Getting Hands-On with a Chiropractic Preceptorship

Bridging the gap between book-based learning and hands-on experience is critical for emerging chiropractors. This is one driving reason why we enjoy the opportunity to provide preceptorship experiences for top up-and-coming chiropractors who are in their final quarter of school. We recently had the opportunity to work with Matthew Foster in a preceptorship capacity and the results were wonderful! He did an incredible job as he worked alongside Dr. LaBarbera in our Bedford Clinic, and will continue to pursue his dream as a successful chiropractor!
As a Bedford County native, the words “southern charm” succinctly describe the home he is proud to be from and dearly loves. With an appreciation for his roots, it only seemed logical that he would seek out a preceptorship experience in the place he calls home–with a team he had come to admire. Matthew shared, “I reached out to Tuck Chiropractic Clinic, specifically the one in Bedford because it is close to home and they are very renowned within the local community for constantly striving for success and reaching patient’s health goals.”
So what is a preceptorship anyway? Who better to ask than someone who has just successfully reached the finish line of such an experience! Matthew explained, “A preceptorship is an opportunity for a student who has excelled academically and met all of the requirements of graduation early to spend their last quarter under the supervision of a licensed doctor of chiropractic.”
We have a structured preceptorship program that provides clear expectations and experiences for students in a week-by-week format. Students learn about everything from medical billings and current health care guidelines to spending time on clinical rounds and directly supporting patient care. Perhaps one of the biggest benefits is the student’s ability to work directly with a tenured mentor in chiropractic.
The preceptorship program is an amazing opportunity for both the student and licensed doctor of chiropractic. As a chiropractic team, we find working with exceptional students, like Matthew, keep us energized and excited about what we do. They also keep us sharp as they approach chiropractic with a fresh set of eyes and ask really insightful questions.
While his high school education took place at Jefferson Forest High School in Bedford County, his current educational reality is Palmer College of Chiropractic, located in Port Orange, Florida. This southern city is located about 20 minutes south of Daytona Beach.  He hopes to make a significant impact in years to come!!