Inside the Fight for Equitable Healthcare and Physician Freedom with Dr. Michelle Cooke
- Maryal Concepcion
- Jun 8
- 8 min read
DPC Doctor - How Dr. Cooke’s Mission-Driven Strategy, Mindset Shifts, and Unapologetic Focus on Black Women’s Health Helped Her Build a Booming Direct Primary Care Practice—and What Every DPC Physician Can Learn From Her Path
The Power of a Mission-Driven Practice
Direct Primary Care (DPC) is so much more than a practice model—it’s a movement empowering physicians to reclaim autonomy and deliver personalized, patient-centered medicine. But how do you create a DPC practice that truly honors your values, serves your community, and sustains your well-being as a physician?
Dr. Michelle Cooke, founder of Sole Direct Primary Care in East Point, Georgia, shares an inspiring, honest, and actionable roadmap in her latest My DPC Story podcast interview. Her practice—which boldly declares itself “The Sacred Space for Black Women’s Health and Wellness”—is a testimony to the impact of leading with your “why,” making peace with fear, and building a practice on your own unapologetic terms.
For DPC doctors and those on the journey, Dr. Cooke’s story offers a treasure trove of practical strategies and reflective insights. Here’s an in-depth look at her evolution, with takeaways you can use to shape your own DPC adventure.
From Mission-Driven Burnout to Bold Leap
Dr. Cooke’s DPC journey began with heartbreak—both personal and institutional. After training at the storied Spellman College and Morehouse School of Medicine, her early medical career was shaped by a deep commitment to serving underserved Black communities in Atlanta. Even as her heart was full, she found herself drowning in the relentless churn of fee-for-service (FFS) medicine:
15-minute appointments
Pressure to see more patients, not provide deeper care
Administrative overload
Soul-crushing lack of autonomy
Like so many, Dr. Cooke clung to the hope that “maybe if I just get into leadership, I can make a difference.” But peering behind the executive curtain revealed even more dysfunction: doctors reduced to productivity metrics, compassion replaced with quotas, and authentic physician voices drowned out by bureaucracy.
When her hospital system abruptly collapsed—eliminating vital care for southwest Atlanta’s Black community—Dr. Cooke faced a painful crossroads. “As things got tighter and tighter… my hospital system ended up collapsing… That was a wake up call. This is not working, I don’t want to play anymore. Now is the time for DPC.”
Takeaway:Your breaking point can be the gateway to your boldest professional chapter. Sometimes, the “scary” leap to autonomy is less terrifying than the thought of staying in an irreparably broken system.
Honoring Burnout, Healing First: Physician Wellness as a DPC Prerequisite
Before Dr. Cooke could champion her community or fellow physicians, she had to heal herself. She describes her own burnout as “astronomical,” only realizing the full brunt of it after leaving FFS medicine.
She urges DPC-curious physicians to recognize burnout for what it is—not normal and not a reflection of personal failure. You can’t pour from an empty cup:
“As I was leaving the system, I needed to heal. The burnout was astronomical… In coming out, I was still dealing with a lot of my own burnout.”
Instead of jumping immediately into advocacy or local medical politics, Dr. Cooke focused on self-care, therapy, and reconnecting with her motivations. Gradually, she reignited her sense of mission by networking, hosting local DPC mixers, and volunteering with medical students—all at a sustainable pace.
Takeaway:Attend to your own healing before rushing to rescue others. The DPC revolution needs passionate, present leaders, not martyrs running on fumes.
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Mindset: Reframing Limiting Beliefs and Permission to Imagine
Dr. Cooke credits her mindset work as essential to her successful transition. Therapy, daily self-care, and a willingness to challenge self-limiting beliefs (“There’s no way to be a good physician and keep your heart in this system…”) unlocked new possibilities.
Her favorite tool? GRANT YOURSELF PERMISSION TO ASK “WHAT IF?”
What if I could practice the way I’ve always wanted?
What if I could structure my days around wellness—for my patients and myself?
What if my work focused on my deepest values, not draining, superficial metrics?
Dr. Cooke’s reflections, sparked by her therapist and further fueled by podcasts (like Dr. Una’s EntreMD and My DPC Story itself), reinforce that mindset isn’t “woo”—it’s the foundation for creative, sustainable, mission-driven entrepreneurship.
Takeaway:Don’t let inherited medical culture or the inertia of “how things have always been” shrink your dreams. DPC is an open canvas—imagine, then act.
Carving Out a Purpose-Driven Niche: From “Good Doctor to All” to Sacred Space for Black Women
A defining feature of Soul DPC’s rapid growth? Dr. Cooke’s unapologetic, mission-driven branding.Instead of casting a wide net (“I’ll take care of everyone, for everything”), she publicly committed to Black women’s wellness, drawing on her own lived experience and deep conviction that “I can serve this community uniquely.”
In a climate where DEI initiatives are under attack, Dr. Cooke chose to carve out an explicit sanctuary—naming her practice “The Sacred Space for Black Women’s Health and Wellness”—even if it ruffled feathers.
“DPC finally gave me the permission to do so... I’m putting my flag in the ground. This is what I stand for... There are people out there who feel unheard and you need to call to them.”
Her courage not only created a safe haven for patients who have long felt unseen, but also fueled practice growth:
“When I really define who I’m looking for, finally women are saying, ‘Oh my gosh, I’ve been looking for you for so long. I felt so unseen.’”
Takeaway:Resist the pressure to please everyone in DPC. Clarify your purpose and ideal patient—those whose lives you’re uniquely-positioned to impact. The right patients (and growth) will follow.
Community Engagement and Relentless Storytelling: Building a DPC Brand That Resonates
Dr. Cooke’s approach to practice growth and scaling is a masterclass in grassroots, mission-aligned marketing. Instead of generic digital ads, she saturates her community with visibility and storytelling:
Annual DPC mixers and networking events
Presence at culturally relevant community events (like Atlanta’s hair show)
Newsletters, patient stories, and educational content
Social media with authenticity about her own health journey
Strategic word-of-mouth: “Patients need to see something at least seven times before they commit.”
She also freely educates about DPC—even if a patient doesn’t join her practice, she supports them joining any DPC in the region as a larger win for the movement.
Takeaway:Scaling isn’t about one-off promotions; it’s about building trust through authentic visibility and storytelling, on platforms and in venues where your ideal patients gather.
Intentional Hiring: Skills, Culture, and Shared Mission > Experience
As her practice exploded to over 230 patients within the first year, Dr. Cooke faced the challenge of growing her team. Her hiring philosophy is refreshingly entrepreneurial: prioritize skills, cultural fit, and willingness to grow over traditional experience or titles.
She started with a virtual assistant, Joy, chosen not for her resume, but for her curiosity and patient-centered thinking.
When hiring onsite, she leveraged her relocation’s timing to offer internships to college students—offering value to both the practice and students eager for experience.
She recruited her office manager, Bri, by searching LinkedIn for “executive assistant” skills (not medical office backgrounds), then reached out directly.
Her medical assistant, Toya, was selected for her phlebotomy skills and openness to learning over official MA credentials.
“I don’t really need a title, I need a skill set, and I need somebody who’s willing to learn. That’s how I built up my team in a more non-traditional way.”
Takeaway:In DPC, you’re free to construct your dream team from the ground up. Look for passion, teachability, and a commitment to your mission first.
Tech Choices and EHR Pivoting: Don’t Let “Cheap” Trump Functionality
Dr. Cooke’s honest chronicle of her EHR journey—switching three times—carries vital lessons for every practice owner.The cheap, “good enough” option often isn’t good enough at all when scaling or delivering differentiated care.
Her first EHR, though promising, was too glitchy during its startup phase.
The second was affordable but lacked basic necessities (like a robust patient portal and easy self-scheduling), creating inefficiency.
After learning through experience and colleague demos, she invested in a more functional (though pricier) system.
“Don’t always go for what’s cheap, go for what you need... It’s going to cost you more in the long term in terms of your mental sanity.”
Beyond EHR, Dr. Cooke leverages her tech stack for patient communication, automating intake and education, streamlining specialty care (like obesity and menopause management), and delegating non-physician work.
Takeaway:Choose tools based on how you envision your practice growing, not just Day 1 needs or price. Don’t be afraid to pivot as your practice matures.
Model Innovation: Obesity, Menopause, and Beyond-the-Exam Room Care
Unshackled from insurance coding games, Dr. Cooke’s model for managing obesity, metabolic health, and menopause is holistic and proactive.
She uses tech to automate education, intake (custom menopause questionnaires), and lab ordering.
She augments in-office care with newsletters, group events, and social media, fostering a culture of health outside the exam room.
With DPC’s price transparency and membership model, she can discuss and offer lab tests, imaging, and medication options clearly, without fearing billing pushback.
Her approach addresses whole-person health and reflects the empowerment at the heart of the DPC model.
Takeaway:Let your model be shaped by what your patients truly need. Go beyond the exam room and let DPC’s flexibility amplify your creativity.
Policy, Advocacy, and the DPC Gospel
A physician who’s experienced every side of the dysfunctional system, Dr. Cooke doesn’t mince words about the ethical case for DPC:
“Insurance… is supposed to cover catastrophic and unusual events. That is the total opposite of primary care… Primary care is the usual, it’s the common, it’s the expected.”
She encourages DPC physicians to speak out—to patients and policy makers—about the transparency, access, and fairness the movement offers.
Takeaway:You’re not “hurting access” by stepping away from insurance; you’re building a model that might save it. Share your stories locally and nationally—your voice is needed!
Final Reflection: Permission to Start, Permission to Fail
For physicians teetering on the brink, Dr. Cooke’s last words are both comforting and galvanizing:
Acknowledge burnout—it is not normal.
Remember, starting and running a small business is “figureoutable”—don’t let medicine’s risk aversion box you in.
You will fail at points—but that’s the point!
Most crucial: “The alternative was worse… My hardest days [in DPC] don’t hold a candle to my hardest days in fee-for-service. If you can face your intern call nights, you can face this.”
Conclusion: Shape Your Own DPC Story
Dr. Michelle Cooke’s story isn’t just inspiring—it’s a toolkit for any physician ready to move from surviving to thriving. Honor your healing, embrace your “why,” lead with mission (not FOMO), and trust that each pivot, failure, and leap is fueling a practice—and a revolution—worthy of your calling.
Listen to her podcast (Building DPC on Spotify), connect locally, and keep writing your story. The DPC movement is richer, stronger, and more creative when you do.
Ready for your own leap?
Connect with Dr. Cooke’s work:Building DPC podcast – Sol Direct Primary Care – sol-dpc.org
Your next step might not be perfect, but it will be yours.
Heal first. Then build boldly. The world—and your community—needs your story.
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Connect with Dr. Cooke’s work:Building DPC podcast – Sol Direct Primary Care – sol-dpc.org
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