Tales of the Unemployed: A Chiropractor's Lament

Use your knowledge and skill to create an internet business. Oh wait, that would be a waste of time- after all, no one searches the internet for information, do they?

Following up on the above (college...)'s rather sneering comment, I suggest reading Yanik Silver's MOONLIGHTING ON THE INTERNET. I don't know if it will help, but maybe something will ring for you. I've just finished it and found in it a lot of suggestions. (I am in a similar position - owing and out of work and seemingly unemployable despite advanced degrees.) I intend to pursue several of the ideas in Silver's book.

As for the workforce not having a place for you, it probably does - but it may not be here. Bottom line, though, at this time, maybe all times, one has to do it oneself. Don't give up, please. It is possible.

Agree'd with the response being snobbish. Or perhaps they wrote the response about the time the Lexapro wore off.
A good friend once told me in these times the good people will get better and the bad ones get worse. Keep the faith Doc.
Opportunity favors the prepared mind and that requires a positive attitude. This community has the resources and plenty of good people to make a difference in this economy.

Rescpectfully
JerrySB

For such an academic intellectual, you aren't too smart.

I feel bad that you are having problems, but keep trying. It is too bad that two of the comments above from collegeloanconsultant and Siz are just terrible. It is amazing that people can be so rude when someone else has problems.
I hope they find themselves in the position to put their snotty comments to use in finding jobs on the internet.
Smart, indeed! Or maybe collegeloanconsultant is that creep that keeps jamming up my email with spam?

just came back from a chiropractic visit. I have noticed that it does wonders for me, but a lot of people I talk to are scared of the profession. I'm sure your story is one of many whom get an education and have trouble putting it into profession. I was there once. It took about a year before I found my place, but I love what I do so it was worth the wait. It is hard, but in these times we must believe that when one door closes, many others open. Don't have expectations because we are guaranteed nothing.

maybe you shouldn't have bet the farm on a quack profession like being a chiropractor. was witch doctor not available?

I agree with someguy's assessment about the quackiness, but I'd be a little more compassionate---most students who go into chiropractic have no idea that it is based on a belief system akin to a religion and has little or no connection to the scientific worldview. Should Ed have known better given his undergrad bio degree? Not necessarily---slick quackery is often not easy to identify, even for bright people. It's tragic that so many eager young people have been sucked into chiro school and emerge in such deep debt with little choice except to continue the quackery. The reform in this "profession" needs to be at the level of the chiro school, and there needs to be some means of alerting prospective chiro students of the reality of the chiro world. Ed, best of luck to you.

I'm sorry about your financial problems, but I have no sympathy for your choice of profession. The chiropractic profession is for quacks and fools. The quacks must peddle nonsense to make it big. If you think you can maintain a profitable practice while remaining evidence based, you are a fool.

A chiropractor on the streets does more for the public's health than one in the office.

I am a chiropractor whom has done very well in this profession. There is absolutely nothing quackey about it, infact I have a very large volume of business from orthopedic surgeons. Treatment focuses on core strengthening and chiropractic adjustments - It is totally evidence based, or I doubt I would be getting all of my business from medical doctors.. My advise to the chiropractor is to get out of his/her funk -- you control your own destiny.

Keep up the good fight brother. If you are a hard working individual with a good head on your shoulders (which it sounds like), then something will come your way. This is America and there will always be opportunities for people like you. I wish you the best!

-Justin Tevis '09

I feel for you, I'm in the same boat. Although I love being a chiropractor and helping people get well...I can't seem to make a living doing this. I'm not much of a salesman so I failed trying to run my own business. Its true that in most cases working for another chiropractor, as a salaried associate, will not work out. So for now I am working in another field. I am holding out hope that chiropractors will soon be able to work as comissioned officers in the military. Also the VA is starting to hire chiropractors to work in their hospitals.