The power of a brain trust

Students in chiropractic college encounter many trials and tests while struggling to get through school, pass boards, and ultimately obtain a license to practice. During these struggles, classmates become friends who have faced the joys and sorrows of the struggle together. Many of these friendships will last a lifetime.

After graduation, classmates and friends become colleagues in the practice and promotion of chiropractic. This is essential, as the bonding together of friends and colleagues helps both personally and professionally.

It can be hard to find a good friend. It can be even harder to find a good friend with similar professional interests. These relationships are to be treasured. Even better, relationships like this multiply as new contacts are made once in practice. In many ways chiropractic is a brotherhood and sisterhood that is hard to beat.

One way of enhancing these friendships is to form a “brain trust.” This is a group of two or more people who regularly get together to share ideas; discuss goals, successes, and failures; and in general support each other as friends and colleagues. A brain trust is a success support group.

Traditionally, brain trusts were formed by individuals who lived and worked near one another. In today’s connected world of the Internet, brain trusts can be formed by individuals located around the country and around the world.

Consider the example of three young chiropractors who met while writing for their state association’s magazine. They had a great deal in common as chiropractors, as writers, as new practitioners, and as husbands and fathers of young children. They formed a monthly brain trust that meets on a rotating basis at each other’s practices.

Another thing they do is spend a day in practice with each other to observe, learn, and help. Coding books and other materials that can be shared between practices are purchased jointly to help control the overhead of running their practices. It’s a true win- win-win situation.

Efforts like the above can grow into support not only for brain-trust members but also for the state and national organizations they belong to, leading to the betterment of the profession.

Students should form brain trusts before leaving college for practice. Discuss the idea with friends. Make a pact. There are no hard-and-fast rules except being there for one another. And offering mutual support during relocation after graduation, obtaining a license, finding and starting a practice, etc., will be vital and appreciated.

If the members of a brain trust live and work in the same area, they can meet in person at least once a month. If they are separated by distance, they can meet by conference call or video conference. Regardless, they can all attend seminars and workshops together for fellowship and growth.

Brain trusts have stood the test of time and technology. Take advantage of this concept for personal and professional growth through support and interaction with friends and colleagues.