At the start of a new year, many physicians don’t feel burned out, they feel unsettled.

In this January Reset re-air, I’m bringing back my conversation with Dr. Cindy Dafashy, a family medicine physician who opened her direct primary care practice directly out of residency.

This episode isn’t about how quickly she launched or whether her path should be copied. It’s about the distinction she names so clearly between being clinically prepared and actually feeling ready.

Dr. Dafashy reflects on learning medicine inside a culture designed primarily for physicians, then realizing that patients don’t live inside that world at all. She shares how shifting away from medical language and toward patient-centered communication changed not just her practice, but her sense of alignment as a physician.

You’ll also hear her talk about boundaries and how she set expectations early, how she framed access without over-promising, and how she protected her energy before burnout ever took hold.

This episode pairs closely with the free January reflection worksheet, Is DPC Right for You?, especially if you’re navigating early-career uncertainty or wondering whether something that looks “right” on paper actually feels sustainable.

As you listen, notice what resonates and what creates tension. Those reactions are the point.

January Reset Invitation
Download the free January worksheet, Is DPC Right for You?, and answer just one prompt after this episode. One sentence is enough.

Get the FREE workbook to go along with our January RESET series HERE.

Learn how Zion HealthShare can pair with DPC to protect patients and physicians without returning to traditional insurance. Read more in the Toolkit, our DPC magazine, today. 

If hiring feels like one of the most intimidating parts of growing your DPC practice, read the Winter issue of The Toolkit, our DPC Magazine that includes an educational, step-by-step hiring guide from the Cooperative of American Physicians designed to replace guesswork with clarity.

What do you want MORE of in your practice this year? Download the January worksheet HERE for free today!

Leave Maryal a voicemail @ https://mydpcstory.com/contact

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This episode is a homecoming!!!

As part of our January Reset Series, we’re re-airing a powerful conversation with four physicians from three specialties who each share a one-year update on their Direct Primary Care journeys.

In this episode, you’ll hear from:

• Dr. Christina Much and Dr. Jake Much (Family Medicine) founders of Defiant DPC who are sharing about growth beyond expectations and how they planned maternity leave without panic
• Dr. Deepti Mundkur (Internal Medicine) will be reflecting on time, advocacy, mentorship, and designing a practice aligned with life
• Dr. Lauren Hughes (Pediatrics & Lactation) will be discussing boundaries, parenting while practicing medicine, and building community-rooted care

Whether you are in residency, early career, actively considering DPC, or already open and asking how do I protect my energy and build something sustainable, this episode is for you.

These physicians aren’t sharing finished stories - they’re sharing living ones.
And January is a reminder that it’s okay to pause, reassess, and realign whether you’re just beginning or years into practice.

Take a breath.
You’re not behind.
You’re allowed to build something that lasts.

What to Especially Listen For:

• How growth sometimes comes faster than expected and how to respond without burning out
• How maternity leave, parenting, and practice ownership can coexist
• How advocacy becomes possible when time is no longer rationed
• How workflows, boundaries, and systems continue to evolve after opening
• How DPC allows doctors to practice medicine that matches their values and not just their training

🧭 Get Your January Reset Resources (Free)

If this episode resonates, we’ve created tools to support reflection, not pressure.

Download the free worksheet:
📝 Is DPC Right For You?
A

Get the FREE workbook to go along with our January RESET series HERE.

Learn how Zion HealthShare can pair with DPC to protect patients and physicians without returning to traditional insurance. Read more in the Toolkit, our DPC magazine, today. 

If hiring feels like one of the most intimidating parts of growing your DPC practice, read the Winter issue of The Toolkit, our DPC Magazine that includes an educational, step-by-step hiring guide from the Cooperative of American Physicians designed to replace guesswork with clarity.

What do you want MORE of in your practice this year? Download the January worksheet HERE for free today!

Leave Maryal a voicemail @ https://mydpcstory.com/contact

Support the show

GET your FREE MONTHLY BUSINESS TOOL DOWNLOAD

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This is a great episode to listen to and send to a Med Student or Resident you may know! In this episode of the My DPC Story Podcast, host Dr. Debbie Lupeika, Director of the UC Davis Network of Affiliated Family Medicine Residency Programs, moderates a graduate panel featuring leading family physicians sharing their diverse career journeys post-residency within the UC Davis Network of Family Medicine residencies. From rural practice, corrections medicine, FQHCs, and Direct Primary Care, guests Dr. Maryal Concepcion (who got to vacate the Host seat this time!), Dr. Amanda Mooneyham, Dr. Landin Hagge, Dr. David Araiza and Dr. Madhupreet Hans reveal how they found fulfillment, autonomy, and work-life balance by innovating within family medicine. Highlights include real-world advice on loan repayment options, building a Direct Primary Care (DPC) practice, overcoming rural healthcare challenges, setting up mobile and telemedicine clinics, and advocating for underserved populations. The panel also discusses practical strategies for negotiating contracts, maintaining career-long learning, and the importance of physician-led, independent practice models. Whether you’re a resident, new grad, or considering nontraditional paths in family medicine, this episode is packed with firsthand insights on thriving in today’s changing healthcare landscape.

Get the FREE workbook to go along with our January RESET series HERE.

Learn how Zion HealthShare can pair with DPC to protect patients and physicians without returning to traditional insurance. Read more in the Toolkit, our DPC magazine, today. 

If hiring feels like one of the most intimidating parts of growing your DPC practice, read the Winter issue of The Toolkit, our DPC Magazine that includes an educational, step-by-step hiring guide from the Cooperative of American Physicians designed to replace guesswork with clarity.

What do you want MORE of in your practice this year? Download the January worksheet HERE for free today!

Leave Maryal a voicemail @ https://mydpcstory.com/contact

Support the show

GET your FREE MONTHLY BUSINESS TOOL DOWNLOAD

Become A My DPC Story PATREON MEMBER!
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My DPC Story VOICEMAIL! DPC SWAG!
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In this My DPC Story Patreon episode, Dr. Ashlee Hendry of Mid South DPC in Petal, Mississippi, for an inspiring update on her Direct Primary Care journey. Nearly four years after her clinic’s rapid growth, Dr. Ashlee Hendry discusses the evolution of healthcare access in her community, the power of patient advocacy, and the impact of price transparency. She shares invaluable business tips on scaling her practice, hiring staff, and navigating financial decisions like raising membership fees. Listeners will hear how social media - especially a viral TikTok on MRI and maternity cash pricing - has recently helped expand awareness (and in some cases enrollment!) of DPC nationwide. Dr. Ashlee Hendry also opens up about balancing motherhood with entrepreneurship and details her vision for a direct imaging center to further disrupt traditional healthcare barriers. 

Tune in for actionable advice on starting, growing, and marketing a DPC clinic, plus insights for medical students, residents, and physicians seeking burnout relief and sustainable careers in direct care. Whether you’re opening your first practice or expanding, this episode is full of practical wisdom, business strategies, and motivation for the future of primary care.

Get the FREE workbook to go along with our January RESET series HERE.

Learn how Zion HealthShare can pair with DPC to protect patients and physicians without returning to traditional insurance. Read more in the Toolkit, our DPC magazine, today. 

Leave Maryal a voicemail @ https://mydpcstory.com/contact

Support the show

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In today's episode of the My DPC Story Podcast, host Dr. Maryal Concepcion and guest Dr. Amber Beckenhauer reflect on the transformative landscape of Direct Primary Care (DPC) as 2025 ends and 2026 approaches. They discuss critical updates like HR1 and HSA regulations, sharing insights on how legislative changes, practice resources, and evolving patient needs are shaping the future of DPC clinics. Both physicians explore topics like staff restructuring, inflation impacts, and the importance of autonomy and creativity for entrepreneurial doctors. Dr. Amber Beckenhauer highlights her work in physician education, while Dr. Concepcion previews new resources and conferences available for DPC practices nationwide. The episode provides actionable tips for navigating open enrollment, building resilient teams, and adapting to changes in healthcare. Ideal for physicians, healthcare entrepreneurs, and those curious about DPC best practices, this episode inspires listeners to embrace innovation and sustainable growth in primary care. Find the DPC Magazine The Toolkit for more on HSAs and the IRS recommendations about HR1, visit mydpcstory.com/magazine. 

Connect with Dr. Beckenhauer and inquire about her upcoming courses HERE.

For those looking for the Medicare Survival Kit, you can find it HERE.

Get the FREE workbook to go along with our January RESET series HERE.

Learn how Zion HealthShare can pair with DPC to protect patients and physicians without returning to traditional insurance. Read more in the Toolkit, our DPC magazine, today. 

If hiring feels like one of the most intimidating parts of growing your DPC practice, read the Winter issue of The Toolkit, our DPC Magazine that includes an educational, step-by-step hiring guide from the Cooperative of American Physicians designed to replace guesswork with clarity.

Leave Maryal a voicemail @ https://mydpcstory.com/contact

Support the show

GET your FREE MONTHLY BUSINESS TOOL DOWNLOAD

Become A My DPC Story PATREON MEMBER!
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My DPC Story VOICEMAIL! DPC SWAG!
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A Letter From Me to You

As we close out 2025, I wanted to take a moment to speak directly to you - doctor to doctor, human to human.

This episode is a little different. It’s a twist on ’Twas the Night Before Christmas, written as a reflection of our shared journey as physicians. It honors not only the work we do in exam rooms and inboxes, but also the quiet, unseen work that happens in kitchens, cars, call rooms, and living rooms - the places where our families, our partners, and our loved ones carry this life with us.

My hope is that you’ll hear pieces of your own story in this reading: the exhaustion that shows up at the end of a too-long day, the hope that never fully disappears, and the quiet, stubborn resilience that keeps you moving forward. Whether you practice Direct Primary Care or another model, the heart of what we do is human-centered medicine, and that heart beats strongest when we remember that compassion includes ourselves.

This episode is my way of acknowledging the realities we juggle, the trust we’re fighting to reclaim between doctor and patient, and the community that continues to grow around this movement. It’s an invitation to take a breath, to feel seen, and to know you are not doing this alone.

As you listen, I hope you feel warmth. I hope you feel connection and I hope you step into the new year with a little more light.

With gratitude,
Maryal Concepcion, MD Family Physician & Mom

Keywords: Direct Primary Care, physician wellness, holiday podcast, medical compassion, family, physician support, Christmas story

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Today Dr. Demetrio Aguila, a Direct Care surgeon and Host of the Direct Care Movement Podcast interviews the Host of My DPC Story, Dr. Maryal Concepcion.  For those listeners new to the podcast, or for those who are always happy to hear a DPC doctor talk about before and after opening a DPC, today you get to hear some of our Host's back story. Dr. Concepcion, a family physician and DPC pioneer in rural California, shares her journey of leaving fee-for-service medicine to open her own DPC practice. The conversation highlights the freedom, flexibility, and genuine patient relationships that DPC offers, contrasting it with the restrictions and burnout found in traditional healthcare systems. 

Listeners will hear practical advice for residents and medical students considering DPC, the financial realities of running a membership-based clinic, and tips for overcoming staffing challenges in rural areas. The episode also dispels common myths about DPC and discusses the growing movement toward patient-centered care. Hear more from Dr. Aguila at the Direct Care Movement podcast on Apple Podcasts!

Get the FREE workbook to go along with our January RESET series HERE.

Learn how Zion HealthShare can pair with DPC to protect patients and physicians without returning to traditional insurance. Read more in the Toolkit, our DPC magazine, today. 

If hiring feels like one of the most intimidating parts of growing your DPC practice, read the Winter issue of The Toolkit, our DPC Magazine that includes an educational, step-by-step hiring guide from the Cooperative of American Physicians designed to replace guesswork with clarity.

Leave Maryal a voicemail @ https://mydpcstory.com/contact

Support the show

GET your FREE MONTHLY BUSINESS TOOL DOWNLOAD

Become A My DPC Story PATREON MEMBER!
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Today Dr. Emily Holt, a Direct Primary Care (DPC) physician based in New Orleans, shares her inspiring journey from working in federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) and university clinics to opening her own DPC practice amidst a rapidly changing healthcare landscape. The discussion dives deep into the effects of the "one big beautiful bill," the challenges facing marginalized communities following recent legislative changes, and innovative ways DPC physicians in Louisiana are collaborating to fill healthcare gaps. The episode also highlights the power of community-driven solutions, nonprofit partnerships, and coalition-building among DPC practitioners to improve access to affordable, relationship-based care. Whether you’re a physician, patient, or healthcare advocate, this episode offers firsthand insight into DPC, healthcare advocacy, and the current realities for patients and providers in New Orleans and beyond. Recorded July 2025.

Get the FREE workbook to go along with our January RESET series HERE.

Learn how Zion HealthShare can pair with DPC to protect patients and physicians without returning to traditional insurance. Read more in the Toolkit, our DPC magazine, today. 

Leave Maryal a voicemail @ https://mydpcstory.com/contact

Support the show

GET your FREE MONTHLY BUSINESS TOOL DOWNLOAD

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My DPC Story VOICEMAIL! DPC SWAG!
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Today’s episode is one of the most important conversations we’ve had on My DPC Story. As of July 4th, we are standing at a true inflection point for Direct Primary Care—and for every physician, employer, broker, advocate and patient who believes primary care should be personal, accessible, and free from insurance middlemen.

In this special session, I’m joined by Jay Keese, Executive Director of the Direct Primary Care Coalition, who has spent more than a decade at the front lines in Washington, DC. Together, we break down what HR 1—the major tax bill signed into law this year—actually means for DPC. This includes:

• The historic win: HSAs are now fully compatible with Direct Primary Care for the first time ever.
• What patients can do starting January 1: Use tax-free HSA dollars to pay for DPC memberships without losing HSA eligibility.
• How this changes the landscape: New opportunities with employers, brokers, high-deductible plans, and even ACA bronze/catastrophic plans.
• What stays the same, what’s evolving, and what rulemaking from the IRS will finalize.
• What’s coming next: How DPC can scale responsibly and sustainably as demand accelerates.

If you’ve ever wondered how policy actually becomes reality—or what the future of DPC looks like on a national scale—you’ll want to listen closely. This episode is equal parts celebration, clarification, and a roadmap for what comes next.

Get the FREE workbook to go along with our January RESET series HERE.

Learn how Zion HealthShare can pair with DPC to protect patients and physicians without returning to traditional insurance. Read more in the Toolkit, our DPC magazine, today. 

If hiring feels like one of the most intimidating parts of growing your DPC practice, read the Winter issue of The Toolkit, our DPC Magazine that includes an educational, step-by-step hiring guide from the Cooperative of American Physicians designed to replace guesswork with clarity.

Leave Maryal a voicemail @ https://mydpcstory.com/contact

Support the show

GET your FREE MONTHLY BUSINESS TOOL DOWNLOAD

Become A My DPC Story PATREON MEMBER!
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My DPC Story VOICEMAIL! DPC SWAG!
FACEBOOK * INSTAGRAM * LinkedIn * TWITTER * TIKTOK * YouTube

Today we hear from Dr. Maria Rutmann, founder of Lionheart Direct Primary Care in northern Maine. She discusses the transformative power of the Direct Primary Care (DPC) clinic model as physician burnout and healthcare system challenges escalate nationwide. Dr. Rutmann shares her journey from working in a traditional fee-for-service hospital group - where mounting administrative demands and loss of autonomy led to emotional exhaustion - to reclaiming her purpose and joy in medicine through DPC.

Listeners learn how Lionheart DPC empowers physicians to practice value-based care by fostering lasting patient-physician relationships, personalizing health experiences, and eliminating the barriers of insurance-driven healthcare. Dr. Rutmann emphasizes that DPC not only improves healthcare access in rural areas, but also allows doctors the time and freedom to provide comprehensive, preventative, and patient-centered care. Families in her community have experienced the convenience and rapid responsiveness of the DPC model, sometimes avoiding costly and time-consuming ER visits and walk-ins thanks to direct communication and same-day appointments.

This episode also highlights how DPC serves as a solution to physician burnout, supporting practitioners to reconnect with their sense of purpose, maximize patient outcomes, and enjoy professional autonomy. Listeners considering DPC - from those facing moral injury in fee-for-service settings, to those interested in community-driven, flexible healthcare - will find practical advice, heartfelt encouragement, and proof that a better way in healthcare is not only possible, but thriving.

Keywords: physician burnout, healthcare access, direct primary care, DPC, value-based care, physician autonomy, patient-centered care, rural healthcare, medical practice models, Lionheart Direct Primary Care.

Get the FREE workbook to go along with our January RESET series HERE.

Learn how Zion HealthShare can pair with DPC to protect patients and physicians without returning to traditional insurance. Read more in the Toolkit, our DPC magazine, today. 

If hiring feels like one of the most intimidating parts of growing your DPC practice, read the Winter issue of The Toolkit, our DPC Magazine that includes an educational, step-by-step hiring guide from the Cooperative of American Physicians designed to replace guesswork with clarity.

What do you want MORE of in your practice this year? Download the January worksheet HERE for free today!

Leave Maryal a voicemail @ https://mydpcstory.com/contact

Support the show

GET your FREE MONTHLY BUSINESS TOOL DOWNLOAD

Become A My DPC Story PATREON MEMBER!
SPONSOR THE POD
My DPC Story VOICEMAIL! DPC SWAG!
FACEBOOK * INSTAGRAM * LinkedIn * TWITTER * TIKTOK * YouTube