State chiropractic associations from across the Midwest visited National University Thursday, February 16, for a panel with students.

Representatives included the executive directors or government relations directors from Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio. They spoke to a room full of students and answered several questions from them concerning specific chiropractic regulations in each state and the benefits of joining chiropractic associations.

Some of the key benefits are networking opportunities, advocacy for the profession in each state and educational events. The Iowa Chiropractic Society in particular has a program that allows members to donate and exchange equipment from their practice to other members.

Before the panel, Vijay Patel, DC, (NUHS ’98) gave an opening presentation on what it’s like working in practice. He discussed his experiences in starting his own practice and how to gain referrals and make sure a business not only stays afloat but thrives. As a member of the Illinois Chiropractic Society (ICS), he said he was able to get advice from other experienced association members concerning his practice from credit card processing to how many patients to see.

John Murray, Executive Director of the Wisconsin State Chiropractic Association, stressed the importance of networking in getting hired and maintaining a successful practice. “Building relationships-that’s the primary thing you’re doing,” he said.

The event was organized by the Illinois Chiropractic Society along with National University’s Student American Chiropractic Association (SACA) club.

For a list of student clubs visit the NUHS website.