One of the ways that PMA solicits chiropractic students is by bussing them to seminars outside their area. Instead of planning a seminar in the same town as the college, PMA will get a student involved in hiring a bus, filling it with beer and food, and promoting the trip to their classmates.
One of the students who was involved in the promotion of a "PMA Bus Trip" wanted to share his experiences. He asked that his name not be used because he has filed a lawsuit against PMA for failure to uphold their contract. For the purposes of this interview, we will call him "Dr. Jones."
"DC": Why does PMA promote these bus trips?
Dr. Jones: You are separated from your school colleagues and family in an arena of glitz and glamour. You are with PMA doctors who are all smiling and calling you 'doctor.' They make you feel like a million bucks!
"DC": In your opinion, why do students sign up with PMA?
Dr. Jones: Prior to signing the contract, they tell the student, who is untraveled in business, that without PMA, the chances of failure are great, but with PMA, the chances of success are great. It doesn't dawn on you until some days after the PMA meeting what you have done. It isn't until graduation that you realize that PMA isn't coming through for you.
"DC": In retrospect, how do you feel now about your involvement in the PMA bus trip?
Dr. Jones: The bus trip probably caused hardships with the other students on the bus who signed PMA contracts. The school was very unhappy with my actions. I'm sorry I ever did it. It's still something that haunts me.
"DC": How would you change the way students are exposed to practice management so that this kind of problem doesn't continue to occur?
Dr. Jones: I wish that college presidents would change their tune. They tried to shield us from practice management consultants. This only caused us to want it more. Let the management people come into the college and let the faculty put them on the spot. And let the management people put the faculty on the spot. A national consultant organization needs to be formed and come to the colleges to help teach students management practices."
Editor's note:
When PMA asked Dr. Jones to organize another bus trip, Dr. Jones just said "no."
When sports chiropractors first appeared at the Olympic Games in the 1980s, it was alongside individual athletes who had experienced the benefits of chiropractic care in their training and recovery processes at home. Fast forward to Paris 2024, where chiropractic care was available in the polyclinic for all athletes, and the attitude has now evolved to recognize that “every athlete deserves access to sports chiropractic."
It is estimated that 61% of patients with CTS avoid taking surgical options due to postoperative complications and costly surgical procedures. Chiropractic care offers a comprehensive and effective treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome, addressing the condition from multiple angles. Recent studies also have unveiled a game-changing adjunct to chiropractic treatments for CTS: nerve flossing.
Some doctors thrive in a personality-based clinic and have a loyal following no matter what services or equipment they offer, but for most chiropractic offices who are trying to grow and expand, new equipment purchases help us stay relevant and continue to service our client base in the best, most up-to-date manner possible. So, regarding equipment purchasing: should you lease, get a bank loan, or pay cash?
