Dr. W Molaska

Episode 23 - Hiring a Second DPC Doctor: Mistakes, Red Flags, and Lessons Learned

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

What if the worst day in Direct Primary Care is still better than the best day in employed medicine?

In Episode 23 of DPC Life, I talk with Dr. Wendy Molaska, family physician and founder of Dedicated Family Care in Madison, WI, and the 2025 DPC Physician of the Year. We walk through how she built a diverse, high-trust DPC clinic, expanded her team without losing her identity, and used the freedom of DPC to show up in advocacy and leadership without burning out.

Who it’s for

  • Physicians who want to grow a DPC panel without recreating employed-medicine burnout

  • DPC owners thinking about their first (or next) hire and afraid of getting it wrong

  • Women physicians who care about advocacy, leadership, and community impact but refuse to sacrifice their sanity again

In this episode, you’ll hear:

  • How DPC created margin for Dr. Molaska to lead, advocate, and still know her patients

  • The hidden cost of “panic hiring” and how she course-corrected after early missteps

  • Why, in DPC, you are the brand – and how that changes who you hire

  • How word-of-mouth and community trust filled her panel with diverse and underserved patients

  • A practical way to engage in policy and advocacy without needing everyone to agree with you

If this episode gives you even one idea or one ounce of hope, share it with a physician who’s wondering if DPC is “worth the risk.” Then hit follow so you don’t miss the next conversation.

We’ll see you in the next episode of DPC Life.

Resources + Links

  • Dedicated Family Care Website:

  • Dr. Wendy Molaska Email: [email protected]

  • Follow / Connect: LinkedIn + Facebook + Instagram (Dedicated Family Care)

Next Step: Get Guided Support

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.

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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