ARTICLE
Dr. Olson-Long did not even know much about chiropractic until she was training for her first marathon in 2011. She sustained an injury, and a sports chiropractor really helped her. At this time, Dr Olson-Long was president of her local running club, and she saw how much chiropractic helped other runners. She decided that she wanted to help keep people doing what they love to do, and this led her to Parker University. After graduating, Dr. Olson-Long opened a sports chiropractic practice, but she knew she ultimately wanted to get into chiropractic education. She started working part time at Parker University in 2018, while continuing to practice. In March 2020, she became a full-time faculty member teaching gross anatomy. She is now the department chair of basic sciences at Parker University. She obtained her Master’s in Higher Education from Dallas Baptist University in May 2022. Her passion is to help bring excellence to chiropractic education in order to continue to grow this profession. She is a member of the Parker University Alumni Board. Along with this, she is involved in the leadership of TCA district 5 where she helps to grow the relationship that TCA has with Parker University and works to get Dallas area chiropractors involved. She was the 2022 Doctor of the Year for District 5. How long have you been a member of TCA? I have been a member of the TCA for about 2 years now. Why did you join TCA? I joined TCA for a few different reasons. First of all, I work at Parker University, and I want to promote chiropractic in the state of Texas. Second, I wanted to get involved in chiropractic leadership. Third, the TCA is a huge advocate for the rights of chiropractors. And I believe in that! Fourth, TCA district five is a fun group of people to be around. Why did you get involved as a TCA district leader? I wanted to get involved in chiropractic leadership, and Dr. Andrew Oteo really gave me a chance to get involved. There are so many chiropractors in the Dallas area, and I wanted to help to grow awareness for the TCA. I also thought that if I could get involved in leadership, I could help the TCA reach new grads from Parker University. The TCA is a great organization, and I want to see it grow with young chiropractors. What are your plans to promote TCA on the Parker University campus? I want to help bridge the gap between the TCA and Parker University. I am part of the Next Gen committee. The focus of this committee is to grow membership of the TCA through reaching students and new grads. I plan to help this committee connect with Parker University. I plan to help grow the STCA club on campus by staying in communication with the student leadership. Students are also always welcome to network at the TCA District 5 mixers. We even have a mixer yearly on Parker University’s campus. What’s your biggest professional accomplishment so far? I really had to think long and hard about this one. When it comes down to it, I think that being the department chairperson of the basic sciences department at Parker University was a huge accomplishment. I worked really hard to prove that I deserved this position, it took a lot of hard work, but it paid off! With this position, I can help redesign the chiropractic curriculum while training and developing chiropractic educators at Parker College to improve student learning and outcomes, ultimately creating critical thinking graduates that will transform the chiropractic profession. What’s something about you (a fun fact) not many people know about you? Something not many people know? I am trying to get better at keeping plants alive. I currently have three plants. A cactus, an aloe plant, and a monstera plant. I might get a fourth plant soon. Also, I am training to run my first 50 mile ultra race. What are you currently binge watching? Actually, I am not binging anything right now. My friend and I just started a two person book club, and I have been spending any free time I would watch tv reading a book. This is our first book for this new book club, and it is called People We Meet On Vacation. I was watching way too many Netflix documentaries, and I had to take a break. If you could trade places with anyone for a day, who would it be and why? I would trade places with someone on a day a rocket is going into space to get on that rocket. What a surreal experience! I just want to be able to come right back.
Dr. Olson-Long did not even know much about chiropractic until she was training for her first marathon in 2011. She sustained an injury, and a sports chiropractor really helped her. At this time, Dr Olson-Long was president of her local running club, and she saw how much chiropractic helped other runners. She decided that she wanted to help keep people doing what they love to do, and this led her to Parker University. After graduating, Dr. Olson-Long opened a sports chiropractic practice, but she knew she ultimately wanted to get into chiropractic education. She started working part time at Parker University in 2018, while continuing to practice. In March 2020, she became a full-time faculty member teaching gross anatomy. She is now the department chair of basic sciences at Parker University. She obtained her Master’s in Higher Education from Dallas Baptist University in May 2022. Her passion is to help bring excellence to chiropractic education in order to continue to grow this profession. She is a member of the Parker University Alumni Board. Along with this, she is involved in the leadership of TCA district 5 where she helps to grow the relationship that TCA has with Parker University and works to get Dallas area chiropractors involved. She was the 2022 Doctor of the Year for District 5.
How long have you been a member of TCA?
I have been a member of the TCA for about 2 years now.
Why did you join TCA?
I joined TCA for a few different reasons. First of all, I work at Parker University, and I want to promote chiropractic in the state of Texas. Second, I wanted to get involved in chiropractic leadership. Third, the TCA is a huge advocate for the rights of chiropractors. And I believe in that! Fourth, TCA district five is a fun group of people to be around.
Why did you get involved as a TCA district leader?
I wanted to get involved in chiropractic leadership, and Dr. Andrew Oteo really gave me a chance to get involved. There are so many chiropractors in the Dallas area, and I wanted to help to grow awareness for the TCA. I also thought that if I could get involved in leadership, I could help the TCA reach new grads from Parker University. The TCA is a great organization, and I want to see it grow with young chiropractors.
What are your plans to promote TCA on the Parker University campus?
I want to help bridge the gap between the TCA and Parker University. I am part of the Next Gen committee. The focus of this committee is to grow membership of the TCA through reaching students and new grads. I plan to help this committee connect with Parker University. I plan to help grow the STCA club on campus by staying in communication with the student leadership. Students are also always welcome to network at the TCA District 5 mixers. We even have a mixer yearly on Parker University’s campus.
What’s your biggest professional accomplishment so far?
I really had to think long and hard about this one. When it comes down to it, I think that being the department chairperson of the basic sciences department at Parker University was a huge accomplishment. I worked really hard to prove that I deserved this position, it took a lot of hard work, but it paid off! With this position, I can help redesign the chiropractic curriculum while training and developing chiropractic educators at Parker College to improve student learning and outcomes, ultimately creating critical thinking graduates that will transform the chiropractic profession.
What’s something about you (a fun fact) not many people know about you?
Something not many people know? I am trying to get better at keeping plants alive. I currently have three plants. A cactus, an aloe plant, and a monstera plant. I might get a fourth plant soon. Also, I am training to run my first 50 mile ultra race.
What are you currently binge watching?
Actually, I am not binging anything right now. My friend and I just started a two person book club, and I have been spending any free time I would watch tv reading a book. This is our first book for this new book club, and it is called People We Meet On Vacation. I was watching way too many Netflix documentaries, and I had to take a break.
If you could trade places with anyone for a day, who would it be and why?
I would trade places with someone on a day a rocket is going into space to get on that rocket. What a surreal experience! I just want to be able to come right back.