This fall, the University of Michigan launched a Pre-Chiropractic Club, enabling student members to learn more about the chiropractic profession as a potential career path. One of the first of its kind in the U.S., the club aims to give students hands-on experience through presentations but also opportunities to meet and shadow chiropractors in the community and observe adjustments and other activities in the clinic.
The ACA Blog caught up with Kevin Ferenc, club president, to learn more about how the group went from an idea to a new resource on campus for students looking for a meaningful career in health care.
You had many healthcare career paths available to you. What was it about chiropractic that ultimately stood out to you and made you decide to pursue it?
KF: I always knew I wanted to go into healthcare, but I also knew I wanted something where I could be very hands-on and actually work directly with patients. I originally became interested in chiropractic from seeing adjustments and learning more about the spine and musculoskeletal system, but my interest really grew once I had the opportunity to work as a chiropractic assistant and intern. I got to see that there is a lot more to the profession than just the “cracking” people usually associate with it. I really liked the combination of anatomy, movement, rehabilitation and hands-on patient care, and that ultimately made chiropractic stand out to me.
What led you to start a Pre-Chiropractic Club at the University of Michigan? What was the reaction of the administration and students?
KF: One of the biggest reasons I started the club was that there really wasn’t a place on campus specifically for students interested in chiropractic. Michigan has a lot of great pre-health organizations, but I wanted to create something where students could actually learn about chiropractic, meet chiropractors and chiropractic schools, find shadowing opportunities and explore the profession together. My advisor was very supportive when I first brought up the idea, and the response from students has been really encouraging too. At Festifall and Kinesiology’s Kinarval, a lot of students stopped by because they had never seen a Pre-Chiropractic Club before. We currently have around 20 active/interested members, and we’re still growing since this is our first semester.
When you talk with other students about chiropractic, how familiar are they with the profession?
KF: Most students I talk to have heard of chiropractic, but their understanding of it is usually pretty limited. At Festifall and Kinarval (events on campus) one of the most common things I heard was, “Oh, chiropractors crack backs.” A lot of students didn’t realize how much education goes into becoming a chiropractor or how much the profession can involve anatomy, biomechanics, rehabilitation, exercise and musculoskeletal health. Once we explained some of our events and what students could actually learn through the club, a lot of them became much more interested.
What aspects of chiropractic seem to generate the most interest among students?
KF: Definitely the hands-on side. Students get really interested when they hear that we’re doing things like kinesiology taping workshops, demonstrations, shadowing and other interactive events instead of only sitting through presentations. There is also a lot of interest in learning about the different ways chiropractors can practice, especially sports chiropractic and rehabilitation. I think students like being able to see and experience what the profession actually looks like rather than just hearing about it.
Your club connects chiropractic with fields such as rehabilitation, biomechanics, neuroscience and movement science. Why was it important to frame the club that way?
KF: I think it’s important because chiropractic overlaps with a lot more than people initially realize. I’m a Movement Science student, so I’m constantly learning about things like biomechanics, anatomy, neuroscience, rehabilitation and human movement, and there are a lot of connections between those areas and chiropractic. Framing the club that way also helps students understand that chiropractic isn’t isolated from the rest of healthcare and movement science. It gives students from different academic and career interests a reason to come learn with us, even if they haven’t decided that they want to become a chiropractor.
Some of your members are exploring several healthcare professions. What questions do students typically have when they are comparing chiropractic with other career paths?
KF: A lot of students ask how chiropractic compares with physical therapy because there are definitely areas where the two professions can overlap. Students also ask about how long chiropractic school takes, prerequisites, what the curriculum is like, career options, salary, and what chiropractors are actually able to do in practice. Those are some of the reasons we’ve tried to connect our members directly with chiropractors and chiropractic schools instead of only giving them information ourselves.
What have you personally learned about the chiropractic profession since starting the club that you didn’t know before?
KF: Probably the biggest thing I’ve learned is how many different directions you can take the profession. Before starting the club, I had a much narrower idea of what being a chiropractor looked like. Through talking with doctors, schools and different organizations, I’ve learned much more about areas like sports chiropractic, rehabilitation, research and different practice styles. I also didn’t realize how different chiropractic programs can be from one another. I haven’t decided on a school yet, and honestly starting the club has made me want to explore them even more. We’re bringing representatives from chiropractic programs around the country to Michigan for our Chiropractic School Showcase in November, so I’m really excited to continue learning about all of them.
What do you think today’s college students are looking for in a healthcare career?
KF: I think a lot of college students want a healthcare career where they can actually help people and see that they’re making a difference, but things like career flexibility, financial stability and having different options within the profession matter too. Chiropractic can align well with a lot of those interests because it is very patient-centered and hands-on, and there are different directions someone can take their career depending on what they are interested in.
Could a model like the University of Michigan Pre-Chiropractic Club work on other college campuses? What advice would you give students—or chiropractors—interested in starting one?
KF: Definitely. One of the things we noticed when starting our club was that there really aren’t many undergraduate Pre-Chiropractic Clubs, especially compared with other pre-health organizations. I would love for what we’re building at Michigan to eventually help serve as a model for students at other universities. My biggest advice would honestly be to just start. Find a couple of students who are interested, talk to your university and don’t be afraid to reach out to people in the profession for help. One of the coolest things I’ve experienced is how willing chiropractic schools, doctors and organizations have been to support us. You don’t need to have everything figured out before you begin.
If you could give the chiropractic profession advice on how to connect with students of your generation, what would it be?
KF: Come to where the students are and make it interactive. Chiropractic is such a hands-on profession, so I think the best way to introduce students to it is through hands-on workshops, demonstrations, shadowing, campus events and opportunities to actually talk with chiropractors and chiropractic students. Social media is great for getting someone’s attention, but I think actually giving students an experience is what makes them remember the profession and want to learn more.
Learn more about the University of Michigan Pre-Chiropractic Club here.
