Hiring Early, Opening a DPC, Setting Boundaries, and Reaching 600 Patients: Dr. Reid Lancaster of Ethos Modern Medicine

From physician assistant to DPC physician, Dr. Reid Lancaster took the long road on purpose. In this episode of My DPC Story, he sits down with Dr. Maryal Concepcion to trace his journey from PA to DO and the moment a three-minute news clip about direct primary care planted a "worm in his brain" he couldn't shake.Dr. Lancaster is the founder of Ethos Modern Medicine in La Quinta, California, just outside Palm Springs in a community as economically diverse as almost anywhere in the country. He shares why he chose to become a physician rather than practice independently as a PA, the honest differences he sees between PA, NP, and physician training, and how residency shaped what he can now do for his patients in primary care.This conversation is packed with practical wisdom for anyone weighing a DPC of their own. Dr. Lancaster opens up about the naysayers he faced through medical school and residency, the mentors who pushed him to "cash in" on a traditional job, and the wife who kept the dream alive when the doubt crept in. He also reflects on the business side he never trained for, from California compliance surprises to the taxes and systems that fall through the cracks in year one and beyond.You'll hear the real stories behind the lessons: the AI answering service named Jarvis that tanked his consults by 80 percent, the patients stuck in referral limbo despite having insurance, and the goals he wrote down before opening that he rediscovered in an old drawer. Dr. Lancaster makes the case that mistakes are lessons, that hiring a little earlier than feels comfortable can accelerate growth and protect your quality of life, and that clear boundaries set upfront are what keep DPC sustainable.Now three and a half years in and effectively full at 600 patients with no marketing, Dr. Lancaster reflects on what growth looks like from here, the working partnership he's exploring with PAs and NPs in the DPC space, and why the local coffee shop model, not the franchise, may be the future of direct primary care.Whether you're a pre-med student, a resident or a physician eyeing the exit from fee-for-service, or a DPC owner thinking about your next step, this episode is a reminder that you've done hard things before and you can do this too.Head to mydpcstory.com to find your starting point, and come say hi at the AAFP co-sponsored DPC Summit in New Orleans.Stand With Dr. Nyasha Spears and the Future of Patient-Centered Healthcare. Get your copy of the Physician Owner's Planner today at mydpcstory.com/librarySupport the showGET your FREE MONTHLY BUSINESS TOOL DOWNLOADBecome A My DPC Story PATREON MEMBER! SPONSOR THE POD My DPC Story VOICEMAIL! DPC SWAG! FACEBOOK * INSTAGRAM * LinkedIn * TWITTER * TIKTOK * YouTube