Meeting of the Minds

One of my favorite aspects of being involved with the chiropractic profession is attending the seminars and conferences, such as the recent Parker Seminar in Las Vegas. This conference attracts chiropractors from the United States and other countries such as Japan. The speakers are leaders and authorities in their respective subjects, and the exhibitors offer their newest products and equipment for chiropractic offices.

I usually like to walk around the exhibit hall before heading to the seminars to learn more about different adjusting techniques, practice management, and marketing. After the lectures, I take the opportunity to meet the speakers and invite them to contribute articles. I also enjoy talking with readers who stop by our booth to discuss articles they read and topics they would like to see in the magazine.

One of the lectures I attended was “The True Premise of Chiropractic,” by Bobby Doscher, DC. She is the director of Oklahaven Children’s Chiropractic Center, Oklahoma City, a nonprofit organization that specializes in caring for children with conditions such as cerebral palsy, autism, paralysis, allergies, and asthma. Doscher showed slides of children—whom the medical community had basically written off and recommended medication to—living normal, drug-free lives. After the lecture, I overheard an attendee say, “Dr Dosher, I am not a chiropractor or even a student. I attended this seminar to see what chiropractic was about and whether this is a profession I want to pursue. Your talk today has inspired me to go and apply to LACC as soon as I return home.”

At every seminar I attend, I always get an adjustment from Leander Eckard, DC, whom I met 4 years ago at my very first conference, the California Chiropractic Association (CCA) Winter Conference in Reno, Nev. While adjusting me, he told me about a new theory he was researching, the Leander sign, and that he was interested in contributing an article to inform my readers about his findings and experience.

My favorite aspect of attending conferences is my lunches with my editorial advisory board members and practice profilees. During this time, I touch base with them and discuss their practices, current news in the profession, and topics or sections to include in the magazine. My first lunch was with Doscher and Jacalyn G. Buettner, DC, featured in the December 2003 issue. We talked about Doscher’s work with children and Buettner’s upcoming book about women in chiropractic, which is due out in August. My second lunch was with Wayne H. Zemelka, DC, and his wife and office manager, Carol. I first met him also at the CCA seminar in Reno. We discussed Zemelka’s contribution to the Thompson Technique and future practice profile candidates.

After attending these conferences, the chiropractors I meet motivate me to bring the best authors and topics to you, my readers. I hope will you also be inspired. CP

Miwon Seo
mseo@medpubs.com