Should You Even Be a Chiropractor?

by William D. Esteb

Across the chiropractic office landscape, in strip shopping centers, free-standing buildings, medical office complexes, and even in home offices, thousands of chiropractors are quietly going about the business of helping patients with their real or perceived health problems. Separated by distance or philosophy and isolated by location or income, these doctors find themselves in a profession that values individuality and scorns the mainstream, the status quo, and the conventional. They are each representatives of a profession that seems to have a history of attracting the passionate rebel or the opportunistic maverick. It is this hardy genetic lineage that has perhaps been partly responsible for the survival of chiropractic in the face of powerful adversaries and the indoctrination by mainstream cultural forces. Yet, the criteria for admittance into this noble profession has been, and remains, woefully lax.

Virtually any individual with modest (or better grades) and who is willing to assume six figures of debt (or work and study to exhaustion), pass the boards and licensing examinations (not necessarily a slam-dunk proposition the first time out), can become a chiropractor. Thus, anyone who thinks that being a chiropractor is a great way to make a lot of money or who merely holds a vague desire to "help people," can become a chiropractor. Thankfully, the freedom to act on this dream ("the pursuit of happiness") is guaranteed by our constitution. Those with the dream, the academic skills, and the means, are invited to act on their desires by a variety of excellent chiropractic colleges. Like pursuing happiness by other endeavors, becoming a chiropractor doesn't guarantee happiness or even success. Frankly, there are a lot of chiropractors who aren't happy and need the courage to investigate a different career path.

Dying a quiet death of desperation, these doctors usually have the technical skills to practice chiropractic, but lack the necessary interpersonal skills or are personality challenged. Others are hindered by character flaws, fear, or a variety of self-imposed limitations. They often feel trapped by circumstances. Either they lack the financial or creative resources to escape their professional hell or their pride prevents them from admitting to themselves, their families and friends that they are poorly equipped to successfully pursue their chosen careers.

The shame they would attach to such a decision, especially after spending so much time and money in their pursuits, places them in a holding pattern. The downward spiral continues until circumstances force their hands.

What is rarely discussed and even more rarely mentioned by those who counsel students, is that much more than adjusting skills is necessary to make a practice profitable and self-sustaining. Yes, discipline and a deep commitment to chiropractic principles can help overcome these personality-based defects, however, the uphill struggle that results never seems "natural" to patients and the practice seems forced.

If you sense chiropractic and the "rough air" that the future seems to hold, with ever decreasing insurance reimbursement, the influence HMOs have over patients, is not the place you could best serve the world, you have many choices. One is to dig in deeper and turn things around (recommended) or admit defeat and go on to Plan B. If you're ready to fight, here are some suggestions. They're not pretty, but then, neither is your problem.

Personality. Since personality transplants have not yet been perfected, your mission is to rise above the limitations of your "interface" with the world around you. If you sense your persona is the stumbling block to your advancement, you have several choices. Either change your personality (difficult) or create a work-around (easier). Here, the objective is a combination of "fake it `til you make it" and a modeling of personality traits of those who seem to have successful practices. Like I said, this isn't pretty! As uncomfortable as a pair of pants that are a couple of sizes too small, trying to emulate someone else's personality is disorienting and, well, unsavory. If it's too uncomfortable, investigate working for the post office!

Modeling a vivacious, outgoing personality may be a bit of a stretch, but that's what's necessary here. Most of the challenge is overcoming your own self-consciousness. You are so aware of every inflection, every muscle of your body, every word you utter, that relaxing and being less intentional and spontaneous goes against everything that you cling to that has given you security and gotten you to this point in your life. Giving up this inclination and predisposition is the unnatural act that is required. Soon, you discover the world doesn't end. Life becomes more exciting and interesting. Patient's seem more responsive. Change has occurred.

Fear. Chiropractic college can fill many students with unnecessary fears of practice. Many students emerge from college clinic with a paranoia that makes practice virtually impossible. Nearly everything is a potential malpractice case. Some new practitioners assume that since malpractice problems only occur when patients are involved, the easiest way to avoid losing the privilege to practice is to avoid patients, or avoid doing anything that might have the potential of resulting in misunderstandings, or challenge a patient behavior or belief.

The result is a timid, tentative practice in which the full power of chiropractic is never unleashed for the benefit of its patients. Instead, the doctor lurks in the background, hoping that the therapy and other low confrontational treatment approaches produce a happy result. Meanwhile, patients detect a lack of resolve and confidence that can actually sabotage the healing process.

The only way I know to overcome fear is to face it head on. Stare it down. Play with it. Tease it. Tempt it. Take small risks first if you must. Ultimately you must do exactly that which you fear. Otherwise, it controls you and diverts your power, dissipates your energy, and blunts your impact. There are no shortcuts. A bone becomes strong by stressing it and is weakened when the forces of gravity and other stresses are removed. You have placed your psyche in a rigid cast and a sling of fear. It's time to remove the artificial protection of fear that stands in the way of your success.

Self-imposed restrictions. All of us allow certain standards, rules, or limitations to control our lives. This is good. It helps us avoid lewd behaviors or saying something that could hurt others. When turned inward and allowed to go unchecked, these self-imposed limitations prevent us from advancing the practice, firing non-essential or unproductive staff members, collecting the money that is owed us, or demanding respect from patients.

That doesn't mean you throw out the high standards and moral discipline that has guided you all these years! But it does suggest that you question the seemingly artificial barriers you have erected that are preventing you from soaring to new heights.

It may be a particular adjusting style, a time-consuming procedure, an assumption about what patients want, or some other obsessive behavior that is unnecessarily crippling your practice. The first step is to perform a thorough inventory of the status quo. Ask for some advice from someone objective. If they are honest, their suggestions are likely to make you feel uncomfortable. You probably find security in these beliefs that are holding back your practice. It's time to outgrow them and move on to the next stage of your development. Leave the cocoon. Fly away

Excerpted from
Striking a Nerve
Originally published in 1993
240 Pages
US $24.95

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