“They are committed to constant and never-ending improvement.”

That is one of “The Seven Things All Great Chiropractors Do,” which was the topic of a presentation by Bob Hoffman, DC, cofounder of The Masters Circle. I attended this presentation and several others at The Masters Circle’s SuperConference 2006 this past October.

It was great to see so many chiropractors in attendance, following that advice to improve themselves and their practices. It was also great to see so many chiropractors accompanied by their chiropractic assistants and other office staff members, who were seeking to expand their knowledge as well.

With the new year approaching, now is a great time to follow the example of The Masters Circle conference attendees, and think about how you can improve professionally—by learning more ways to improve your patients’ health and make your practices more profitable—and personally, by improving your own health and well being.

On a professional level, make a resolution to look into one of the many board certifications that are available for DCs. The great advantage about certification is that you can focus on an area where you are most passionate. If your practice emphasizes sports chiropractic, for example, one of the available certifications for you is CCSP, or certified chiropractic sports physician. The CCSP certification requires that you attend a minimum of 100 class hours of a postgraduate CCSP program through the American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians. After completing these hours, you must successfully pass a written examination to receive the CCSP certification.

Once CCSP status has been achieved, you may work toward DACBSP certification, or Diplomate, American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians. But other areas in which chiropractors can become certified include rehab, strength and conditioning, nutrition, neurology, and acupuncture, among others.

With the expanded knowledge you will gain through these programs, your patients will benefit through improved health. But you could see other benefits as well. Kim Christensen, DC, DACRB, CCSP, CSCS, says that his rehab certification helped him get hired at his current hospital position and that he was enrolled in all the insurance plans as a result. He added that many insurance carriers seek out board-certified DCs due to their expertise and specialization. For example, many insurance carriers use only DCs with certifications in areas such as rehab, orthopedics, imaging, neurology, and qualified medical examiner (QME) to perform independent medical examinations.

On a personal level, how about making a resolution to improve your own health? When you are physically fit, you command greater authority when advising patients on the best ways to improve their health. I know that for me, personally, the new year is a great motivational tool to eat better and exercise more.

And speaking of improvements, here at Chiropractic Products, we practice what we preach. Starting in January 2007, look for some major improvements in how we present you with the best product information.

Looking back on 2006, the profession celebrated some victories, but we still have some big challenges ahead. For 2007 and beyond, take Hoffman’s advice and commit to constant and never-ending improvement.