What is up with these chiropractic colleges lately? I’ve had a slew of new graduates email us this last year in near states of panic saying they are nearly six figures in debt and no idea how to pay it off. (i.e. they got the debt, they don’t got the marketing/business know-how to save themselves.)
Are the chiropractic colleges pumping out too many chiropractors? And, are they enrolling students aggressively – maybe too aggressively – and graduating them burdened them with debt? Hey, don’t shoot the messenger here.
According to this blog post Too Many Chiropractors, Not Enough Demand — Chiropractic Student Loans, “from 1995 to 2008 (estimated), there are 36,000 new chiropractors, yet only 7% of the population ever sees a chiropractor — and that number hasn’t changed in 20 years.”
Dr. Timothy Mirtz wrote an article called The Student Loan Mess: Why Chiropractic Is in Trouble and although dated, he spells out the core problem. (read the article)
My two cents on this has always been: he (or she) who is the better marketer and entrepreneur of chiropractic services will be the one who has the successful practice BUT very few graduates have a freaking clue how to get in the patients, how to market ethically without “pressuring” patients, and so they are unarmed to deal with the debt once they’re kicked out the doors into the ‘real world.’
It would be in everyone’s mutual interest to graduate students with a solid BUSINESS AND MARKETING background so that they can build a successful practice and help patients. Aside: for you skeptical types, let me emphatically state that I have nada, zilch, ZERO interest in working with a chiro college, so this is not some grand scheme to get them to hire me or anything. I’d last one day in there anyway before they’d throw me out on my ass.
Here’s my solution: When you graduate from school, the schooling never “ends” in fact it’s just starting because now you need to dedicate every waking moment to mastering the art of practice building, practice development, and practice marketing. Make this your magnificent obsession and you will prosper in this or any business because good marketing skills are transferable to any industry.
Someone wise once said: “Any idiot can start a business. However it takes a dedicated one to build it into something worthy.”
What’s your opinion? Let’s have at it…
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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Hmmm, too many chiropractors…Definately at this time. Our schools are all “for profit” and are interested in that aspect only. Our profession though as a group has contributed to the problem by failing (abismally) in my opinion to market and position us as the profession to turn to. We have run an “advertising campaign” now for I think 2 years that is trying to create a good “impression”, rather than show people why we need to be the source for the public to turn to. That leaves us as individual docs to market ourselves effectively. Thankfully there are people like you out there helping us to do this!
Dr Miller,
You make a great point.
What is the reason why these schools give NO marketing or entrepreneurial education on the business side of things to prepare them? It would seem to be in their best interest if they wish to be repaid:) They could even make it an optional elective. There are hundreds (maybe thousands) or retired entrepreneurs who would probably teach such a class for peanuts.
Even some of the basics like how to read a Profit & Loss Statement is not understood by the majority of graduates and that is really a shame.
Ben
The problem isn’t that their are too many Chiropractors, it’s that MD’s are failing to honor their oath, “above all do no harm”.
80% of the public will have back problems
Research shows Chiropractic is the best for this.
Back Surgery has a 16% success rate which drops to about 10% after 5 years.
There should need to be more chiropractic doctors, but again, the MD’s are not following their oath are they!?
Whoo-doggie… bring it brother! I like your passion Michael!
Ben
Having “too many chiropractors” is not the problem. The problem is tht we don’t know how to market our services. Who’s fault is it that the general public knows that chiropractic is good only for bad low backs? We don’t have a large national association to run TV spots talking about the benefits if regular care, so it’s up to us (the Docs) to educate our respective communities about what health is, and how chiropractic care can improve their wellbeing. Chiropactic school did not give me the marketing knowledge I needed, and don’t think they could incorporate it effectivley. I looked at marketing courses as “post-graduate education.” Finding PBC has given me the education in marketing that I needed.
It would appear that Veterinary Medicine is the safest profession to get into if one doesn’t want to default on student loans $33,671 versus the Chiropractic default figure at an astronomical $73,087,922!