Five Ways to Make Your Chiropractic Career More Fulfilling
Kristi Hudson
Over the years, I have met CAs who have worked in practices for six months and some who have invested more than 20 years in a practice. Interestingly, most CAs did not look at this position as a long-term career but as more of a "resting spot" on their way to another career. When I began my career in chiropractic more than seven years ago, I could never have imagined that I would have the job I have now. I was simply looking for a "resting spot," or a place to work until I figured out what I wanted to be when I grew up. Instead, I ended up finding a career that has given me much personal and professional fulfillment.
Here are a few suggestions for how to maximize your career opportunities as a chiropractic assistant.
1.Know your business.
Many of us came from industries outside of health care. Even those who have worked in health care can tell you chiropractic is different. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Embrace curiosity and learn everything you can about your practice—from why the doctor decided to become a chiropractor to the care plans that he or she recommends. There is so much to be gained by learning how all of the
parts fit together in your practice, and the first step is discovering what inspired your doctor to choose chiropractic.
2. Stay "in the know."
Join message boards for chiropractic assistants, attend state association meetings and seminars, attend webinars, and sign up for newsletters. Thanks to the wonderful world of Google, you are one click away from valuable resources that will help you face and quickly overcome the challenges in your clinic. There are articles and classes on everything from customer service to compliance.
3. Be brave.
Don't let fear keep you from finding your true passion. My fear of public speaking was so debilitating that I once snuck out of a class and hid in a bathroom for 30 minutes. Ironically, I was attending a class to help me overcome my fear of public speaking. After several more classes and a lot of encouragement from Dr. Foxworth, I still feel nervous but not fearful when I speak in front of a crowd. If I had let my fear of public speaking and my fear of failure get the best of me, I would have missed out on one of the most exciting parts of my job.
More often than not, there is much more work to do than there are hours in the day or hands in the office. As you begin to enhance your existing skills and learn new ones, you mayfindthat not only doyou become more efficient in your current position, but also that you feel ready to tackle other challenges in the office. Before volunteering to implement a compliance program or take the lead in implementing a new product or software, be sure that you communicate with your doctor about timelines and deadlines for accomplishing these new endeavors and that both of you are on the same page. Communication is the key to success when it comes to expanding your responsibilities and positioning yourself as an even greater asset to the practice.
5. Find a mentor.
Find someone whose career path you admire. Be sure that it is someone with whom you connect and respect. If not, it will be much harder to seek that person's advice and even harder to take the advice. A good mentor will ask tough questions and challenge you to exceed your goals. Check in regularly by phone ore-mail and try to meet face to face every few months. Having an engaged mentor in your corner can
go a long way in building your confidence and paving the way to future success.
Robert Frost's famous poem says, "I took the road less traveled and that has made all the difference." For me, the road less traveled brought me to chiropractic. Dr. Foxworth hired me to be his assistant less than 24 hours after placing an ad on Craigslist. My responsibilities now hardly resemble my responsibilities then. I began learning new skills, sought out new responsibilities, and ultimately found my life's passion. I would have neverthought it would have been in chiropractic. Whether you chose this profession as a career or as a "resting spot," you owe it to yourself to spend this time wisely and to maximize every opportunity to see where the road less traveled takes you.
Kristi Hudson is a certified professional compliance officer (CPCO). She serves as the Director of Business Relationships for ChiroHealthUSA M’here she has helped to educate DCs and CAs on establishing simple and compliant financial policies. She also M’orks with state and national organizations to provide educational awareness on changes within the profession. You can contact Kristi at 888-7199990 or [email protected], or you can visit the ChiroHealthUSA website at www.chirohealthusa.com.
