Life Chiropractic College West is hard at work creating and improving resources for the chiropractic community. Many exciting ventures have recently taken flight, offering new networking opportunities for current and future chiropractors.
The college has launched a new online jobs portal to serve alumni, friends, and chiropractors around the world. The jobs portal acts as a way for doctors of chiropractic to find qualified associates and chiropractic assistants, and as a way for Life West students preparing to graduate to find jobs.
“The community spoke, and we listened,” said Life West Director of Marketing Alana Hope. “We’ve upgraded from what was a simple job board to a powerful job search site for the chiropractic profession worldwide. Both employers and candidates now can manage their profile in a user-friendly dashboard, sign up for email alerts, and enjoy many more great features.”
Former student Kelly Wang, DC, talks with a co-worker in her office during her preceptorship.
Improvements are also coming to the Life West preceptor program, which has expanded significantly during the past year. Members of the faculty, staff, and administration are continuing to find new ways for students to gain experience within chiropractic offices during their final quarters of study.
“We have sent between 45 and 65 interns per quarter on preceptorship over the Spring, Summer, and Fall quarters,” said Life West Vice President of Clinical Operations Scott Donaldson, DC. “We will continue to improve the program and engage with our stakeholders to provide an excellent opportunity for the interns and the doctors.”
There are two major components in the works to help support the preceptor program. The application process, which has historically been managed via paperwork, email, and faxes, is getting completely digitized. This will allow student and DC applicants to move through the process significantly more quickly and will streamline the approval process.
Approved students and DCs will also have exclusive access to a digital matchmaking system, which will enable students to find chiropractors that help meet their goals as they begin their preceptorship. That will include geographical location, specialities, and a host of other criteria that will allow both students and DCs to find the best opportunities for them.
This platform is scheduled for launch in early 2021 and will provide improved support for one of the ways the college is preparing students for careers in practice.
More opportunities to connect
Another central piece of the college’s effort to keep ties strong is Life West Connect, a platform launched earlier this year for the college’s network of alumni, friends, students, and employees. Its primary, two-fold focus, according to Director of Alumni Relations Joseph Ibe, DC, is to reconnect alumni and friends while also providing a space for updates about Life West and the chiropractic profession.
Joseph Ibe, DC
“Life West Connect provides a space for our alumni and friends to engage with one another,” Dr. Ibe said. “The maturation of that community will include our admissions and Continuing Education departments adding content of interest to our community.”
Dr. Ibe added that Life West Connect is not simply a clone of platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn, as it provides a sense of intimacy for those within the community.
“Life West Connect provides a directory to our alumni network, mentoring and business opportunities, and engagement with students,” he said. “It also keeps you posted with regular updates from many different parts of the college.”
Life West Connect is part of a three-part plan to maintain high alumni engagement. The Institutional Advancement team is in the process of updating contact information, and the needs of alumni and friends are also being gauged as planning for future events continues.
A 2010 graduate of Life West, Dr. Ibe returned to his alma mater in summer 2020 to step into the Director of Alumni Relations role. He said he is passionate about keeping connections between Life West and its alumni strong.
“Engagement with Life West comes in many ways,” he said. “The relationship with our alma mater didn’t end when we graduated. In fact, it only just began.”
