I am very close to graduating. Just a few weeks and I will be off to preceptor in Massachusetts and then before I know it, I will be graduating. My entire class has been in a flurry of activity trying to get ready for all these changes. During this tumultuous time, however, it is important to remember where we have been.
One of my friends recently started a discussion board on the school's blackboard server. This discussion brings us back to one of the age-old questions of chiropractic. One of the questions we would have debated back in quarter 3. Now, though, we have a basis for debate. At this point in our careers we are clinicians. We see actual patients and actual results. Looking back at the last 4 academic years, I can see the faulty thought processes, the ideas that didn't pan out, and--fortunately--the topics whose core truths came to fruition.
All of this got me thinking about some things I wish I could have told my lower-quarter-self. These might be helpful to all of you as you are starting your Palmer education.
School is a hurdle.
Don't get frustrated with school. It is hard, it is harrowing. Invariably, some professors will not be your favorites. Some classes will seem like a waste of time. Some days will go by extremely slowly. Etc, etc. Remember that at the end of these few short years, you will be a doctor and try to see the bright spots between the frustrations. Just get through it.
Educational settings are polarized.
This is true of all institutions, but especially true in chiropractic. This is due largely to the fact that those who want to teach typically have a highly-developed paradigm. They are also extremely willing to share it--otherwise, they would not have chosen to do this job. Because of this, the subjective information received during school can be confusing, contradictory, and frustrating. Just remember that while practicing, it's the doctor and the patient--no tests, no professors, no paradigm impeachment.
Principle #6: Time.
Traditionally, life (with a decidedly chiropractic slant) has 33 principles. The only one I know well enough to use regularly is principle #6 (paraphrased): "All processes take time." This is true in all aspects of life, certainly not only chiropractic. While you are a student, remember that assimilation of information takes time, adjusting to a new schedule takes time, and becoming a clinician takes major time. Don't stress.
Think about these things as you move forward... so will I.
One of my friends recently started a discussion board on the school's blackboard server. This discussion brings us back to one of the age-old questions of chiropractic. One of the questions we would have debated back in quarter 3. Now, though, we have a basis for debate. At this point in our careers we are clinicians. We see actual patients and actual results. Looking back at the last 4 academic years, I can see the faulty thought processes, the ideas that didn't pan out, and--fortunately--the topics whose core truths came to fruition.
All of this got me thinking about some things I wish I could have told my lower-quarter-self. These might be helpful to all of you as you are starting your Palmer education.
School is a hurdle.
Don't get frustrated with school. It is hard, it is harrowing. Invariably, some professors will not be your favorites. Some classes will seem like a waste of time. Some days will go by extremely slowly. Etc, etc. Remember that at the end of these few short years, you will be a doctor and try to see the bright spots between the frustrations. Just get through it.
Educational settings are polarized.
This is true of all institutions, but especially true in chiropractic. This is due largely to the fact that those who want to teach typically have a highly-developed paradigm. They are also extremely willing to share it--otherwise, they would not have chosen to do this job. Because of this, the subjective information received during school can be confusing, contradictory, and frustrating. Just remember that while practicing, it's the doctor and the patient--no tests, no professors, no paradigm impeachment.
Principle #6: Time.
Traditionally, life (with a decidedly chiropractic slant) has 33 principles. The only one I know well enough to use regularly is principle #6 (paraphrased): "All processes take time." This is true in all aspects of life, certainly not only chiropractic. While you are a student, remember that assimilation of information takes time, adjusting to a new schedule takes time, and becoming a clinician takes major time. Don't stress.
Think about these things as you move forward... so will I.
