Editor's Note: John Cress, DC, formerly appeared in this
spot as a student blogger for the DC program. Christian has
relinquished his space to his friend John for some words of wisdom
from an NUHS grad.
Hello again future chiropractic students. For those
of you who do not follow the NUHS web logs, I am Dr. John Cress, a
past blogger and a December 2010 graduate. Prior to NUHS, I earned
a bachelor's degree in sports medicine and was a certified massage
therapist.
Let me first say that I had a wonderful and positive experience
during my time at National. For a small town guy from the
Appalachian Mountains, it was quite the jump moving to Lombard,
Illinois. The experience I gained from working as an intern under
Drs. Mark Hartsuyker, Anna Jurik, and Bruce Hodges has prepared me
very well for my career.
Currently, I am teaching anatomy, physiology and kinesiology at
the Universal Spa Training Academy (USTA), a massage school in
Downers Grove, Illinois. As my first teaching position, I have
leaned on my experience being a student and have shown the same
compassion and integrity that I have learned from the anatomy
faculty at NUHS.
I am also an initial reviewer for CID Management, which provides
utilization and peer review services to support a company's
workers' compensation organization. As a reviewer, I have
capitalized on the training I learned during the Evidence Based
Practice class. This training has not only helped me in my position
at CIDM, but also helped guide my practice.
Finally, I am very close to opening Active Care Chiropractic
& Rehabilitation in downtown Arlington Heights, Illinois, with
co-owner and NUHS alumni Dr. Amanda Karm. You can find us on the
web at www.activecareah.com. It has been a very
challenging and rewarding journey from first tri student to
business owner.
My advice for future students is something I learned from Dr.
Sue Darby and that I tell my own students. "It is only 15 weeks.
Fifteen weeks for the semester and then you are one step closer to
your goal. Practice time management and do your best to stay in the
moment. This will not only make you a better student, it will also
make you a better doctor." Good Luck!!