An illustrated handbook. Out December 25, 2026.
The Physician Builder
Build Your Own Clinical Apps with AI Coding Agents
Build the clinical tool you keep wishing existed. A step-by-step guide for doctors with no coding experience: you're the attending, the AI coding agent is your resident.
By Bhushan Thombre, neurosurgeon and creator of MUSTER, used by 3,000+ surgeons. Kindle ebook out December 25; paperback to follow.
Who it's for
You don't need maths, a computer science degree or a lot of free time. Just 30 minutes a day and a laptop.
Clinicians with zero coding experience
Written for doctors who have never written code. You decide what to build and check the work.
Residents and fellows doing research
A researcher lane takes you through Parts I to III, then straight to a build made for research.
Clinic owners and managers
Build the practical tools your clinic needs, and know exactly what to ask for when it's time to build them properly.
Doctors with a startup idea
Build the first version yourself before paying developers.
What you'll build
A step-by-step guide to building each of these projects, from a blank folder to a working app.
Clinic Website
Build and deploy your website, then add a patient handout QR code.
Clinical Score Calculator
Build the calculator, then learn what to do when the build breaks.
Patient Encounter Log
Learn databases and data models, then build the log.
Appointment Scheduler
Learn time, dates and background jobs, then build the scheduler.
Revealed at launch
One of the book's two biggest builds. Join the waitlist to see it first.
Revealed at launch
The other one. Waitlist members hear about it before anyone else.
What's inside
You are the attending; the AI coding agent is your resident. Every new idea is taught first, then used in a build.
- Part IFoundationsWhy Doctors Should Build. How AI Coding Agents Think.
- Part IISetting UpYour Workstation. Git & GitHub Without Fear. Meet Your AI Resident: Claude Code & Codex.
- Part IIIPython BasicsFirst steps, data types and decisions, functions, loops and files, pandas for clinicians, and a BMI & eGFR script.
- Part IVTypeScript BasicsFirst Steps in TypeScript. How a Web App Works. React Components.
- Part VObject-Oriented ThinkingPatient, Encounter, Appointment.
- Part VIUnderstanding Design ConceptsClaude Design: Sketch to Spec.
- Part VIIBuildSix projects, then From Prototype to Product.
- Part VIIIBuilding SafelyPrivacy Law for Builders. Security Essentials.
- AppendicesReferencePrompt Library. Troubleshooting Guide. Glossary. Repo Map.
The companion repo
Your purchase includes lifetime access to the private Physician Builder GitHub repo. AI coding tools change every few weeks, so the repo is kept up to date to keep pace with them. Buy the book once and you're never left behind.
In the repo
- Starting code for every project
- Finished code for every project
- Saved checkpoints for every project
- Every prompt in the book, ready to copy
- Updated setup guides when tools change
Preorder bonus
A free 30-minute session with the author
The first 100 people to preorder The Physician Builder on Amazon get a free one-on-one video call with Bhushan. Bring your own project idea and leave with a plan for building it once the book is out.
Safety first
Build to learn and prototype. Patient safety and privacy always come first. The book teaches you to build safely, and never to put patient data into tools that shouldn't have it.
About the author
Bhushan Thombre is a neurosurgeon, spine surgeon, epilepsy surgeon and programmer. He built MUSTER, a surgical logbook used by more than 3,000 surgeons around the world, and wrote this book for clinicians who want to build their own tools.
FAQ
Do I need to know how to code?
No. The book is written for doctors who have never written code.
What tools does it use?
AI coding agents, including Claude Code and OpenAI Codex, with Python and TypeScript. The current steps for each tool live in the companion repo.
How much time does it take?
About 30 minutes a day. Follow the 30-day plan, or work through one Part per weekend.
When is it out?
The Kindle ebook is out December 25, 2026, and you can preorder it on Amazon now. Join the waitlist to hear when the paperback follows.
What's the preorder bonus?
The first 100 people to preorder on Amazon get a free 30-minute video call with the author to talk through their own project. Sessions are booked after the book is out.
Is there a print edition?
Yes. The Kindle ebook comes first, on December 25, and the paperback follows. Join the waitlist to hear when.
Is it safe to build clinical tools with AI?
Yes, if you build to learn and prototype. Part VIII covers privacy law and security, and the book shows you how to keep patient data out of tools that shouldn't have it.
Join the waitlist
Be the first to see the two hidden builds before launch day, and hear when the paperback follows.