Being a successful chiropractor can mean different things to different people. Should success be based solely on the amount of income earned in a given year or the number of vacations taken in a lifetime? Is it determined by total income generated divided by hours worked and multiplied by vacations taken? At Western States, our students and alumni have a more reflective approach to defining success.
All applicants to the WSCC DC program are required to write essays describing their experiences, thoughts, goals, and ideals about the chiropractic profession. In virtually every essay, the main reasons given for wanting to join the profession were family, lifestyle, and a desire to help their communities. Western States provides opportunities for students and alumni to realize all of these descriptors of success.
WSCC provides clinical experiences both on-campus and off. One of the College’s major off-campus sites is dedicated to treating the uninsured and underserved in our community. Recently, the College received a Collins Foundation grant, which WSCC is using to provide direct access chiropractic services for patients in drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers in the Portland area. We feel that it is extremely important and empowering for students to experience the positive impact they can have within their communities.
WSCC students are encouraged to develop extra-curricular lifestyles away from the classroom. One way to achieve this objective is through sports. There are many opportunities for students to demonstrate their athleticism by participating on teams like soccer, basketball, hockey, softball, and baseball, to name a few. We also provide opportunities for participation in the Hood-to-Coast Run and the Rose Festival Dragon Boat races.
On campus, many events involve family members of WSCC students. Each quarter, the Associated Student Body holds a “Back to School B-B-Q and Book Sale;” this is a great opportunity for spouses, significant others, and children of WSCC students to meet and create additional bonds and sources of community. For the students of WSCC, this event facilitates connectivity between upper and lower quarter students with whom they can share resources. Students also participate, plan, and develop other opportunities for gatherings, like the Holiday Gala, Student ACA Idol, Halloween Parties, Valentine’s Day Dances, and Golf Tournaments.
Business courses are integrated into the WSCC curriculum; students are provided skills and preparation for the demands of managing a small business—their private practices. Students create their own business prospectus; some students go on to use these when they apply for a business loan to start their own practice.
The Career Services department is about to undergo an exciting expansion. More in-depth services are being added for students and alumni. A central location will be created to assist individuals looking for practice opportunities, demographic information, resumé building, interview skills, and the like. We are thrilled to increase the services available to our alumni and students.
Student dedication to the academic program pays huge dividends when taking the National Board examinations. WSCC students routinely rank at the top in performance scores. It is also rewarding to see graduates of Western States paying off their student loans with equal success; currently the College student loan default rate is 0.0. This is an achievement to be celebrated by all.
As a college, WSCC sees successful alumni as involved members of their communities and the profession. We are proud of all the alumni who serve on nationally recognized organizations such as the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners, the Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards, the Commission on Accreditation for the Council on Chiropractic Education, American Chiropractic Association, local and state associations and jurisdictional licensing boards.
At Western States Chiropractic College, alumni and students—who have a healthy balance of home and work, participate in their communities, are achieving their personal and professional goals, and are genuinely fulfilled—are considered models of success.
Visit www.wschiro.edu or call 800-215-3716.