes’ annual World’s Billionaires list was released April 1, and a retired spine surgeon was included among several healthcare leaders.
Gary Michelson, MD, was ranked 1,947 of all 3,028 billionaires on the list. His net worth remained the same as in 2024 at $1.8 billion.
As a child Dr. Michelson saw his grandmother suffer from syringomyelia and that inspired his desire to work in spine care, according to his website. He was a prolific inventor and has more than 990 patents worldwide.
Dr. Michelson sold his patents to Medtronic in 2005, putting him on the Forbes 400 list as a self-made billionaire. He began working as a philanthropist to support areas including medical research, education and animal welfare.
