From the Exam Room to the Senate Floor: Life, Leadership, and the 20-Second Rule with Dr. Terry Marquardt

What does it take to build not one remarkable life, but several? In this episode of The Dr. April Jasper Show, Dr. April Jasper sits down with Dr. Terry Marquardt — retired optometrist, New Mexico state senator, saxophonist, and one of the most genuinely multidimensional guests to grace this microphone.

Dr. Marquardt's story is a masterclass in saying yes to the next chapter. After a career dedicated to eye care, he stepped into public service, bringing the precision and patient-centered thinking of a clinician to the state legislature. And when the workday ends? He's likely on a stage somewhere, saxophone in hand.

Dr. April and Dr. Marquardt explore what it means to lead in a practice, in public office, and at home. He shares the wisdom behind advice he gave his middle school sons before they hit the campaign trail: "Get past this 20 seconds of nervousness, and it will change your life for the better — forever." It's a lesson that applies just as powerfully to the young optometrist stepping into their first associateship as it does to a kid knocking on strangers' doors.

Whether you're a clinician dreaming of something beyond the lane, a practice owner looking for perspective, or someone who simply needs a reminder that reinvention is always on the table, this episode will leave you inspired. Tune in and discover what happens when a doctor decides the prescription for a great life is to keep showing up.