first year out

Stupid mistakes new chiropractic grads make

We have some exciting changes coming your way at First Year Out. Until we're ready to spill the beans, though, check out this great post by Sherman friend Dr. Brandon Harshe. He's a new grad eager to keep you from repeating the same mistakes he's made.

Read it: 5 Tips to Help You Avoid the Stupid Mistakes I've Made.

My Calling...On a Larger Platform

As I grow older (yes, I turn 30 this year…yikes!), I seem to see more and more of the big picture of life. I use to feel I was the “see the dot ahead of me” type person. But now I see the dots connecting, and forming such a beautiful, intricate network of possibilities and promises. I feel energized just writing that statement.

I am excited to announce my new position as the Director of the Reach Out and Recruit (ROAR) program at Sherman. My practice life is definitely not over. In fact, it will start gaining steam soon. But in addition to helping people reach their full health potential, I am now helping people reach their life’s purpose! I get chills thinking about it. I love that I am in such a cool position, with wonderful opportunities.

As the Director of ROAR, my goal is to help motivated, passionate DCs recruit more motivated & passionate DCs. Our field is growing, but not fast enough. We want to encourage the chiropractic field to recruit more passionate, skilled and successful future DCs, while sharing an awesome wellness message.

In practice there are certain patients/practice members who want to be part of the wellness movement, who want to change people’s lives. Since chiropractors on average spend more time with their patients than allopathic practitioners, they get to know their patients more personally. During this one-on-one time, DCs are even able to share their personal journeys through school and life, stories that tell how they decided on this field.

My job is to help give ardent chiropractors the tools to guide those inquisitive, passionate patients/practice members through the educational process of becoming a doctor of chiropractic. The ROAR program is already growing, and I am very proud of the members who have stepped up to the plate. We truly have wonderful DCs who want to share the “good news” of chiropractic.

This post will end my run on this blog. I will begin a new blog for the ROAR program, so keep your eyes peeled for what these passionate DCs are doing in their hometowns. Sherman truly wants to change lives, through the passion of its alumni and supporters! If you want to join us and help us ROAR, please e-mail me (jbrowning@sherman.edu) or call 800-849-8771, ext. 220. 

 

 

 

 

(Picture from: Gerzabek Artist Gallery)

Is Cleanliness to Blame for Increasing Allergies?

I know I harp on a lot of things, but this issue is extremely important. The more and more science is looking into this issue, the more they are finding a common theme: being "too clean" is causing all sorts of health issues. Living with bacteria is a symbiotic relationship. We can't live healthily without them.

Check out this latest article from Science Daily.

Is Cleanliness to Blame for Increasing Allergies?

Science Daily (Apr. 14, 2010)

Allergies have become a widespread in developed countries: hay fever, eczema, hives and asthma are all increasingly prevalent. The reason? Excessive cleanliness is to blame according to Dr. Guy Delespesse, a professor at the Université de Montréal Faculty of Medicine.

Allergies can be caused by family history, air pollution, processed foods, stress, tobacco use, etc. Yet our limited exposure to bacteria concerns Dr. Delespesse, who is also director of the Laboratory for Allergy Research at the Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal.

"There is an inverse relationship between the level of hygiene and the incidence of allergies and autoimmune diseases," says Dr. Delespesse. "The more sterile the environment a child lives in, the higher the risk he or she will develop allergies or an immune problem in their lifetime."

In 1980, 10 percent of the Western population suffered from allergies. Today, it is 30 percent. In 2010, one out of 10 children is said to be asthmatic and the mortality rate resulting from this affliction increased 28 percent between 1980 and 1994.

"It's not just the prevalence but the gravity of the cases," says Dr. Delespesse. "Regions in which the sanitary conditions have remained stable have also maintained a constant level of allergies and inflammatory diseases."

"Allergies and other autoimmune diseases such as Type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis are the result of our immune system turning against us," says Dr. Delespesse.

Why does this happen? "The bacteria in our digestive system are essential to digestion and also serve to educate our immune system. They teach it how to react to strange substances. This remains a key in the development of a child's immune system."

Although hygiene does reduce our exposure to harmful bacteria it also limits our exposure to beneficial microorganisms. As a result, the bacterial flora of our digestive system isn't as rich and diversified as it used to be.

Dr. Delespesse recommends probiotics to enrich our intestinal flora. Probiotics are intestinal bacteria that have a beneficial impact on health. They've been used for decades to make yogurt. Probiotics have a proven effect on treating diarrhea, and studies are increasingly concluding similar benefits for the immune system and allergies.

"Consuming probiotics during pregnancy could help reduce allergies in the child," says Dr. Delespesse. "They are not a miracle remedy, yet they are one of many elements that improve our diet and our health."

Reference:

University of Montreal (2010, April 14). Is cleanliness to blame for increasing allergies? ScienceDaily. Retrieved April 15, 2010, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2010/04/100413160901.htm

My First Day of Practice...EVER!

Hey Everyone!  Hope y'all had a great weekend!  Well, yesterday was my first official day at Life is Good Chiropractic and it was AWESOME!  This first couple of days I'm meeting a lot of the practice members for the first time and even adjusting some of them.  I also started learning some of the paperwork ins and outs.  As much as there is, it's nothing compared to the intern paperwork!  Another thing that's different is all the insurance paperwork.  There's such a difference between them all and the trick is just to getting used to them.  I even learned a little about the Personal Injury paperwork we do that's submitted to the insurance companies.  There's still a lot to learn and I know that eventually I'll have it all down pat.

We also have a little chiropractors lunch every month or so and yesterday was my first one!  There's like 8-10 chiropractors that just get together to talk a little business and be a little social.  It was super fun and it was great to meet other chiropractors in the area.  Another reason it's so great is that we're all straight chiropractors.  I learned on my interview trail, that there isn't many of us left, so it was fantastic to see so many like minded people together.  It's crazy what a small world it is, too!  Dr. Sandy, one of the chiropractors in our little group, and I actually met at Part IV Board reviews in Atlanta last fall.  Everyone was super sweet and super excited for me on my first day and it was great to feel so welcome!

Another surprise I had yesterday was the delivery of some pretty beautiful flowers.  I feel pretty blessed to have so many people support and love me.  We have some pretty awesome decoration in the office now!  Check it out!

       
I just want to Thank Dr. Bryn, Dr. Gerry, Krista and Verena for making my day super fabulous!  Also thanks to everyone for the support and good luck wishes over the last week!  Y'all make the journey so much more enjoyable for me!

Here comes Peter Cottontail...

Hey Everyone!  This past Easter weekend I experienced my first event at Life is Good Chiropractic!  I know, right? Super exciting!  Each year the office holds an Easter Egg Hunt for the community.  It was AWESOME.  Patients came to get adjusted with their families and enjoyed a little pre-hunt feast of pizza, cupcakes, carrots, juice, and candy. We even had a family come for the hunt and then decided to get adjusted and start care.  That in itself is PHENOMENAL. I played the Easter Bunny and helped hide all 320 chocolate filled eggs.  It was so cute to see the little ones directed by their parents to pick up an egg all while holding the video camera.  We also gave away large prizes and hid numbers for the prizes in some of the eggs with the chocolate.  It was pretty funny to see the older kids pick up an egg, shake it for chocolate, hear the chocolate, then set it back down.  They thought they were being sly just looking for an egg with the numbers.  Little did they know we out-smarted them!  Here are some of the cutie-pa-tooties looking for the eggs!

 

  

I spent Easter Sunday with Dr. Bryn, her family, and her husband's family.  It was such a beautiful day and we had such a great time.  We had an Easter Egg Hunt for Jakob, Dr. Bryn's oldest son, and we followed him around the yard for like an hour.  That bunny sure left a lot of eggs!  It's so cute to see a two year old "discover" eggs.  It's quite the event.

I officially start in the office April 19th.  Can't wait to report on my first day!

What's All the Talk About?

One of things I LOVE to do is talk. Okay, I'm a chatty-Kathy at heart. I love to meet people, get to know all about them, learn something new, and share perspectives on all sorts of things in life. Nothing thrills me more.

Well, in chiropractic I am able to use this *talent* to educate and provoke thought in the general public. Every other Monday, we hold Upper Cervical Orientation classes in our office. During this time, (with the help of a well-timed PowerPoint) I share information on our current "health care" and the true meaning of health. It gives me a hour of opportunity to help people see that the last X amount of years of their lives they have been told a lie. And I get the pleasure of telling them how and why, while sharing the truth with them.

Sharing this information with the general public is really one of my favorite things about my job. I credit my husband as being an awesome role model at taking the complex and making it very simple. So many times in my life, I have been quite perplexed with situations...more times than I would like to share. But Kyle (my husband), with all his wonderful talents, has been able to put those situations into a format that I could easily digest and absorb. 

Well, this is what we do for the public. We take all this silly medical jargon, statistics, tactics, etc and put them into "real people" terms. It is an awesome feeling to see patients and their guests get the big idea. Literally, I feel like I see light bulbs go off around the room, when I am explaining the definition of true health. I think part of the success of these educational forums is the fact that people know something is a muck in health care, they just can not quite put their finger on it. So, I become the finger pointer. Ha!

Tonight, I am embarking on a new group of people. I am speaking at a Meet-up.com group meeting. It is a group of like-minded individuals, searching for better health and a better life. They are sick of disease care, and want answers on how to live well. My talk will not be the same as with lay persons; however, upper cervical care is life changing, and they need this information just as much as anyone.

I am excited about another opportunity to share the message of hope. We have seen so many people gain hope and their lives back in this office; how can we not share the good news? It is our duty. And I am up for the challenge!

 

License to Heal...

Okay. Again, sorry for the lapse in posting, but I’ve been a busy bee.  Since I’ve last posted I’ve managed to pack up my house and move 10 hours north to Brodheadsville, PA.  Mom and Dad came down, helped me pack up “the little red trailer” and then we headed up a week ago!  We unloaded in the rain and I have officially moved in to my one bedroom apartment.  The next hurdle was getting cable/internet and I had to wait a week for that!  Let me tell you, life without internet is no life at all.  I feel like I’ve been back to the 20^th century ;-). 

In other news, I am officially licensed in the state of Pennsylvania!  The licensing process varies from state to state and here are some things to consider:

• Prior Education - Some states, like West Virginia for example, require you to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree prior to receiving your Doctorate of Chiropractic.  While other states only require you to have the 90 hours of pre-requisites needed to apply to chiropractic school.

• National Boards - Want to practice in North Carolina?  They require you to score a minimum of 475 out of 800 on Part IV of National Boards.  Illinois on the other hand doesn’t even require Part IV, they only ask for passing scores on Parts I – III.  Most states, such as Ohio, need applicants to pass the Physiotherapy National Board.

• Jurisprudence/Law Exam - Each state has their own version of a jurisprudence examination based on their state chiropractic laws.  I laughed my way through the Pennsylvania one, as it’s pretty simple.  North Carolina is a real stickler for the rules as you must sit through a day of classes prior to sitting for their examination.  Some states, like Louisiana only offer their examination three times a year, so it’s important to know how soon you can be licensed following graduation.

• Misc. Requests - A common thing I found while applying for jobs in various states was that the state boards required you to take a trip to the local police station to be fingerprinted.  In Ohio it’s an additional $61 to go and have that done.  I guess they need to be reallllly sure you’re not a felon?

• Fees - Each state has a different license fee.  Pennsylvania is quite possibly one of the least expensive coming in at $25, Michigan and South Carolina are in the middle with $120 and Ohio is $250.  Be careful when applying as some of the states do not offer refunds if something doesn’t work out and you chose not to go there.

As you can see, there’s a lot involved in licensing.  In order to see what your state requires you can visit your state chiropractic board website or go to the FCLB Directory.

So now that I have a license number I can get things like malpractice insurance and apply for my medicare provider number.  Also, as a new graduate you get a pretty sweet deal on joining professional organizations.  It is super important to join these organizations as many of them politically lobby for chiropractic at the federal and state levels. They provide a great system of networking for other chiropractors in your area and frequently offer Continuing Education opportunities.  I’ll let you know more about the ones I join in a few months!

TTFN!

Patience is a Virtue...

Hey Everyone!  Sorry for my lengthy absence from blogging, but I wanted to wait until I could officially announce it. I HAVE A JOB! WHOOOO HOOOO.  That process took way longer than originally anticipated, but my patience paid off.  I found the perfect place for me!  I have accepted an associateship with fellow Sherman Alum Dr. Bryn Gillow at Life is Good Chiropractic in Brodheadsville, PA.  I literally fell in love with the practice.  I love the team mentality, the philosophy, the tables, the atmosphere, and so much more!  Even though it was super frustrating that I was unemployed for so long, I’m so glad things ended up the way they did.  Just another reason to show that God has a reason for everything he does.

Now for the best part…y’all get to be part of the journey with me!  There will be pictures, learning experiences, news, laughs, opinions, frustrations, good times, and everything in between.  You'll get to meet Dr. Bryn and the rest of the team soon enough, I promise.   I’m very excited to start the process rolling!  The first step is to get rolling on my license and the moving process.  Mom and Dad are coming back in 17 days to move me up to Pennsylvania so I can start being in the office the Monday after Easter.  There’s sooooo much to do!  I’m going to be heading back up to Brodheadsville next week to find someplace to live!  Seriously, SUPER Excited!

Last but not least, I had my professional picture taken for print materials and I love it!  I also had some fun graduation ones taken.  My photographer, Monica Parkkonen, did an awesome job!  Here are a few to share!

 

 

 

A Woman's Perspective on Upper Cervical Care

I decided to write this blog after spending an awesome day shadowing a phenomenal female upper cervical doctor. Her name, Dr. Corinne Weaver. 

I decided to shadow Dr. Weaver in an attempt to see how she builds relationships with her patients, while she maintains a thriving, healthy practice. As a female doctor, I know what I bring to the table is different. I do not approach patient visits the same as my male counterparts. I am eager to connect, and eager to care for them. I want to know about their lives, and get excited as their health progresses under care. I want to connect emotionally, and show empathy for them or for their family with whatever they are going through. It's almost a motherly feeling, even if the patient trumps me by a few decades. Ha!

Dr. Weaver understands these ideas as well. She is a true nurturer. She makes no qualms that she loves her patients, and loves expressing that to them. And even though her practice moves at a very fast, efficient pace, she spends quality time with her patients. Patients do not leave feeling rushed, cut-off, or minimally cared for. In fact, she only sat down twice when I shadowed, and that was to answer a few of my questions. However, she made sure to connect with each of her patients. She is motivated, passionate, and her love for the Lord is palpable.

I picked Dr. Weaver's brain, hoping to find her "magic key to success." And her main answer to all of my questions was, "you just love on your patients, Jaime; you just love them." I could have shadowed her for a week. I loved watching her energy, and seeing how much her patients loved her. I wonder if her patients know how blessed they are to have such a caring doctor? Without a doubt, I bet they do.

Thanks, Dr. Weaver, for your time and compassion. Your passion and intent is true.
If you would like to schedule a visit to Dr. Weaver's office, below is her information:

Dr. Corinne Weaver
Dr. Lisa Longobardo
14015-D East Independence Blvd
Indian Trail, NC 28079
Phone: 704-882-1488
UCHC Indian Trail, NC 

Observing a real practice in New Orleans

It has been a while since I have written anything and I am upset about that. I have been doing so much lately that I lose track of what I am doing sometimes. I have started my Practice Management Observation back home in New Orleans. Everything has been going great for me here. As I am in this office observing, I have learned a lot about how a practice is supposed to be run. I have to be honest; it seems like a lot of work at times. I was a little overwhelmed with how much goes on outside of regular office hours. But one thing that I have learned is, as an owner of a successful practice, you must be on top of everything that goes on in the office.

Being in Sherman’s clinic was a good experience for me as it was for many other people. The one thing it does not get you used to is actually being busy. I thought being busy was having anywhere from 4 to 6 patients come in one day. I look at that now and laugh because if I was only seeing 4 to 6 patients a day, I would not make it as a chiropractor. This is one really good reason why this observation is so good for students to do. In fact, I would love it if every student was required to go to a practice somewhere and observe how a real practice operates day to day. Even if it wasn’t for an entire quarter, I still think students would get a lot out of this observation.

Well, I look forward to writing something new again soon. I just hope that Mardi Gras does not throw me off too much!