I know some of you have been wondering about ideas on how to be successful in practice.  My last article started giving you food for thought in that arena.  Now I am going to go over these points individually and really help you do the headwork.

  I had friends in Chiropractic school that  sure they were going to take over a doctor’s practice when they graduated.  I can tell you honestly that by the time we graduated, many of them did NOT end up going to work in these practices they thought would be in.  What changed? Perhaps the opportunities  waiting for them ended up disappearing.  Or maybe it was the students themselves that changed.  Maybe the job they had waiting for them was not what they were looking for?

Open your own practice or go to work for another doctor?  Hmmm! What to do? You could do either or.  How about considering working for another doctor for a specific amount of time (say one or two years), then going out to start your own practice?

There are those who enjoy working as associate doctors for a senior doctor that usually owns and runs the practice.  There is no fuss with paying the staff, dealing with scheduling, payroll, managing the books and expenses and all the other logistical and administrative headaches that come with running your own business.  Some associate doctors often brag about getting paid vacations, sick time and being able to leave the business at the office and not take it home.

I can tell you that I was an associate doctor for 4 years.  It was hard for me to financially get ahead.  Part of everything I made from treating each and every patient was going into the other doctor’s pocket in some form or another.  Whether it is rent or a percentage of your earnings, working for someone else can have its’ drawbacks. 

 When my wife and I finally opened up our own practice, it was scary but rewarding for my wife and I.  This is our 8th year with our own practice. Even with all of the responsibilities self employment demands, we are always glad we did it.  The financial freedom it has now afforded us has made it all worthwhile.

So do you really want to be your own boss?  Hopefully I have given you some good food for thought.