Advice for 1st Semester Chiropractic Students
Brace yourself.
The first quarter of a professional program can be a bit of a shock.
Don't worry though. You can do it. To be honest, for the most part, the content is pretty easy. It isn't abstract or particularly complex. It is the VOLUME of content that can be a challenge. You are going to hear the phrase "it's like trying to drink from a fire hose" from more than one source.
Here are a few tips that I think will go a long way in helping you have a successful academic career going through chiropractic school.
(Want the short version? Scroll to the bottom to get the 'I can barely keep up with classes let alone read a long-winded article' version).
1. Get on top (and stay on top) of Anatomy
Out of all the 1st Quarter courses, anatomy is by far the heaviest. There is the most content and it comes at you fast. At UWS we start with the back and extremities, which are probably the most important sections to your career as an MSK specialist. You need to know the origins, you need to know the insertions and you need to know the actions.
In these things, the anatomy lab is your friend. Get in there and get your hands on the actual structures. It is BY FAR the most useful method of learning anatomy.
You ABSOLUTELY MUST grab yourself a Netter's Atlas of Human Anatomy. It is MORE than worth the $$. You are going to use it for your full career, not just for your first years in chiro school.
If that isn't enough you can also look into Quizlet, KenHub and Complete Anatomy.
Quizlet is an iPad app. It is basically a free cue-card app that you can make online and share with others. I used it a LOT in Q1. If you would rather use cards already made, check out the folders by my classmate Kimber. She is a Quizlet Savage.
KenHub is an online membership based anatomy learning tool. It includes tutorials and quizzes. I have who pretty much use KenHub exclusively to study Gross Anatomy (and do quite well on exams).
Complete Anatomy is an iPad app that lets you search for any structure in the body and see individual muscle action animations.
I have both of the above and both have been useful at different times. I didn't buy a KenHub subscription right away, but I wish I would have. Complete Anatomy can be useful for some, but I don't use it often enough to make it worth the money.
2. Get your hands on people early
One of the most important parts of being a chiropractor is having and in-tune sense of touch. There is no hack or shortcut to developing this skill. The only solution is getting your hands on lots of different people early and often.
The two best ways to do this:
- Clubs
- Open Labs
At UWS we have open labs every lunch hour and after school in room East Hall. If you want to get your hands on a lot of people, lunch hour is the way to go. If you want to get more 1-on-1 help with a TA then get in there after school. (If you ever see me walking around, feel free to pull me aside and ask anything you like).
3. GO TO CLUBS
I cannot emphasize this one enough. Just about every day during lunch hour there are clubs going on, for students, by students. I recommend getting into the Rehab 2 Performance (R2P), Motion Palpation (MPI), and Adjustment Club. Soft Tissue club is pretty good too (free massage? Yes please).
Get on the Facebook pages (links below) ASAP so you can stay up to date with events and seminars that are going to make you a better clinician.
- Rehab2Perfomance (R2P) (Tuesdays, Room G2A, 12:40-1:30)
- Motion Palpation (MPI) (Tuesdays, Room G2A, 11:40-12:30)
- Soft Tissue club (Wednesdays, Room G2B, 11:40-12:30)
- Adjustment Club (M, W, F; Room G2A; 11:40-12:30)
(Here is where you can find a map of the campus, but generally all the clubs are going to be in the gym building on the East side.)
Going to clubs is going to let you get your hands on more people, learn adjustment sets ups early and really refine your sense of touch and assessment skills.
I am personally partial to the Rehab2Perfomance club. R2P takes a well-rounded approach to assessment and treatment, which is where the clinical world is heading as a whole (in my 'humble' opinion).
4. Take Advantage of the Tutors
If you are ever struggling in ANY course, schedule a tutor. They can almost always make the difference of a full letter grade. For lab courses you can also either visit the anatomy lab during regularly schedules tutor hours or get what you need from open labs. (To be honest though, if you show up and do the smallest bit of work, you shouldn't have any trouble with the hands-on lab courses.)
You can find/schedule a TUTOR HERE!
You do need to set up a new account for scheduling a tutor. Here are the instructions to do so: How to Schedule an Appointment with a Tutor.
(I highly recommend Alex Hueston and Tim Kernahan for anything Anatomy).
Be aware though, if you miss too many of your scheduled tutor sessions without notice your tutor priviledges will be revoked! Make sure to show up consistently on time.
5. Use the Facebook Group
There is no way that my GPA would be what it is today without my classmates. Just about every day someone is sharing a study guide, advice from upper quarters or study group invites to the Facebook group.
It also saves you HOURS of time and allows you to actually have a life. For some people, making study guides is how they study (and if that is you, then I encourage you to share it with your classmates). You can also make practice tests that you can share with the class using TestMoz.com. These are directly applicable to your actual exams, which will all be multiple choice exams.
. . .
Bonus Cliché: Remember to have a life
It might sound a bit corny, but remember that you need to keep your sanity. Take a day off a week. Grab a beer with friends. Go on a hike. If you hate your life you are going to get worse grades, or worse drop out.
Hit me up. Let's grab a beer.
If you haven't already, I encourage you to check out more about me here. Never hesitate to hit me up.
- Mark
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