We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Aaron Block a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Aaron, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
Resilience has been a constant thread in my life, but it did not come from one defining moment—it was built over time, usually in situations where the easier path would have been to walk away.
During my education, I was often told to fit into systems that were not designed for what I was trying to do. I created my own major in undergrad when the alternative did not make sense. I pushed through a dual degree path that did not have an integrated structure, which meant financial strain and losing access to full loan support. Family Medicine residency tested something deeper—my confidence, my identity, and my endurance. There is a constant undercurrent of imposter syndrome, fatigue, and the realization that the learning never stops. At every stage, there were off-ramps that would have been easier. I just never felt called to take them.
What carried me through was not the idea of being the smartest person in the room—I have learned I am usually not. But I am persistent. I care deeply about solving problems, and I have always been drawn to doing things better, even when that means questioning “how it has always been done.”
That definition of resilience has evolved. Earlier in my life, it looked like endurance—just pushing through. Now, it is more intentional. It is about protecting what matters and building something aligned with those values.
Today, that shows up in building The Cove with my husband and partner, John. Starting a practice from scratch takes a different kind of resilience—one rooted in uncertainty, trust, and belief in a model of care that challenges the status quo. We are asking people to rethink how they engage with healthcare at a time when many are already frustrated, burned out, and financially stretched.
But what strengthens that resilience is clarity of purpose. We see every day how much people need this kind of care—care that is thoughtful, accessible, and genuinely on their side. We see how often patients have felt overlooked or dismissed. Knowing that keeps us steady. It reminds us why we are doing this, even when it is hard.
For me, resilience is not about pushing endlessly. It is about staying grounded in purpose and continuing to show up, especially when it would be easier not to.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I am a family physician and the co-founder of The Cove Concierge Medicine, a family-run practice my husband, John, and I built from the ground up. John is a nurse practitioner, and together we created The Cove because we both reached a point in medicine where the way care was being delivered no longer aligned with the kind of clinicians we wanted to be.
What we do is not complicated in theory, but it is very different in practice. We take care of people the way medicine was always meant to work—with time, attention, and a relationship at the center of it. That means longer visits, direct access, and care that is actually tailored to the individual sitting in front of us, not dictated by insurance constraints or rushed systems.
What makes this work exciting for me is the freedom to practice medicine thoughtfully again. I can focus on prevention, spend time educating patients, and address the root of problems instead of just reacting to them. We incorporate things like advanced preventive screening, hormone therapy, and inclusive, affirming care, but the real difference is not a specific service—it is the experience of being known and heard in a healthcare system where that has become rare.
There is also something deeply meaningful about who we serve. We care for a wide range of patients, but we have a particular passion for those who have not always felt safe or seen in traditional medical spaces, including the LGBTQ+ community and women navigating midlife and menopause. That work is personal for us, and it shapes the environment we have built.
The Cove is not just a business. It is a reflection of our values. It is what happens when you step outside of a system that prioritizes volume and instead build something centered on trust, access, and advocacy.
If there is one thing I would want people to understand, it is this: healthcare does not have to feel rushed, impersonal, or transactional. It can feel like a partnership. It can feel like someone is actually in your corner. That is what we are trying to create every day.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Looking back, the qualities and skills that shaped my path are probably not the ones people expect from a physician.
The first is being scrappy. Medicine is often presented as a very structured, linear journey, but that was not my experience. From building my own academic path to navigating training and eventually starting a practice from scratch, I learned quickly that waiting for perfect conditions or clear instructions is not a strategy. Being scrappy means you figure things out in real time, you adapt, and you move forward even when the path is not well defined. For anyone early in their journey, my advice is simple: do not wait for permission. You will learn more by doing than by trying to map out every step in advance.
The second is the ability to build trust and rapport quickly. In medicine, that shows up in the exam room. You are often meeting someone at a vulnerable moment, and you have a limited window to make them feel heard, respected, and safe. But that same skill translates directly into business. Whether it is a patient, a partner, or someone considering a different model of care, trust is everything. It is built through presence, listening, and consistency. Early on, focus less on saying the perfect thing and more on genuinely understanding the person in front of you. People can tell the difference.
The third is developing business agility. This is something most physicians are never formally taught, but it has been essential in building The Cove. Healthcare is constantly shifting—economically, politically, and culturally—and if you are rigid, you will struggle. Business agility means being able to adjust your approach, test ideas, and respond to what people actually need rather than what you assumed they needed. It also means being comfortable with uncertainty. For those starting out, I would encourage you to learn the fundamentals of how a business works, even if you do not plan to start one. Understanding value, communication, and sustainability will make you a better clinician and a more effective leader.
If there is a common thread across all three, it is this: none of them are about having all the answers. They are about being willing to engage, adapt, and grow in real time. That mindset has been far more valuable than any single piece of knowledge I learned along the way.
Who is your ideal client or what sort of characteristics would make someone an ideal client for you?
Because of how we practice, there is not a single “type” of patient from a medical standpoint who would or would not thrive in our model. The ability to personalize care means we can meet people where they are, regardless of the complexity of their health needs.
Where fit really matters is mindset.
The patients who do best with us are those who want to take an active role in their health. They value science and evidence-based medicine, but they also understand that medicine does not have all the answers. There is a level of curiosity, accountability, and openness that makes the relationship work. They are not looking for quick fixes or answers driven by trends or social media—they want to understand what is true, what is known, and where uncertainty still exists.
They also value access and advocacy. Our patients know they can reach us, be heard, and have someone in their corner when navigating a healthcare system that often feels fragmented and impersonal. That level of connection is difficult to find in traditional models, where time is limited and care can feel transactional.
At the same time, we are very clear about what this relationship is. This is a partnership. Patients are investing directly in their care, but that does not mean they are purchasing unlimited requests or predetermined answers. It means they are gaining a team that will guide them thoughtfully, challenge them when needed, and advocate for what is truly in their best interest.
The ideal patient is not defined by a diagnosis. It is defined by a shared commitment to thoughtful, honest, and engaged care.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thecovecm.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecovecm
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecovecm
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/the-cove-concierge-medicine
Image Credits
Katie Todd Photography
Karen Conrad Photography
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