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What if the “safe” path in medicine is actually keeping you from practicing the way you want?

After nearly 20 years treating eating disorders, Dr. Lauren Hartman left the traditional healthcare system to build Aspen Grove Adolescent & Young Adult Medicine, a direct-care practice in Berkeley, California.

We talk about leaving security behind, betting on yourself, charging for your value, and designing a practice around time, autonomy, and the care patients actually need.

Dr. Hartman is a double board-certified pediatrician and adolescent medicine specialist, serves on the Eating Disorder Committee for SAHM, and is the author of Freeing Children and Young Adults from Shame, Scales and Stigma, published by Routledge in March 2026.

Connect with her:

• Website: Aspen Grove
• Instagram: @laurenhartmanmd
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/lauren-hartman-b4bab9a0
• Book: Freeing Children and Young Adults from Shame, Scales, and Stigma

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• EMR I'm currently using in my Direct Care practice Simple Practice
• Find me on LinkedIn https://linkedin.com/in/teadpm
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What happens when a physician decides she’s done practicing medicine like a robot?

In this episode, I talk with Dr. Cheruba Prabakar about leaving employed medicine, building a direct specialty care practice, creating memberships, offering concierge-level surgical care, and hiring another physician.

We also talk about her journey to becoming The Fibroid Doc and the book she created to help women better understand fibroids and their treatment options.

A conversation about building a medical practice—and a career—that works for you.

Connect with her:

• Personal Website: The Fibroid Doc
• Practice Website: Lamorinda Gynecology and Surgery
• Instagram: @thefibroiddoc
• YouTube: @TheFibroidDoc

Support the show

--> Direct Care Guide Download here

--> Build Your Signature Offer Before You Opt Out PDF here

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Join the Direct Care Society, a private WhatsApp community here. Ads free!

• EMR I'm currently using in my Direct Care practice Simple Practice
• Find me on LinkedIn https://linkedin.com/in/teadpm
• More resources teadpm.com

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, I’m celebrating eight years in private practice—and sharing the real story of how I built the practice I actually have today.

When I opened my doors in 2018, I definitely did not have it all figured out. I started with an insurance-based model, struggled financially, navigated the pandemic, dropped Medicare, and eventually opted out of all insurance. Along the way, my practice, and my life changed in ways I never planned for.

I’m also sharing some of the unexpected challenges I faced in 2026, including major personal changes and uncertainty about my office space. And yes, there was a taco truck involved.

This is the final episode in my three-part series on building a profitable direct specialty care practice. My biggest takeaway? You don’t need to have everything figured out before you start. You just need to take the next step, stay flexible, and keep moving forward.

Support the show

--> Direct Care Guide Download here

--> Build Your Signature Offer Before You Opt Out PDF here

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Join the Direct Care Society, a private WhatsApp community here. Ads free!

• EMR I'm currently using in my Direct Care practice Simple Practice
• Find me on LinkedIn https://linkedin.com/in/teadpm
• More resources teadpm.com