Sixth-trimester student Olivia Houlihan didn’t take the express lane to Palmer College of Chiropractic.
A pandemic-disrupted college experience, a six-month massage therapy program, and a full year of hands-on client work all came before she ever set foot on campus in Florida. Turns out, the scenic route was exactly what she needed.
“I’m so happy and grateful,” Olivia says. “Before I arrived on campus, I was expecting the professors to be so serious and strict. I was picturing “Grey’s Anatomy,” where the doctors have that tough-love mentality.”
Instead, she found the opposite. “Yes, a Doctor of Chiropractic degree is a lot of work, but I have so many resources and people to lean on for support.”
Assistant Professor Yahaira Roman, D.C. (`13), is proof of that. She’s already preparing Olivia and her classmates for the NBCE Part IV Exam — an intimidating milestone Dr. Roman makes feel manageable — even though they’re only in their sixth trimester. “She’s so good at explaining things and giving us confidence,” Olivia says. “She cares about our success, and I know she’s the type of mentor I’ll be thanking long into my career.”
Michelle Chambers-Lewis, D.C., is another one of those legendary educators. “Walking me through my first cervical adjusting class, she explained it to me like I was five,” Olivia laughs. “It was really what I needed then. Someone to take the time to teach me one-on-one and explain why I’m doing this movement that was totally new to me.”
As advisor for the pediatrics club — an area Olivia hopes to specialize in — Dr. Chambers-Lewis recently brought in her own toddler so the class could learn hands-on pediatric adjusting techniques, a rare chance for students to interact with a young child.
Both instructors, Olivia says, share the same instinct: they don’t let students feel defeated. “They sit there and actually work through it with you instead of just saying, ‘I don’t know how I can help you.’” When the time came for a clinical skills exam, Dr. Roman asked Olivia to work a case with no notes in front of her, treating it like a real patient walking through the door. Because of the support and guidance she received, Olivia was ready for the challenge.
Wherever Olivia goes next, a little bit of Palmer will go with her. In a few years, she won’t be standing in front of a classroom. She’ll be standing in front of patients, in a practice of her own. But the care she brings to her exam room will carry the confidence instilled by Dr. Roman and the patience of Dr. Chambers-Lewis. Proof that the legendary Palmer experience never really stays behind.
What is a Palmer lesson you’ll never forget?
Olivia had trouble choosing just one. Here are three lessons that continue to guide her.
- “There’s a reason Palmer docs are so well-versed in multiple adjustment techniques. It’s not about my care preference. It’s about what the patient wants.”
- “Take really good patient notes. Good notes are the key to a successful doctor-patient relationship.”
- “Be very mindful about what you say and how you present yourself to a patient. You’re a professional!”
