REFER A STUDENT SPECIAL ISSUE
SHARE YOUR LOVE
FOR CHIROPRACTIC
SEEKING THE NEXT GENERATION OF
CHIROPRACTORS
JOIN LIFE WEST’S
THRIVING COMMUNITY
GIVE THEM 10 REASONS TO BE A DC
CONTENTS
01
10 R E ASON S TO B E A DC
02
BEC OME A PA RT O F T H E LIFE WE ST COMM UN IT Y
04
WHY CH OOS E LI F E W E ST ?
06
WHAT I S LI FE WE ST LO O K IN G F O R IN A ST U D E N T
08
CA R E E R N I GH TS + C H A M P IO N S D ISC OV E RY WE E K E N D
12
MEE T A D C A MBAS SA DO R
13
MEE T A ST U D E N T A M B AS SA DO R
LIFE WEST PRESS
HELP SOMEONE FIND A CAREER
T H E Y ’ L L LOV E
What do you say to someone who is looking to radically change their path in life, or still searching for that path? If you come from the chiropractic world, you could start with: “Have you thought about being a chiropractor?” As Life West steps up its commitment to creating a brighter future for humanity through chiropractic, we invite our alumni, friends of chiropractic, and those who share Life West’s mission to share chiropractic with the world to join us in recruiting the next generation of chiropractors, and the generation after that. Life West is planning Career Nights, working with educators at partner schools, hosting job fairs, arranging preceptorships and building relationships around the world to ensure that our mission is enduring and fruitful.
HOW CAN YOU HELP
Our approach here at Life West is a little different. When we are talking about a career path, the conversation doesn’t need to be all about science and chiropractic. Life West recruiter Aaron Sanchez often asks these 5 questions to get the conversation started. What is the purpose or vision behind your profession? You need to figure out the “why” behind the “what.” What is the earning potential of your career? Students or potential students may have an idea about the growth of different professions and what they earn, but practicing chiropractors can offer real-world insight into what to expect. What is the culture of your profession? This is an easy one to talk to students about, Sanchez says. The culture can be intense and scary for students in the medical profession, since the focus is often on what’s wrong or whether someone is contagious. In chiropractic, the focus is on wellness and health. People are often happy to see their chiropractor, because they know they’re going to walk away feeling better. That’s an opportunity to start a conversation about finding a more fulfilling career. What is the quality of life like in this profession? Chiropractors have the best work/life balance of any profession, Sanchez says. They can work 20 hours a week and still do well financially. You can work 6 hours a day or all day, every day -- you decide. How do you want to use your degree when you graduate? Chiropractic offers many options. You can own your practice, or you can work as an associate or contractor in another office. You can can also go into research and teaching. Many of our recent Life West graduates have come back to teach, or practice a few days a week then teach as well. You can also create a specialty in your practice, such as pediatrics or sports performance.
GIVE THEM
LIFEWEST ADMISSIONS
10 REASONS
TO BE A DC
1 Chiropractors change lives 2 Chiropractors are in demand 3 Chiropractors are their own bosses 4 Chiropractic care presents another path to traditional health care
5 Chiropractors work closely with
patients on their health care needs
6 Chiropractors meet new people on a daily basis
7 Chiropractic offers opportunities to embrace your passions
8 Chiropractors have extensive
opportunities to pay it forward
9 Chiropractors get their degrees
without accruing as much debt as other health care practitioners
10 Being a chiropractor is lucrative!
#LIFEWEST | 01
LIFEWEST ADMISSIONS
BECOME A PART OF
THE LIFE WEST COMMUNITY Life Chiropractic College West is making exciting new changes in the way prospective students are introduced to the Life West community, as well as broadening Life West’s strategy and vision for recruitment, admissions and enrollment.
We couldn’t do this without you! We wouldn’t be successful without you!
DC AMBASSADORS PROGRAM The longtime Life West Mentor Program, filled with alumni and friends who act as mentors to Life West’s prospective and current students, is now called the DC Ambassadors program. Life West is changing the name to honor the spirit of the work that our alumni and friends do to spread their love of and experiences with chiropractic to their communities, says Dr. Jennifer Bosco, Executive Director of Admissions. DC Ambassadors support chiropractic recruitment by identifying people who would make great chiropractors and ensuring they get connected to the admissions team at Life West. DC Ambassadors work closely with Life West’s Enrollment department to collaborate and support future chiropractors as they go through the enrollment process. The program is part of an ongoing effort to build up and expand chiropractic education, and Dr. Bosco says we should all be a part of that conversation. She’s thinking about how Life West can connect with more 02 | LIFEWEST.EDU/MAGAZINE
schools as well, and making sure that chiropractic and Life West is part of their agenda. This expanded approach puts a spotlight on creating partnerships wherever we go. “Every single one of us who works here is a recruiter for Life West,” she added. Among the best recruiters are those members of the DC Ambassadors program, who often identify prospective students from among their own communities. They talk freely about what chiropractic is, how it can change your life and empower you to bring change to the lives of others, and they may often point those who are beginning a career or even considering how best to pivot in their career toward Life West and its programs. “We are really wanting to engage our DC partners, alumni and friends,” Dr. Bosco said. “Their work is so important and vital to expanding chiropractic care and bringing students into chiropractic education. Their work with students makes a difference in student lives, and that’s something that doesn’t go away. They have such an influence, and because they are professionals, people look up to them. Students want to talk to and learn from people who have been there before, so the ambassador component is a critical piece to how Admissions does their work and how Life West grows.”
WHAT DOES A
LIFEWEST ADMISSIONS
DC AMBASSADOR DO? WAYS TO PARTICIPATE
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
Refer students to Life West Host a Career Night in your office Offer shadowing experiences or a preceptorship in your office Speak with an interested student Speak at Champions Discovery Weekend Call a recently accepted student with a congratulatory message Give a career talk or presentation at a local college/university
DC AMBASSADOR MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
■ ■
■
Refer five (5) students to Life West Admissions annually Host an event in your office or at a local college/university or participate in Champions Discovery Weekend Be available to speak with prospective students throughout the year
WHAT DO YOU GET OUT OF IT?
■ ■ ■
■ ■
Stay connected to the Life West community Share your love of chiropractic care with others Receive a discount on your tickets for the WAVE, Life West’s annual chiropractic conference in the San Francisco Bay Area Tell your story in Life West articles and videos as you help create a brighter future for humanity Highlight your own practice online when you host Life West Career Nights
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LIFEWEST ADMISSIONS The Life West Clinically Inspired Learning curriculum connects academics with clinical experiences. By getting students into our world-class clinic early, they gain more practical, hands-on experience, giving graduates the practice-ready advantage.
WHY CHOOSE
LIFE WEST LEARN BY DOING Life West’s Clinically Inspired Learning curriculum emphasizes hands-on training and instruction in the clinic. Life West students enter the health clinic and start working with patients far earlier than at other chiropractic colleges. “Early exposure and access to clinic, the opportunity to preceptor for the last two quarters and a personalized learning track” make the Clinically Inspired Learning curriculum full of opportunity and flexibility, said Life West Vice President of Academic Affairs Pardeep Kullar, EdD, who oversees the program. For students who finish the requirements of the clinic curriculum and are still attending academic courses, Life West’s rapidly expanding preceptor program offers an opportunity to work in a chiropractic office and get a feel for how real-world chiropractors run their offices. More than half of Life West students sign up for preceptorships, which are available to those who have completed clinic but don’t have a license yet. A VITALISTIC CULTURE Life West’s curriculum includes philosophy courses that address vitalistic concepts such as the relationships between universal, innate and educated intelligence. Life West courses address the philosophy of chiropractic as a complement to courses on basic and clinical sciences, such as anatomy and physiology, as well as chiropractic technique. Philosophy is important at Life West. Vitalistic chiropractors work to reset the body’s nervous system by correcting subluxations that can cause interference. This allows a patient’s innate intelligence to be restored, and the newly adjusted body to perform at its optimal potential. “Vitalistic chiropractors work with the subtle substance of the soul, unleashing the body’s own inborn ability to heal itself through administering the chiropractic adjustment,” said Life West admissions recruiter David Scheiner, DC. “At Life West, we produce practice-ready, confident and competent chiropractors whose vision and mission is to create a brighter future for humanity.” THE BUSINESS OF CHIROPRACTIC Students also learn the ins and outs of business management and how to build relationships with patients, so that they can 04 | LIFEWEST.EDU/MAGAZINE
manage a successful office. Our focus on the business of chiropractic ensures that Life West graduates are in a position to start building their successful career even before they graduate. “We have outside experts who provide content over and above what’s in the curriculum, and the curriculum is already incredibly rich,” said Life West Director of Alumni Relations Palmer Peet, DC. “This focuses on stuff the patients wouldn’t even see. We handle that in business classes and supplement it with experts who come in three or four times per quarter. They give lectures, usually by live stream, and those are archived for both students and alumni.” In addition, the Career Services department at Life West provides resources designed to help students find jobs quickly, once they have their degree and license in hand. Tools include a job board that spotlights new and exciting openings at chiropractic offices around the country. On-campus job fairs help connect senior students and offices looking for associates or partners. The Career Services department will even help students create a professional resume as they launch their career. LASTING PURPOSE Life West is built on the concept of Lasting Purpose, coined by founder Dr. Sid Williams. Lasting Purpose urges us to give, do, love and serve out of one’s own abundance, and to share the virtues of chiropractic with the world. Life West students follow this motto in countless different ways. Service trips at home and internationally take groups of doctors and interns to San Francisco, India and Tonga on a regular basis. Students, faculty and other doctors see thousands of patients in just a few days during some of these trips. Closer to home, Life West facilitates volunteer opportunities in the Bay Area community, including military veterans and day laborers in San Francisco’s Mission District. Life West leaders have spent more than 40 years instilling the concept of Lasting Purpose in students, who have gone on to blaze new trails in chiropractic. Aaron Sanchez, Life West recruiter, says many people love the idea of the service trips. They go hand in hand with the purpose of Life West’s vision, to create a brighter future by sharing chiropractic. Service trips give students a taste of how chiropractors can go out and help people in any community.
LIFEWEST ADMISSIONS
THE
LIFE WEST ADVANTAGE
HEALTH CENTER ■
Work with real patients for up to 7 quarters (14-quarter program)
PRECEPTORSHIP ■ Leave campus early; preceptorship at home ■ Work in real-world clinics such as our clinic in India ■ Transfer to associate ■ 7 quarters in clinic for a practice-ready advantage VITALISM ■ Exposed to many thoughts/styles of practices ■ Learn to explain to patients benefits beyond pain management ■ Care for the body as a whole, not just care based on symptoms ■ Focused on preventive care ■ This is health care, not sick care
TUITION ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
Lower tuition with accelerated track (12 quarters) No extra fees Flat rate Many scholarships available Competitive More for less
LOCATION ■ Great weather ■ Many employment opportunities ■ Outdoor activities all year ■ Silicon Valley ■ 4 hours to ski ■ 30 minutes to beach ■ Chiropractic seminars ■ Diverse community
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LIFEWEST ADMISSIONS
WHAT IS
LIFE WEST LOOKING FOR IN A STUDENT Prospective students may come from a couple of different places. Some may already be students, working through a program elsewhere, with a desire to serve and make a difference in their communities. Here’s what Life West looks for: ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS: ■ ■ ■
Science majors may be a great fit Minimum 3.0 GPA 90 semester credits, 24 in recommended science courses
Aaron Sanchez, Life West recruiter, says students who are on a health care track with a science focus often are good candidates for a chiropractic career. They may be looking for a way to take care of people more quickly and in a less intense environment, different from the program they may currently find themselves in. Other prospective students may be people looking for a career change. Maybe they had a great experience with chiropractic and see an opportunity to learn more and share chiropractic themselves. ACCELERATED TRACK REQUIREMENTS: Life West’s curriculum offers room for both kinds of students, Sanchez said. For those interested in the accelerated track, which gets you to a degree in 12 quarters but means a heavier load each quarter, these are the guidelines: ■ ■
Bachelors degree in health or human science, 3.0 overall minimum GPA 3.25 science GPA
ALTERNATIVE TRACK REQUIREMENTS: For those without a science background or someone who is switching careers, an alternative track might be a better option. Students graduate in 14 quarters, and they have more access to a counselor for the first year. Those guidelines include: ■ ■ ■
06 | LIFEWEST.EDU/MAGAZINE
2.75 GPA or higher For those without science courses, a bachelor’s degree is required Start the Life West program with the alternative track and receive guided advisement during your studies.
LIFEWEST ADMISSIONS
MEET THE LIFE WEST RECRUITERS AARON SANCHEZ
Aaron is a proud Bay Area native and has been working at Life West for the past 4 years. He frequently delivers guest lectures to classes and student clubs at colleges and universities throughout California, which has become one of his greatest passions. His favorite part about working for Life West is his ability to connect with prospective students, assisting them in discovering more about chiropractic and how they can reach their educational and career goals. When he is not on the road, he loves spending time with his wife, Tiffany, and their dogs, Missy and Nala.
LINA GUILLEN
Lina, born in the Republic of Panama, says her primary inspiration and pride reside in her sons, Christian and Gianfranco, and her companion, Siggy, the labradoodle that stole her heart. Lina graduated from the Universidad Interamericana de Costa Rica, then co-founded high-volume chiropractic practices in both California and her native Panama. In 1996, Lina also co-founded Chiropractors Restoring Energy Worldwide (CREW), which has provided more than a million adjustments in Panama and Costa Rica. For her work, Lina received the Keys to the City of Panama in 1998 and was honored as “Honorary Daughter to the City of Alajuela” in Costa Rica in 2000. Lina works hard to impact lives, inspire hope and protect the principle!
DAVID SCHEINER, DC
David, originally from New York City, graduated from Life Chiropractic College in Marietta, Georgia, in 1996. He opened four chiropractic practices between 1996 and 2012, and he has developed wellness programs and delivered regular lunch-and-learn lectures for Fortune 500 companies such as GE, Home Depot, IBM, Delta Airlines, Colgate Palmolive and Coca Cola. He also self-published two chiropractic books, “Chiropractic Revealed” (2009) and “The 8 Laws of Chiropractic Success” (2018). Since 2012, he has worked in college admissions, recruiting the next generation of chiropractic students for Life Chiropractic College West. David also enjoys spending time with his family, dog Henri, and hiking. His greatest purpose in life is to assist others in finding theirs.
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LIFEWEST ADMISSIONS
CAREER NIGHTS Found someone you think would make a great chiropractor? Introduce them to the profession through a Career Night event. In an evening, prospective students learn about what the career looks like as they hear from local chiropractors about the highlights and challenges of a chiropractic career. Often a first step in understanding the path toward a chiropractic career, this is a chance to talk one-on-one with other chiropractors about managing patients, balancing office work and family, earning potential, and what it takes to get there. Join us for a Career Night near you. Visit go.lifewest.edu/career-nights to see where Life West will be next.
TOP
10
REFERRING DCS THANK YOU
STEPHANIE BARBAKOFF DAN BRONSTEIN MATT DELGADO DAVID FREE BRAD GLOWAKI CAROLYN GRIFFIN MINDY PELZ JULIE QUAN PAUL REED BEN TERRANO
08 | LIFEWEST.EDU/MAGAZINE
LIFEWEST ADMISSIONS
CHAMPIONS DISCOVERY WEEKEND
Champions Discovery Weekend is the perfect place for prospective students to explore chiropractic and Life West. Send them to Life West for two days, where they can be immersed in the community, build camaraderie and find mentorship. They’ll have a chance to engage with speakers, network with peers, learn from students and faculty about why Life West is special, and meet with an Admissions representative to help figure out next steps. Champions Weekend is held four times a year on the Life West campus in San Francisco Bay Area’s Hayward, California. Register online at go.lifewest.edu/champs.
COME AND VISIT! TESTIMONIAL
PAUL REED, DC
VANCOUVER, WASHINGTON WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO BECOME A DC AMBASSADOR? I believe in supporting like-minded people who are moving our profession forward. It is essential for strengthening who we are and helping us get to where we need to be. WHAT WOULD YOU TELL OTHER DCS WHO ARE THINKING ABOUT JOINING THE PROGRAM? I would ask them to get involved not for themselves, but for our profession at large. If you truly believe we are the answer and that every person needs to be under chiropractic care, why would you not get involved? HOW DO YOU TALK TO PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS ABOUT LIFE WEST? We tell every young person in our office that they would make a great chiropractor. It’s an easy way to open the door and start dialogue.
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LIFEWEST ADMISSIONS
JOURNEY OF A PROSPECTIVE STUDENT LIFE W E ST STUDE NT
PR O SPE C T I V E ST UDE NT
C HA M P ION S D IS C OV E RY W E E KE ND
10 | LIFEWEST.EDU/MAGAZINE
INTE RN IN H E ALTH CLINIC
LIFEWEST ADMISSIONS
ST U D ENT AM B AS SA D O R
DO CTO R O F C H IRO P RACTIC
G RA D UATE
B E C O ME A DC AM B ASSADOR
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LIFEWEST ADMISSIONS
DC AMBASSADOR
MINDY PELZ, DC SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA
Life Chiropractic College West’s network of DC Ambassadors provides an incredible service. In addition to nurturing the chiropractors of tomorrow, many of them proudly refer prospective students to the college. A shining example of what these doctors do for vitalistic chiropractic practices in nearby San Jose. Mindy Pelz, DC, is the founder of Family Life Wellness, and she’s been serving her community as a chiropractor for more than 20 years. “When I went to college I was studying exercise physiology, and I thought that I wanted to go to med school,” she said. “When I realized that all I would be doing was prescribing medication and managing people’s illnesses, I realized that wasn’t for me. One day I walked into my chiropractor’s office, and he had just hired a young chiropractor who took one look at me and said, ‘Why don’t you go to chiropractic school?’ It hit me like a ton of bricks that chiropractic was exactly where I belonged.” Dr. Pelz is not a Life West graduate, but she was motivated to help the school, its students and its alumni based on what she saw in Life West graduates. “There was a fire in their bellies and a passion for serving others that I didn’t get at the school I was attending,” she said. “That unique factor caught my attention. In my 23 years in practice, we’ve had many interns that have come through our office, and the Life West interns have been some of the best.” After meeting many of the chiropractors who graduated from Life West, Dr. Pelz became a DC Ambassador, one of the chiropractic professionals tasked with spreading the word about everything Life West has to offer. In addition to referring 14 students to the college, she welcomed current and aspiring chiropractors to her office for a Life West Career Night recently. “The world needs more chiropractors,” Dr. Pelz said. “We need to stand together and teach people that the body can heal itself. The more voices we have screaming this message, the more impact, the more lives and the more healing we can have on this planet.” Dr. Pelz also believes that chiropractors are at the forefront of a changing health care environment, one where the desires of patients are shifting away from what has long been seen as the traditional model. “People are not looking for a doctor that stands above them and tells them what to do,” she said. “They are looking for a doctor that links arms with them, who educates them, who cares about them and who inspires them to be the best they can be. No other profession does this as well as chiropractors. Being a DC ambassador is about bringing more like-minded people into our profession so that we can change the world together.” Not surprisingly, Dr. Pelz’s philosophy on changing the world is a large part of her message to aspiring chiropractors. “If you like to work hard, you love people, you want to change the world, and you are concerned about the current state of health that people are experiencing, then this is the profession for you,” she said. “This profession will give you the most amazing lifestyle, help you make the greatest impact on people’s lives, and allow you to live the life that you dream of at the same time.” 12 | LIFEWEST.EDU/MAGAZINE
LIFEWEST ADMISSIONS
STUDENT AMBASSADOR
LUKE CHOI SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH CHIROPRACTIC? I saw a job listing at a chiropractic office. That was my first time being in a chiropractic office, and I’d worked there for a week when the chiropractor said, “You should be under care.” I didn’t think I needed care at that time. I didn’t live a very active lifestyle, and I wasn’t outstanding physically or in pain anywhere. He told me chiropractic is preventive, and that it’s not something you have to be in pain for. It was the first time I fully understood what my body was like. WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BECOME A CHIROPRACTOR? I was a sociology major with an emphasis on public health. Originally, I wanted to be a social worker to help people with lower incomes. That’s where my heart was, to help people who were less fortunate than I was because I was born with all these privileges that I wasn’t even aware of. When I talked to the chiropractor I was working for, he mentioned he went on service trips and visited shelters to help people regain their lives. He was always talking about how he became a chiropractor to help out that single mother with three kids. That really spoke to me as a person, because if I could provide care to someone less fortunate than myself in ways that are beneficial to their life and well-being, that would speak to me on a whole different level. WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE A MENTOR FOR YOUR PEERS? Whenever I work with someone, I try to say, “This is how I approach this, because I was struggling with this aspect.” I tell them where my struggles were, and a lot of people seem to appreciate that. My mentorship style is to approach it more as a sibling relationship. We talk, and sometimes there’s a bit of conflict, but ultimately that benefits the relationship and builds up a knowledge base. It promotes conversations around conflicting ideas in a safe space.
WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR IN A CHIROPRACTIC MENTOR? I look for someone who’s authentic as a person and cares about me enough to help me progress. I look for someone who genuinely cares about my growth and is willing to put in the time and effort to help me. Coming from a sociology background, I tend to see things a bit differently than other people. In that sense, sometimes I’m ahead and sometimes I’m behind. Understanding that need for occasional patience is much appreciated. WHY DID YOU APPLY TO BE A STUDENT AMBASSADOR? I applied to help people decide what they want to do. I wanted to be part of the trajectory where I could help people branch out. When I tell people I was a sociology major, they ask, “How did you decide you wanted to be a chiropractor?” My answer is that I opened up my mind a bit more, and I want to help people get a bit more open-minded to their potential career fields and what they actually want to pursue. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT CHAMPIONS DISCOVERY WEEKEND? My favorite part is the excitement that comes with people realizing they want to be chiropractors. They come in, and sometimes they’re still figuring things out. Seeing the excitement that grows over Champions Discovery Weekend really rejuvenates me as a person. It’s a nice reminder that what we’re doing is exciting, and people genuinely feel callings to do this. USE ONE WORD TO DESCRIBE YOUR LIFE WEST EXPERIENCE SO FAR. Fire. There’s a quote from St. Ignatius that reads, “Go forth and set the world on fire,” which means to change the world and be that flame people can follow.
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CHAMPIONS DISCOVERY WEEKEND Explore the path to earning a doctoral degree and establishing a rewarding health care career from
Life Chiropractic College West CHECK OUT YOUR NEXT OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN US!
GO.LIFEWEST.EDU