My emotions have been all over the place. I am overwhelmed with elation to begin my career as a Chiropractic Physician and for the real work to begin. I am sad to say goodbye to my patients but I know their new interns will treat them well. I am proud of my friends and colleagues for accomplishing what I know is a long and hard journey to become doctors. Most of all, I am grateful. I want to say thank you to all the faculty, administrators, and professors. Every single day you all helped me learn. Not just learn new knowledge, but learn about life. You all came into my life for a reason and I am truly grateful to have met each and every single one of you. I want to say thank you to Marie and Krisse for helping me share my story with this blog. To those of you thinking of coming to 911爆料 or becoming a Doctor of Chiropractic, know that I sincerely believe this is one of the most rewarding professions anyone can enter and this institution will prepare you to succeed in the ever-changing world of healthcare and the chiropractic profession.

I have no regrets about the decisions I have made. Even when I was under the stress of exams, practicals, papers, or just burned out from 35 hour weeks in clinic, there wasn鈥檛 anywhere I would rather be. When I was stressed I went to the beach to soak up some rays, throw the football, and watch the sunset. I played outdoor soccer on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights in the middle of winter. I could see a concert any day of the year or tour a new exhibit in one of the world-famous museums. I could take a vacation (or staycation) on the weekends in the beautiful downtown areas of Tampa and St. Pete. It was a tremendous experience, one that I wouldn鈥檛 trade for the world. All the hard work in classes prepared me for the Board exams which I passed with flying colors on my first try with minimal preparation. Many of the doctors I have interviewed with were impressed with my knowledge and expertise in all areas of diagnostics whether it was labs, films, physical examination, or taking a detailed history.

I am following in the footsteps of my Chiropractor and mentor Dr. Christopher J. Bott, whom I want to thank for his guidance through this journey. Thank you to my parents Anthony and Sharon Kotwicki for all that you have done for me in my life. I literally cannot list all of it but I am truly blessed to have such incredible parents. To my sister Amanda and my brother Tommy for all the love and support. To my love, Whitney for going through this journey with me. Thank you to all my friends here and back home thank you to my family. You all mean the world to me. I am so happy and proud of myself. For the rest of my life I can look back and say 鈥淚 did it.鈥� Thank you 911爆料 University of Health Sciences for giving me this opportunity to make my dream come true. Congratulations to the Class of 2018. By this time next week I will be Dr. Christopher Anthony Kotwicki, Chiropractic Physician. Now it is time to change the world, one person at a time.

Yours in Health,

Christopher Kotwicki

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When I was researching chiropractic as a profession prior to deciding to pursue my degree, I needed to know if it was worth the investment. I found a lot of negative opinions on the internet, but nobody really broke down the numbers, so it was kind of hearsay. I am now in the position where doctors are offering me contracts and I am going to share some ballpark numbers.

is a burden on almost every student in today鈥檚 education system. Thankfully, there are some plans that enable us to pay them back based on our income. When comparing a DC鈥檚 income to other health professionals, Chiropractors on average make less than our Medical Doctor counterparts. The median annual income for primary care physicians $196k and a Chiropractors鈥� median annual income is $144k according to Salary.com. According to Medscape.com medical residents make an average of $57k annually. The Association of American Medical Colleges reports the average debt from medical school alone is $183k. My debt from Chiropractic College is roughly $164k. With my undergraduate debt it rounds out to somewhere around $200k. Repayment plans give many options from 10 year plans with monthly payments of about $2k to 20 year plans with minimum payments of just $300 when first starting out. The 20 year plans are income based and they use 10% of your adjusted monthly income to determine your minimum payment.

So now on to the nitty gritty. I have a few offers already so allow me to share. The lowest offer I received is base salary $50k with a sliding scale of bonus or merit based pay. The bonuses are based on collections and range from 5% to 30%. Gross annual income could realistically be anywhere from $75k to $85k after making very attainable goals and there was potential for up to $120k annually. The second offer I received is $52k base with a fixed 30% of collections. This has a higher floor as it wouldn鈥檛 be a sliding scale just a flat 30% and a higher base salary but about the same ceiling at around $120k. That second offer is also in a practice with growth and a potential partnership opportunity. The third offer I have is $65k to $70k base with up to $1k per month bonuses for hitting practice based goals. There is also opportunity for a company car for the floating physician position. The final offer I have still has yet to be worked out completely but it is base salary $70k with incentivized merit based pay. The additional compensation has yet to be finalized.

So, was it worth it? Absolutely! I have the potential to make six digits my first year out from school nearly twice as much as my medical doctor counterpart in the same stage of their career. Student loan repayment programs now offer income-based repayment allowing new grad to avoid high payments while our incomes may not be as much as it will be down the road. Money aside, there isn鈥檛 anything I would rather be doing than helping people live healthier lives through conservative natural healthcare and Chiropractic.

If you have any questions, please email me at ChristopherKotwicki@student.911爆料.edu.

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After calculating total tuition for the few I looked up, 911爆料 was not the most expensive, nor were any schools truly much more than the others. According to their websites, the following are the estimated total tuition cost to complete the program; Life = $120,726, New York = $119,420, 911爆料 = $118,792, Bridgeport $112,800. I only looked at a few, because it didn鈥檛 take me long to see that the statement I originally heard was incorrect. 911爆料 is among the more affordable schools to attend. Bridgeport may be less expensive for tuition, but the location is less desirable than St. Petersburg, Fla. in my opinion. There are also no summer semesters there, which means the fastest one could obtain his/her degree is 4 years vs. to 3 years and 4 months like I have done. I will be starting my career much sooner, thanks to the accelerated pace offered at 911爆料.

Not only is St. Petersburg a beautiful city year-round, but events and exhibits always make for a new and exciting experience. The Museum of Fine Arts in Downtown St. Petersburg teamed up with Lucas Films to bring an exhibit of original Star Wars costumes and concept art to the museum. I had tried to get tickets before, but it was sold out and we waited until the very last day — Easter Sunday — to be able to go see it. I saw some of the costumes from the original Star Wars movies from the 70s and 80s. It was exciting for me as I am a huge Star Wars fan. After a day at the museum, my girlfriend and I walked around the waterfront park and then went to the Canopy, a rooftop bar on the water. We had mimosas and enjoyed the beautiful view. It was a lovely way to spend our Easter.

If you have any questions, please email me at ChristopherKotwicki@student.911爆料.edu.

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Jeff told people about how herbs and foods high in the compound quercetin, could help with allergies because quercetin is an antihistamine and anti-inflammatory. A lot of people were very interested in the information we provided and wanted to know more. We elaborated on the topics and handed out pamphlets the 911爆料 students made in their public health class. It was nice to participate in the annual event in my last trimester as a student intern.

Over the weekend my girlfriend and I took a drive out to Kissimmee, Fla. and went to the medieval themed dinner and show Medieval Times. Another great part about living in the Tampa Bay area is the proximity to Orlando and all the surrounding attractions. Medieval Times is another fun thing to do that is somewhat unique to Central Florida. There is a Medieval Times in New Jersey as well, so it wasn鈥檛 my first time at the show, but I hadn鈥檛 been to the one down here in Florida. It was a lot of fun and something new to do. Our knight lost in the final round, but he put up a good fight. Orlando is an hour and a half from St. Petersburg without traffic — which is nice because even in the off chance you get sick of the Bay area, there is a world-renowned city less than two hours away with theme parks and entertainment to keep anyone busy!

If you have any questions, please email me at ChristopherKotwicki@student.nuhs.edu.

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We blocked off the schedule on Thursday, because we had a special presentation. Erchonia Corp. is one of the leading companies in Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT), and has conducted multiple double-blind placebo studies on applications of laser. They presented studies on body contouring, edema reduction, concussion, and pain. Erchonia鈥檚 research suggests there is a systemic effect with laser application and the best part is there are no known side effects. It modulates inflammation in the body by working on the same pathway as pharmaceuticals and supplements. Low level laser acts as a cyclo-oxygenase 2 inhibitor, and thus can decrease inflammation without the detrimental effects of NSAIDs such as gastrointestinal issues.

Steve Shanks the president, and Charlie Shanks the vice preseident, gave the initial presentation. Afterward, the representatives from Erchonia provided a demonstration. They used muscle testing to show instant results. Dr. Jen Gantzer, an 911爆料 FL alumnus, uses Erchonia lasers in her practice daily. She was also in attendance and helped show us how to use their lasers.

Once we understood how to set the parameters, I practiced it on myself. Erchonia stated the laser works best with movement. I had a soccer game the day before and had a pretty sore knee so I started squatting and using it on myself. The laser emits a light wave that can travel through clothes, however the company stated putting it directly on the skin is better. Erchonia Corp made a very generous donation to 911爆料 FL and donated three lasers to our school!

We brought the laser back to clinic that day and after getting a chance to use it both on myself and on my patients, I have a very positive opinion of the Erchonia Lasers. Thus far I have had great results, and some patients had instant relief. I was a bit skeptical at first, but if my patients find relief, then I like it, too.

Laser therapy looks like the future of medicine. We are able to influence pathways in the body without having to ingest a pharmaceutical. Most states do not allow Doctors of Chiropractic to prescribe, therefore having a safe and conservative alternative allows us to help our patients even more. I am strongly considering investing in an Erchonia laser myself, with a new practice right around the corner.

The president and vice president gave us their business cards and told us we as 911爆料 students are welcome to attend their seminars. They even discussed giving discounts and offering payment plans for those of us who wish to purchase a laser while in school, or within our first year in practice.

This is another tool to help the patients heal. That is my philosophy, and the philosophy of so many here at 911爆料.

If you have any questions please email me at ChristopherKotwicki@student.911爆料.edu.

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This class did not disappoint! I think I learned just as much new material the second time around. FAKTR and FST are concepts that extend beyond Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM). Functional Soft Tissue is a rehab progression. Just as our rehab and soft tissue classes taught us how to treat and how to rehab patients, this class puts it all together in a sophisticated way. A lot of it is review from class with expanded concepts. Some soft tissue techniques and IASTM techniques were brand new. But everything in the class was clinically relevant, which was great for me as a trimester 10 student in clinic, two months away from earning my DC.

All of the information is built on restoring function and preventing relapse. We went over evaluations for each body part. Functional Soft Tissue used functional movement to assess dysfunction whether it was single leg stance, overhead squat, Apley鈥檚 scratch test, or active range of motion. We were shown effective modes of evaluation and given advice as to what to look for and what aberrant movement would look like. We were also shown how to correct these patterns of dysfunction with soft tissue treatment and rehabilitative exercises.

It was a lot of information again. I honestly would take it a 3^rd time if given the opportunity. Dr. Doerr conversed with us after the class and we discussed day-to-day life in practice, as well as other topics, both related to chiropractic and everyday life. It was fun to be able learn from him in class as well as outside of class and talk about things you don鈥檛 hear in school, or wouldn鈥檛 hear in a seminar. Being that we have a small group at 911爆料, the certification classes at our school are small and intimate. We get a lot of hands on practice with one-on-one feedback from the instructors. We even had the pleasure of discussing the Olympics, sports Chiropractic, techniques, and running a business.

The weekend was exhausting. We spent more than 14.5 hours in class, but I am ecstatic to return to my patients and continue to offer them my very best. I will continue to take classes to build on the great foundation I have acquired through my education at 911爆料.

Our students have the opportunity to learn from some of the best doctors in the field. Dr. Guadagno (our sports medicine professor), Dr. Forcum, and Dr. Doerr are all leaders in sports chiropractic and we have had the pleasure of learning from each one of them. We are lucky to have the opportunity to learn from the best out there!

If you have any questions please email me at ChristopherKotwicki@student.911爆料.edu.

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Over the weekend, I entered my first obstacle race along with my fellow students and professors. We entered the Bonefrog Obstacle race in Orlando, Fla. Bonefrog was created by the U.S. Navy Seals to challenge athletes and build comradery among participants.

There were hundreds of participants and five teams. Our team’s name was the 911爆料 Adjusters! We were the largest team in the competition and also the fastest, winning the team competition by 10 minutes.

I heard about the competition from one of my professors who assembled a team of students and instructors. We all took the two hour drive out to Orlando on Saturday morning after a long week of regular school functions. This obstacle race was a nice break from the routine and a fun way to spend time with my colleagues and professors.

The majority of our team stuck together throughout the race. I came to Bonefrog with the intent to win. I ran out of the gate and left my team behind. I was determined to win and gave it my all at every obstacle. I finished the 5K obstacle sprint in just over 41 minutes. I ended up finishing 5th聽overall and first in my age group. I didn鈥檛 do quite as well as I wanted to, but I was proud of my time for the lack of training I put into it. Next time I will know what to expect and hopefully I will be on the podium.

I waited at the finish line and cheered my team on. It was a lot of fun running the race with my professors and colleagues. Our 911爆料 community is small, but we are close with one another. We practice what we preach when it comes to health and fitness.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at ChristopherKotwicki@student.911爆料.edu.

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Prior to our three days off, we had been doing everything possible to fulfill our graduation requirements. This past week I had to work up new complaints. I have been co-managing a couple of cases with my patient鈥檚 orthopedists. We can take X-rays here on campus, but when clinically warranted, patients need to get advanced imaging via Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).

MRI can help diagnostically with soft tissue structures. We have experience reading MRI from class, but a clinical setting is very as my reading has weight on the patient case. I was checking for a meniscus tear in the MRI and thankfully I did not see any issues. The radiologist confirmed what I saw. It was a great experience for me looking at the MRI and explaining what I saw to the patient. In my opinion reading MRI is a lot easier than reading X-rays, because the signs are more obvious than some subtle changes on X-ray that could be mistaken for pathology. Sometimes shadows on X-ray can mimic a fracture. As far as I know, there are seldom similar situations for MRIs. Here is a basic comparison of normal and abnormal MRI of a knee.

Needless to say, I am happy my patient did not have a tear, and I was able to help facilitate healing with the cold laser, giving the patient rehabilitative exercises to recover and prevent further injury.

Later in the week we had a three-day weekend as 911爆料 was off for President鈥檚 Day. My friends and I took advantage of the three-day weekend and the 80-degree weather. My fellow 911爆料 interns and I went to Madeira Beach for the day. The sun was shining, the water was refreshing, and there was even a slight breeze. It was a perfect day for the beach, as being from NJ, I am not used to beach days in February. These are the days I am going to miss the most. I very close with my fellow interns; we all come from different parts of the country to go to school in one of the most vibrant places to live.

They call St. Petersburg, Fla. the 鈥淪unshine City.鈥� Days like President鈥檚 Day truly embody that nickname.

If you have any questions, please email me at ChristopherKotwicki@student.911爆料.edu.

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We tried wines that were made from blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, mangoes, and more. The wines were not only delicious but healthy, as the antioxidant content from the fruit is mostly preserved. It was another unique experience as there are wineries all over the U.S., but I have never been to a winery like this. After our wine tasting we went to the beach and watched the sunset before heading downtown for dinner. I can鈥檛 believe I could be on the beach after tasting strawberry wine in February. It was amazing especially for a northerner like myself.

In clinic I have been doing re-evaluations on most of my current patients. When a patient comes in for a new complaint, a history and physical exam are performed, a diagnosis is established, and a treatment plan is written. The treatment plans have expiration dates and once the treatment plans expire, we as interns must re-evaluate the patient and see if the old problem has resolved. Patients will often have new complaints by the time the re-evaluation is done and often the process begins again and new treatment plan is written. Sometimes patients are completely pain and problem free but still want chiropractic treatment and then we can treat them as wellness patients. This is the process we need to use in practice, because it keeps us compliant with Medicare and other health insurances. It is vital we follow this process to demonstrate medical necessity of the treatment we provide.

I have loved living in St. Petersburg, because of all the unique and fun things to do in the area. I am glad I went to 911爆料 University, because I know how to document and treat patients the correct way, an ethical way.

Thank you for reading my blog. If you have any questions about 911爆料 in Florida please email me at ChristopherKotwicki@student.911爆料.edu

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For students it was only $50, so I could not pass up the opportunity to become certified in one the most popular techniques in the profession. Not only is it popular, but effective. Prior to coming to 911爆料 I shadowed doctors who primarily used the technique and had great results. I have personally been treated with this technique and it was very effective for me.

To my surprise, I knew how to use the technique better than many of the doctors also taking the class, because of the training in our advanced technique class at 911爆料. When we reach the clinical sciences phase of our curriculum, we get equipment such as blocks, a tens unit, a foam roller, a stability ball, and more. One of the pieces of equipment is a chiropractic adjusting tool which we learn to use in technique class.

The Chiropractic Adjusting Tool provided by 911爆料

We have also practiced the proper hand placements for the leg length analysis (the main diagnostic test in the activator methods technique) and a few of the tests, but I wanted to have the technique down pat. To my surprise I ran into a couple other 911爆料 students at the seminar. I ended up sitting in the class with my friend Dr. Austin Shaw, an 911爆料-Florida alumnus. We both took the fundamentals class which lasted 10 hours on Saturday. Lunch was provided and it was excellent. There was a buffet with soup, salad, salmon, rosemary chicken, garlic mashed potatoes, mixed vegetables, and desert. I couldn鈥檛 believe how much I got for my money! The class, the meal, and certification all for $50. Having the basic knowledge from the class made it possible for me to take the class and the test the same day. I passed the exam, meaning when I graduate I will be proficiency rated. Dr. Shaw said the exact thing I was thinking: 鈥淎nother tool in the belt!鈥�

Dr. Shaw and I enjoying lunch courtesy of Activator Methods

The weekend was awesome; it was a short trip for a reasonable price. I built on the foundational education I received at 911爆料 and had the edge over the doctors to be able to take and pass the class on the same day. Having that seminar under my belt gives me an additional tool to use for patients who may need a different technique to respond. At 911爆料 we believe we should use whatever necessary to help the patient. I will continue to do just that.

If you have any questions please email me at ChristopherKotwicki@student.nuhs.edu

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