ARTICLE
The Power of Mentorship This year marks my 30th anniversary since graduating from Palmer College of Chiropractic. I have enjoyed a successful chiropractic career, and I am humbled by the good people of Amarillo and the Texas Panhandle in trusting me and our team with their health. You might ask, “What’s next?” In addition to serving my chosen profession as president of the Texas Chiropractic Association, I am committed to helping the next generation of chiropractors succeed. Precision Chiropractic regularly hosts interns at our clinic to give them practical experience, both hands-on and in business. As a third-generation doctor of chiropractic, I had phenomenal mentors along the way, and mentorship is my path to pay it forward. I try to make myself available to new DCs and chiropractic students who demonstrate a passion for chiropractic and an eagerness to learn. If you’ve been in practice for a few years, I challenge you to do the same by becoming a mentor. In 2024, TCA’s Next Gen DCs Committee launched our NextGen NextMentor program to help chiropractors excel in their careers. TCA matches chiropractors with similar professional interests and guides mentees (DCs in their first four years of practice) in their professional lives and clinical experiences. Don’t worry! Being a Next Gen mentor doesn’t have to be a major time drain. You and your mentee will create a schedule that works for you both. But sharing your experiences, answering questions, and being a trusted resource is invaluable, and you can make a huge impact. It’s not too late to fill out the mentor application. And, if you’re a new DC, I strongly encourage you to apply to become a mentee. Applications will be accepted through January 31. Visit the NextMentor webpage for more details. Of course, there are other avenues to mentorship. Parker University’s renowned Community-Based Internships (CBI) program is outstanding and allows Tri 10 students to participate in a 15-week program to gain experience, and Parker’s Practice-Based Internships (PBI) program gives students supervised training from experienced DCs. Finally, Texas Chiropractic College’s preceptorship program allows TCC students to gain real-world exposure. Mentorship is our duty as chiropractors. Remember, there are just over 7,000 licensed chiropractors in the state of Texas, and research tells us that chiropractic is reaching barely 10% of the population. I believe chiropractic is the premier healthcare option, and the marketplace is underserved. Don’t consider these new and future DCs as competitors; instead, welcome them as future colleagues. When a patient has a transformative chiropractic experience, we ALL win! J. Todd Whitehead, DC TCA President