Zero Patients, One Hurricane, New DPC: How Dr. Lok Built River Rock (Twice!) from Scratch

If you’re a resident dreaming of DPC or an early DPC doc staring at an empty panel, this episode is your proof that you can start from nothing and still win.

Dr. Catherine Lok opened River Rock Clinic in Asheville with zero patients, got hit by a clinic-destroying hurricane, and still built a thriving, values-aligned DPC micropractice

Who it’s for:
Residents planning to launch a DPC straight out of training
Early-stage DPC docs who need reassurance, strategy, and proof that you can build from nothing.

You’ll learn:
• How Dr. Lok opened with zero patients, survived a clinic-destroying hurricane, and still built River Rock Clinic in Asheville, NC.
• The one thing she wishes she’d done sooner
• Why networking outperforms ads for patient growth.
• How SEO + local-specific blogs filled her schedule fast and the exact blog topic that performed best.
• The power of micro practice creativity: shaping your day, your clinic flow, and your life with intention.
• Her approach to mutual aid, community collaboration, and combating DPC isolation
• Practical tips on labs, OMT as an access funnel, and reducing specialty referrals with time-rich care.

Guest:
Dr. Catherine Lok, founder of River Rock Clinic DPC (Asheville, NC). DO, integrative-leaning primary care, OMT practitioner, champion of DPC mutual aid and community-building.

Want help taking the first steps?
DM me “DPC” on LinkedIn and I’ll send you the 5-Day DPC Confidence Course: short, residency‑friendly emails with concrete daily actions to move you toward opening.

Guest links:
Website: https://www.riverrockclinic.com/
Email available on site for DPC questions & meet-and-greets.