A Year Later: Four Doctors, One Update on Building DPC That Lasts
- Maryal Concepcion
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
January is often treated like a starting gun. New goals. New systems. New pressure to fix everything at once.
But for many physicians, January brings something quieter first. A pause. A tightening in the chest when you imagine doing medicine this way forever. A question about sustainability, not ambition.
That is why, as part of the January Reset Series, we are revisiting a conversation from the My DPC Story archive that feels even more relevant now than when it first aired.
This episode brings together four physicians from three specialties for a one-year update on their Direct Primary Care journeys. Not the launch story. Not the pitch. The lived reality of what happens after you open.
Why This Conversation Matters
This is a conversation about what happens after the early momentum. After the systems you thought would work need to be adjusted. After life continues alongside practice ownership.
In this episode, four physicians reflect on growth that came faster than expected, how parenthood and practice ownership coexist, and how boundaries and workflows are learned in real time. You will hear how advocacy becomes possible when time is no longer rationed and how sustainability is not something you design once but something you return to again and again.
The Physicians You Will Hear From
This conversation features updates from Dr. Christina Much and Dr. Jake Much, family medicine physicians and co founders of Defiant DPC. They share what it looked like to grow beyond their original expectations and how they planned maternity leave without panic or guilt.
You will also hear from Dr. Deepti Mundkur, an internal medicine physician who reflects on the gift of time, the ability to advocate deeply for patients, and how mentorship naturally became part of her practice.
Finally, Dr. Lauren Hughes shares what it has looked like to practice pediatrics and lactation in DPC while raising young children, setting boundaries, and building strong community partnerships.
Each practice looks different. The themes overlap in meaningful ways.
What to Listen for as You Hear Their Updates
As you listen, notice how autonomy shows up differently at each stage of practice. Pay attention to how workflows evolve and why early missteps often become the foundation for better systems later. Listen for how advocacy changes when visits are no longer rushed and how alignment between personal values and medical practice affects both patient care and physician well being.
This episode does not promise ease. It offers honesty.
A January Reflection
Instead of asking what you should do next, try holding one simple question as you listen.
What does meaningful patient care look like for me in my actual week?
You might also notice what keeps getting in the way, what autonomy really means in your life, or what boundary you keep wishing you had. You do not need to answer everything. You do not need a five year plan. You just need permission to notice.
A Free Tool to Support That Reflection
To make this month practical without adding pressure, we created a free January resource.
You can download the worksheet Is DPC Right For You, a reflection tool designed for physicians at any stage. Curious, planning, already open, or quietly reassessing what comes next.
You can also listen to the full January Reset playlist, featuring weekly conversations with physicians who reached a breaking point and chose a different path.
Additional business tools and resources for DPC owners and aspiring owners are available at MyDPCStory.com.
Why We Are Re Sharing This Episode
This conversation aged well because it tells the truth.
These physicians are not finished stories. They are living ones. And January is not about becoming someone new. It is about realigning with who you already are and building a practice that can grow with you, not at your expense.
Take a breath.
You are not behind.
You are allowed to build something that lasts.
You've got this.
~Maryal
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