The Absolute Worst Practice Advice
Did you miss an opportunity to become a chiropractor-fireman?
Yesterday, I had the misfortune of stumbling upon the worst piece of practice advice I have ever read in a chiropractic Facebook group.
I’ve since left the group so I can’t quote directly, but I’ll paraphrase:
New grads should practice part-time as chiropractors and also as firefighters, so they can have a steady paycheck and a pension later on.
The “expert advice giver” suggested you can see 10 people a week to pay down loans and then once you retire from firefighting, you can practice full time.
The original poster, who claims to be a successful chiropractor himself, apparently “says this all the time to new grads” and wished he had done the same.
Ignoring, for a moment, the obvious hypocrisy of dishing out practice advice that you have not followed, I was surprised to see the responses that were 99% supportive!
Only one person out of the 40 or so comments thought this was a bad idea.
The group, which dubs itself an “idea platform” and “think tank” for the “modern” chiropractors, tends to cater to young, impressionable grads, and offers the typical 1980s practice-building advice: Doctors reports, screenings, patient appreciations days with plates of lunch meat and crackers etc.
I know, I know, these tactics “work” but at what cost to your reputation and potential referrals?
Is this the best we have to offer our new grads?
While I don’t pay much attention to chiropractors on Facebook these days, it seems like our innovation days are behind us now.
Coaches and consultants just seem to be recycling professional and personal development tactics they learned at a weekend seminar.
Watching the newest crop of practice consultants is like watching a cover band of Tony Robbins: It sounds similar but lacks heart.
To my firefighter aficionado: No, you can’t be a successful chiropractor AND a firefighter.
Building a chiropractic practice requires focus, long hours and hard work. Just like any other business.
Distractions, paid or unpaid, take up too much mental real estate and will keep you from performing your at your best in either domain.
Pick one and get to work.