Dr. N Adame

Episode 22 - When Doctors Break Quietly: What Corporate Medicine Takes and DPC Restores

DPC| Primary Care| DPC Podcast
February 09, 2026•2 min read

What happens when a pediatrician decides she’d rather rebuild her career than lose herself to the system?

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Noemi Adame, pediatrician and founder of Culver Pediatrics Center, who walked away from corporate pediatrics and rebuilt on her own terms. Known as the “Veggies Over Pills” doctor, she combines evidence-based pediatrics, lifestyle medicine, and integrative care for some of the most complex pediatric cases, including PANS/PANDAS.

We talk about what DPC really restores to physicians: time and the ability to practice in alignment with your values again.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

  • Why DPC doesn’t magically fix everything, but does put you back in control

  • How longer visits and fewer admin demands change outcomes for complex kids

  • The difference between access and 24/7 availability (and why “minutes response time” is a trap)

  • How clear boundaries actually protect both patients and physicians

  • How Dr. Adame practices deeply evidence-based medicine without abandoning her values or her patients’ preferences

This episode is for you if:

  • You feel morally injured, rushed, or boxed in by the current healthcare system

  • You’re DPC-curious, especially in pediatrics or lifestyle-focused care

  • You’re craving autonomy, deeper patient relationships, and sustainable boundaries

If you’ve ever felt torn between caring for patients and protecting yourself, this conversation will feel like permission and a push. It’s a reminder that medicine doesn’t have to cost you your identity.

Resources mentioned

  • PANDAS Physician Network (PPN) – treatment algorithm

  • American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) – nutrition / lifestyle medicine training

  • Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine – integrative training (ADHD/autism)

  • Peds DPC Facebook Group – pediatric DPC community

  • Pediatric DPC Mastermind – where she deepened her PANDAS knowledge

Guest

  • Culver Pediatrics Center:

The hardest part isn’t just launching the practice. It’s becoming a physician-entrepreneur, often without anyone around you who really gets it.

That’s why I created DPC Women Connect: a small, in‑person gathering this February for women physicians navigating the shift from employed to independent.

Next Step: Get Guided Support

If you want support, strategy, and women who are walking the same path, DM me CONNECT on Instagram or learn more here: https://connect.harmonyopshealth.com/

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Dr. Gonzalez was born in NYC, but grew up in Virginia. She graduated from the University of Virginia and Eastern Virginia Medical School before completing her Family Medicine residency and Geriatrics Fellowship in 2002 at USC in Columbia, SC. She worked in Morganton, NC for 5 years at Burke Primary Care. After that, she headed the Primary Care Department at A Woman's View for 13 years and taught part time at the Geriatrics Fellowship in Morganton. She appreciates the privilege of working with her patients to improve their health, independence, and quality of life. She is Board Certified in Family Medicine and has a Certificate of Added Qualification in Geriatrics.

Anne Gonzalez

Dr. Gonzalez was born in NYC, but grew up in Virginia. She graduated from the University of Virginia and Eastern Virginia Medical School before completing her Family Medicine residency and Geriatrics Fellowship in 2002 at USC in Columbia, SC. She worked in Morganton, NC for 5 years at Burke Primary Care. After that, she headed the Primary Care Department at A Woman's View for 13 years and taught part time at the Geriatrics Fellowship in Morganton. She appreciates the privilege of working with her patients to improve their health, independence, and quality of life. She is Board Certified in Family Medicine and has a Certificate of Added Qualification in Geriatrics.

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