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Your ability to communicate the chiropractic truths to the lay-public has a significant bearing on your future as a practicing chiropractor.
That is precisely why Talk the ’TIC has come about.
Having been raised in a chiropractor’s household, I was privileged to witness my father, week in and week out, educating his patients as to why this principled approach to health made so much sense. He called it his health care class, but it is also known as a lay-lecture, group report of findings or health-talk.
Once I invested myself in the vocation of chiropractic, I drew upon my experience from youth in making some at-large observations about the profession. Not only did I observe the behavior of chiropractic students, who also happened to be my peers, but I also observed the mannerism of practicing chiropractors, all as it pertained to their ability to articulate the chiropractic message.
Within practicing chiropractors, it appeared that their skill of discussing chiropractic concepts to a lay-audience was a matter of disparity; either one was very good or seemingly not good at all. Perhaps this was due to social and personality traits of the individual. On the other hand, it was possible that those who excelled in educating their patients had prepared more effectively, and honed their skill over time.
Amongst chiropractic students, I observed that those who engaged in leadership activities usually took more initiative to develop their communication skill. They simply perceived more value in learning how to communicate effectively.
What seemed more germane, however, was the sense of urgency these student-leaders expressed to educate the public. Genuine, passionate and opportunistic, these students were poised for success in practice because they were excited to advance the chiropractic principle to its rightful place in society.
Conversely, I witnessed students who flippantly invested $150,000 in their chiropractic education, and somehow managed to invest nothing in their skill of conferring that education to their future practice. This troubled me. And I saw this in a great many students.
How tragic, I thought, that my peers might stumble through their first years in practice because they lack ambition to tell people what chiropractic is and does! Why let a simple inhibition be so consequential?
Of course, you could never convince me that any student sets out to fail. That is ludicrous. If you are a student of chiropractic, that is a sign of ambition in and of itself. What I can be convinced of is that some need prompting. Some need a catalyst. Some need a clear opportunity to confront this gaping hole in their skill base. And, in my mind, this ought to be a fun, supportive, communal phenomenon.
Sharing the vital message of chiropractic, regardless of your predilection for or experience with public speaking, ought to be professional bonding point and chief emphasis.
Hence, Talk the ’TIC has emerged as a forum of professional advancement, joining together students and practitioners to promote excellence in communication chiropractic.
Time will tell the story of this cause, but what you must know today is that you are part of the story. Insert yourself. Assert yourself. Dig in to your reservoir of determination to become all you are meant to be as a chiropractor. Splatter your fears and share the chiropractic story with reckless abandon.
Stand on the shoulder of giants.
Jump.
Leap.
Sprawl for new heights.
And I will see you soon, as you, and I, will Talk the ’TIC in 2010.
Erik J Van Slooten
Your ability to communicate the chiropractic truths to the lay-public has a significant bearing on your future as a practicing chiropractor.
That is precisely why Talk the ’TIC has come about.
Having been raised in a chiropractor’s household, I was privileged to witness my father, week in and week out, educating his patients as to why this principled approach to health made so much sense. He called it his health care class, but it is also known as a lay-lecture, group report of findings or health-talk.
Once I invested myself in the vocation of chiropractic, I drew upon my experience from youth in making some at-large observations about the profession. Not only did I observe the behavior of chiropractic students, who also happened to be my peers, but I also observed the mannerism of practicing chiropractors, all as it pertained to their ability to articulate the chiropractic message.
Within practicing chiropractors, it appeared that their skill of discussing chiropractic concepts to a lay-audience was a matter of disparity; either one was very good or seemingly not good at all. Perhaps this was due to social and personality traits of the individual. On the other hand, it was possible that those who excelled in educating their patients had prepared more effectively, and honed their skill over time.
Amongst chiropractic students, I observed that those who engaged in leadership activities usually took more initiative to develop their communication skill. They simply perceived more value in learning how to communicate effectively.
What seemed more germane, however, was the sense of urgency these student-leaders expressed to educate the public. Genuine, passionate and opportunistic, these students were poised for success in practice because they were excited to advance the chiropractic principle to its rightful place in society.
Conversely, I witnessed students who flippantly invested $150,000 in their chiropractic education, and somehow managed to invest nothing in their skill of conferring that education to their future practice. This troubled me. And I saw this in a great many students.
How tragic, I thought, that my peers might stumble through their first years in practice because they lack ambition to tell people what chiropractic is and does! Why let a simple inhibition be so consequential?
Of course, you could never convince me that any student sets out to fail. That is ludicrous. If you are a student of chiropractic, that is a sign of ambition in and of itself. What I can be convinced of is that some need prompting. Some need a catalyst. Some need a clear opportunity to confront this gaping hole in their skill base. And, in my mind, this ought to be a fun, supportive, communal phenomenon.
Sharing the vital message of chiropractic, regardless of your predilection for or experience with public speaking, ought to be professional bonding point and chief emphasis.
Hence, Talk the ’TIC has emerged as a forum of professional advancement, joining together students and practitioners to promote excellence in communication chiropractic.
Time will tell the story of this cause, but what you must know today is that you are part of the story. Insert yourself. Assert yourself. Dig in to your reservoir of determination to become all you are meant to be as a chiropractor. Splatter your fears and share the chiropractic story with reckless abandon.
Stand on the shoulder of giants.
Jump.
Leap.
Sprawl for new heights.
And I will see you soon, as you, and I, will Talk the ’TIC in 2010.
Erik J Van Slooten
