Presentation Explores New Employment Opportunities for DCs in Community Health Centers
ACA’s annual meeting, the National Chiropractic Leadership Conference (NCLC), is packed with great educational content and world-class presenters. Join us Feb. 28-March 3 in Washington, D.C., to hear from some of the profession’s most compelling thought leaders. Here we pose several questions to one of our featured speakers: James J. Lehman, DC, MBA
Dr. Lehman’s Presentation: “Federally Qualified Health Centers and New Chiropractic Employment Opportunities” – part of the panel discussion “Models of Integrated Practice” on Saturday, March 3. (For complete conference information and schedules, click here.)
How did you become interested in the topic you are presenting?
During 2011, I was asked to meet with a community health center that was interested in chiropractic care for their patients. As a result of the invitation to discuss the integration of chiropractic care into this one community health center, the University of Bridgeport has integrated chiropractic services, clinical education for students, a full-time neuromusculoskeletal medicine residency for chiropractors and jobs for chiropractic clinician educators within 15 primary care sites within Federally Qualified Health Centers.
Who should attend your presentation and why?
If you are a student or a graduate of a chiropractic college and interested in working within a community health center, you should attend this class. There will be many job opportunities throughout the country for chiropractors who want to care for patients as members of the medical staff within Federally Qualified Health Centers/Community Health Centers.
What about your presentation topic (or you) may surprise people?
You will be surprised with the level of reimbursement for chiropractic services within a Federally Qualified Health Center.
Are there any new developments in your specialty/topic area that make your presentation at NCLC 2018 especially relevant or timely?
Primary Care 2025 predicts that only 3% to 10% of primary care physicians will be in private practice in the year 2025 and student loan debts continue to rise. The student loan forgiveness program of 2007 forgives all student loan debt for chiropractors that work for 10 years with a non-profit organization. Taking a clinician educator position with the University of Bridgeport could provide a professional level of income with benefits and student loan forgiveness.
What’s your best advice to a recent chiropractic college graduate (or, alternatively, what is your best advice to someone who has been in the field for several years and is looking for new challenges or ways to expand their practice)?
If you a student or a recent graduate interested in advanced clinical training, board certification as a chiropractic specialist, student loan forgiveness and a career pathway, you should consider our resident training program. If you are in practice and you would like to diversify your patient population and income, you might want to become a clinician educator with the University of Bridgeport.
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Learn more from Dr. Lehman about this topic by joining us Feb. 28-March 3 in Washington, D.C. Register for the annual meeting today by clicking here. Join the conversation online by using the hashtag #NCLC2018.
