Venting my frustration with the average chiropractor out there. Most of us are inspired and excited about chiropractic while in school, but some lose their fire and need to be reminded at seminars. Don’t be like them. Keep your fire burning!
Vlog
Technique is not enough – (and book recommendation)
Being a good technician is only one part of being a successful real-world chiropractor. Keep improving your technique, but start learning the other aspects of running a business.
Recommended books:
The E-Myth Revisited
The E-Myth Physician
When practice stress is overwhelming
When stress in practice becomes overwhelming, some chiropractors check out. Please understand what pressures there are out there in the real world – and if you’re already feeling the pressure in practice, please reach out to someone who can help. You’re not alone.
Don’t bring your baggage to the office
Your patients are looking to you for healing and support. And you need to give that to them, even if your world is falling apart around you. When possible – you need to check your baggage at the door and show up as the doctor and the healer in the office.
Know when to ditch the script
Scripts aren’t bad – they just don’t apply to every patient in every clinic in every situation. Any parrot can repeat a script, but being a real doctor requires you to know when to ditch the script and meet the patient where they are.
Have mentors – but choose carefully
Like it or not – those around you will have a tremendous influence on you. Choose positive mentors who give you practical advice that will move you forward.
Hustle
Leg Checks Are Not Enough
Use multiple criteria to make a better diagnosis. But sometimes – like on mission trips – you just won’t have access to all the diagnostic tools you’d like. So do what you can with what you have.
Don’t Settle
New grads – don’t settle for bad job offers. Working your butt off and still not being able to pay your bills can extinguish your fire. You don’t have to wait for the perfect job – but don’t settle for a job that will make you exhausted and stressed.
Board Scores
Many of you have just received your national board scores.
Congrats to those who passed – and congrats to those who didn’t.
While passing your boards is a necessary hoop to jump through, and some of that material may be useful in practice someday, boards don’t test you on many things.
Adjusting skill. Patient communication. Running a business. Marketing.
Just like your grades in school, your scores on boards are not an indicator of your success as a chiropractor.
So it may seem odd that I’m congratulating those who passed and those who didn’t. But I’m proud of all of you who took boards and are continuing to move forward – whether to the next part of boards or to take them again. Just be sure to keep sharpening your adjusting skills and keep learning what it takes to actually succeed in practice.