Chiropractic Education: What You Really Need from Your Chiropractic Internship

When you start your internship, you know that you’ve come a long way since the beginning of your chiropractic education. At this point, you’re in the final stage of earning your chiropractic degree. This internship is a once in a lifetime experience, and it’s not all about perfecting your adjusting skills. You’re about to become your own boss and help people to find wellness and recovery without the need for invasive surgery or medications.

So, what do you need to think about during this part of your chiropractic education? Management. Yes, management. Here’s what we mean.

Managing Patients

During your internship, consider how you will manage these aspects of your patients:

• Care
• Expectations
• Experience

Remember, your chiropractic education never really stops. As an intern, talk with your mentors and supervisors to discover what techniques and practices work for them. Go one step further and keep detailed notes; your future doctor self will thank you.

Managing Your Practice

If you haven’t already begun thinking about it, it’s time to put the details of managing and operating your future practice in a written business plan. If you already have started writing a business plan, keep developing it.

Many things won’t follow your plan. That’s life. The experience of putting together your business plan will help you to be comfortable asking questions and finding the answers you need to successfully manage your practice. What if you’re not going into a solo practice? You still need a business plan.

Remember, while your chiropractic education is designed to teach you how to be a chiropractor, it’s not a business degree. To learn more about managing your practice, turn to resources at your college as well as local and national chiropractic organizations. For example, at CUKC, chiropractic interns participate in the Success Strategies Club.

Here are 4 things to consider and questions to ask yourself during your internship:

1. Time: When is a convenient time for your patients to receive chiropractic care? What will you do between seeing patients? What will you do when the office is closed?
2. Billing: How will you price your services and be compensated? Will you need to hire someone to do your billing and coding, or are you prepared to do this?
3. Staffing: What jobs and tasks do you need to do yourself? What services, such as cleaning or scheduling, should you hire someone to do? What does your plan suggest you can afford?
4. Networking: How many new patients do you need to see each week to grow and maintain your practice? Where can you meet people on a regular basis? What organizations should you join?

Managing Yourself

You’ve already shown the discipline needed to get this far, so you’re on the right path toward living your dreams by making a difference for your patients. As a caring individual, it may not always be easy to give yourself the time and attention you need to recharge and refresh.

Being a doctor of chiropractic is a profoundly fulfilling and rewarding career, and it is even more so when you are taking care of yourself, too.

During your internship, be mindful of how you are caring for yourself and incorporate self-care into your routine. Whether it’s taking a reading break, relaxing with friends, or going to the gym, these are the kinds of activities that will help you feel balanced – not only while getting your chiropractic education but after graduation.

Discover Your Future at CUKC

Cleveland University-Kansas City (CUKC) is a private, nonprofit, healthcare-focused university that offers a Doctor of Chiropractic degree you can earn in 3.3 years. The University’s College of Chiropractic has a nearly 100-year tradition of educational excellence and is the first chiropractic educational institution in the U.S. with two force-sensing tables available to its students.

CUKC has several student clubs and organizations, including the Success Strategies Club, which provides students with the skills needed to succeed after graduation. CUKC also has an on-campus student chiropractic clinic and a separate on-campus outpatient chiropractic health center where CUKC students intern.

Get more information about the CUKC doctor of chiropractic degree (D.C.) program from the Office of Admissions today. For detailed career information, download the free ebook Your Complete Guide to the Chiropractic Profession now.