Part 5 of 6
The AAMC Careers in Medicine reflect–research–time framework applies to practice model choice — not just specialty. These are the questions worth sitting with before clerkship pressure starts.
Framework: AAMC Careers in Medicine · AAFP DPC Policy September 2024
Reflect
The AAMC recommends starting specialty exploration in MS1 — before clerkship pressure forces a decision. The same logic applies to practice model. These questions don't have right answers. They're diagnostic.
The 2-minute self-assessment works through each of these and returns personalized next steps based on your training stage.
Research
Direct observation is the most reliable source. Here's the sequence that actually works — in order of impact.
Direct observation before clerkships is worth more than almost anything else. Find practices nationwide at dpcdirectory.com — searchable by state.
Hundreds of real physician stories across geographies, practice types, and career stages. Start with any episode — mydpcstory.com
Two pages. Updated September 2024. The official definition — not an advocacy piece. aafp.org/about/policies/all/direct-primary-care.html
Peer connection, advocacy, and education at all stages of exploration. Available to AAFP student members.
Take time
First year is ideal — explore without pressure to decide. Procrastination adds stress. Personal growth changes how you see yourself — revisit these questions often.
Why practice model belongs in specialty exploration
Two physicians can both choose family medicine and have radically different careers based on practice model alone. One sees 28 patients a day, handles 2 hours of after-hours EHR, and works in a hospital-owned practice. The other sees 10 patients a day in a practice they own, with no insurance billing and relationships that span years.
Both are legitimate. Neither is the "right" answer. But the structural differences are significant enough that understanding them early — before a job offer is on the table — is genuinely valuable.
"The DPC model is structured to emphasize and prioritize the intrinsic power of the relationship between a patient and his or her family physician to improve health outcomes and lower overall health care costs."
— AAFP Policy on Direct Primary Care, September 2024Continue exploring
Six questions, scored against the AAMC reflect framework. Personalized next steps by training stage.