StudentDC Interactive

Remember that old phrase, “Join the Navy, see the World” ?  Well, you can do that in chiropractic, too.  If you have graduated and have your license, but you’re not ready to open a practice, and you don’t want to commit to an associate position, you might want to consider becoming a locum tenens --  someone who goes into an office in a temporary capacity to do chiropractic work.  A locum tenens is, literally, a “place holder” (locum = place, tenens =to hold); it is usually abbreviated as simply “locum” work.

There are lots of reasons why an office would need a “temp”:  maternity leave, medical leave, around-the-world cruise, military duty, and on and on.  If you want to do locum work, check with your state chiropractic association to see if they will put you on their listing.  You might also want to check out the practice-for-sale and associate-wanted articles in Chiropractic Economics and contact doctors who are looking for associates or who need to leave a practice, or try the “Finding a Job in Chiropractic” article on StudentDC.  You might be able to fill in temporarily until a new associate is hired (or maybe you want to stay and fill the position).  Being a “temp” or locum is a great way to learn more about running a chiropractic office and keeping your skills sharp while you’re trying to figure out what to do.

It’s a win-win for everyone — the doctor gets a qualified chiropractor to run the practice, and you get some money and a chance to see the world, and maybe find a great job.

I just talked to a new grad who talked to several banks and got a startup loan with only 10% down and no co-signer.  I also have heard that SBA loan money is getting harder to come by, but I heard of someone else who got an SBA-guaranteed loan.

Can you still get a loan, despite the dificult credit situation?  It depends:

• It depends on the bank.  You have to keep looking, making changes in your request, talking to bank after bank.  If you go to 10 banks, don’t give up. Maybe the 11th will be the one that says “yes.”
• It depends on the region of the country where you are, the state where you are.  The first instance above was out west.  Banks and SBA offices in other states might not be so willing to give.  I’ve never been able to figure that one out.
• It depends on your personal financial situation.  Especially your credit rating.  Banks are requiring higher FICO scores, over 700 and even up to 750 now.  Know your credit score; if it’s low, think about how you will overcome that number.
• It depends on how much you are asking.  Cut down your request to an absolute minimum.  What do you REALLY need, as opposed to what you think you want?  The less you ask for, the better your chances of receiving it.

A note of encouragement:

Perseverance is a great element of success. If you only knock long
enough at the gate, you are sure to wake up somebody.       — Longfellow