Q:

Dear Dr. M

       Umpteen years ago I was receiving your weekly e-mails but somehow got dropped 
from the mass mailing..Maybe you do not do this anymore, I'm not too sure.  In any case,  
I am a DC who has lost the "Big Idea" if there is one.  I have a very mixed media practice if 
you will, and I am thinking about running away from home.  Besides Chiropractic, I run 
an IV Chelation Therapy clinic, in fact, I am the only site in the state that is participating in 
an N.I.H. research study titled T.A.C.T. I also do many types of IV treatments, clinical 
nutrition, acupuncture, all kinds of derm work, etc, etc, blah, blah, blah.  I am a poor 
office manager/ owner who lets employees take advantage of me ( along with several 
patients), and I am barely holding my nose above the pea soup.  I want out.  I graduated 
from Life in 1993 and am considering going back to med school, even began Kaplan pre-
med classes.  But herein lies the problem, I am 45 yo and no longer want the whole ball of 
wax.  Employee payroll taxes, overhead, hiring, firing, ect.    Yikes!!!!   Now I am 
considering a Physician Assistant Surgical program. Sounds appealing.   Please help 
advise me, I do have my GA license, also Florida and PA.   I am about to break down,  I 
work my self silly and have nothing to show for.  Somewhere I am too scattered to see 
where the problems really are in the cash flow, etc.   Thanks for taking the time to read 
this,  I hope to hear from you.

A:
 
Thanks for the e-mail. I am sorry you are having problems and seem 
lost, but be assured you are not the only one. Chiropractic is a 
business and some folks are more geared to run a business while others 
are best left as employees. So, you have to decide where your future 
lies, how far you wish to go to make changes and how much patience you 
have to see it through.

First, you have traveled far from the path of chiropractic. Chelation 
is a great thing, I also went through a long series of therapy but it 
is not chiropractic. Save the philosophy, but the income derived from 
this compared to the potential of a chiropractic clinic makes me wonder 
why you chose the path you did. Chelation is a medical procedure, 
especially if intravenously, and the insurance benefits are limited at 
best. If people understand the benefits of chelation and pay cash, as 
most do, then marketing, as with chiropractic would bring in more trade 
and more income, but the overhead has to be eating you up.

Nonetheless, I recommend that you consider your future in chiropractic. 
 From the tone of your e-mail it seems that you are ready for a change. 
There is nothing wrong by parking yourself somewhere as an associate to 
collect some funds and possibly pay bills. The associate match is 
difficult but you never know what is out there. My webpage: 
www.chirosmart.net has an area called Previous Postings. I would go 
there and open the last few months and reply to some of the doctors 
looking for associates. Be aware that many positions will not be as 
advertised, so question prior to making a commitment. Also, check the 
message board on my webpage under Employment. There may be some 
opportunities there.

I would also decide where you would like to practice and possibly post 
a request for a position within my weekly e-mail. I have added your 
address to my list, so you should be receiving my e-mails again. If you 
have never been to a Pete Fernandez Weekend Seminar in Atlanta, you can 
attend for free as my guest. The next one is in February, it might 
stimulate you and you can always ask questions and possibly get some 
better direction. My webpage also has a section called Mentors. These 
are chiropractors willing to help others for free. I would write a 
generic e-mail with some questions and concerns and send them to a 
number of them. Be sure, they know that you found them on my webpage

So, first decide what direction you wish to go for the future. Decide 
if you would rather be an associate or independent contractor or try to 
go solo. Decide where you wish to travel and make a go. The signs are 
clear to me, You are looking for change, you are frustrated and being a 
licensed doctor with a number of associate opportunities or sharing 
rent in a clinic makes it easy to take a change to change.

As far as going back to medical school the only satisfaction after it 
is completed is a direction and hopefully a steady job and steady pay 
check without the hassles. This option is always available to you. 
Medical or medical specialty trades are not going anywhere. As far as 
you, you already traveled a long and hard path, try another one within 
chiropractic and if it doesn?t work out, give it a year or so, then 
move on

I would follow some of the directions above and if there is anything 
else I can help you with, please reply back

Have a Great Day

Dr. M