Parker University, College of Chiropractic

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course will cover information necessary to begin a career in the chiropractic profession through proven practice building steps, recognize areas of potential litigation, understand fundamental principles of general law with emphasis placed on those legal aspects and problems specific to business and professional practice, and follow practices that minimize the risk of becoming involved in such litigation.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

            Learning Outcomes: At the completion of this course, the student should:

§ Understand how to prepare the foundation of a new chiropractic practice: Career options, mission statement, types of patients

§ Understand how to prepare the financials for a new chiropractic practice: Project costs, operating budget, break-even analysis

§ Understand how to determine new chiropractic practice location: Demographic study, lease negotiation, floor plan

§ Compare and understand billing models including those of the National Health Care Plan: In-network insurance, out-of-network insurance, cash, and combination.

§ Understand practice performance statistics

§ Understand how to develop a patient acquisition plan (advertising calendar) for a new chiropractic practice

§ Demonstrate understanding of trial procedure

§ Understand common employment issues that may affect a small business owner

§ Know legal matters surrounding the landlord/tenant relationship

§ Be familiar with tort law

§ Understand the concepts of contract law in relationship to the chiropractic profession

GENERAL APPROACH TO TEACHING:
This course delivers information through notes, relatable examples, and student discussion.  It is essential to attend lecture and take additional notes because the exams will cover information from the printed notes and discussion.  When missing lecture it is important to follow up by learning the material, through the recorded presentations, accessible through iTunes files.

PREREQUISITES: Chiropractic Practice Principles

REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS:

1.      Course notes

2.      Professional Chiropractic Practice: Ethics, Business, Jurisprudence and Risk Management, by Jacob Ladenheim, J.D., Robert P. Sherman, J.D., and Louis Sportelli, D.C.

SUPPLIES:  NA

EVALUATION AND GRADING POLICY:

Exam 1                                                20%

Exam 2                                                20%

Exam 3                                                20%

Exam 4                                                20%

Final Exam                                          20%

Make-up Exams / Lab Practicals

You must be on time for the Exam or Lab Practical as no Exams are passed out once the first student leaves the exam room. Exams/Lab Practicals are scheduled well in advance so that students can plan appropriately. If a student must be absent from an exam/lab practical, it is the student's responsibility to notify the Course Director no later than the scheduled starting time of the exam/lab practical. Failure to notify the Course Director could result in the student receiving a grade of "0" for the missed exam/lab practical. (See missed exam policy below)

Exam dates can only be changed by the course director, under the direct guidance of the

trimester faculty coordinator.

Altering Grades on Exams

Evaluation of the scantron analysis sheet will reveal the numbers or percent of students who miss each question. If 60% or more of students answer a question incorrectly then the question comes under academic scrutiny by the course director. If the question is mis-keyed, then the scantron should all be re-graded giving students credit for the correct answer and taking points off for incorrect answers. If it is determined the question is poorly worded is misleading or a bad question then there are several options.

1) The questions can be removed from the exam and the grades recalculated based on one less question, i.e. Calculating the grade on 49/50 questions.

2) Points can be added to student’s exams that missed the question only, that way everybody gets credit for the question.

3) Points can be added to all students’ exams, thereby giving credit to those who missed the question and giving extra points to those who got it right.

Missed Exam Policy

The course director should be contacted prior to an exam if a student has any questions about the validity of an excuse to miss an exam or lab practical. If a student has to miss an exam or lab practical, the course director must be notified PRIOR to the exam unless the student is physically incapable of notifying the course director and then written documentation must be provided to this effect. Notification must be email or a phone call to the course director. If a student fails to notify the course director prior to exam start time (or in the case of documented physical incapacitation within a 24-hour period of a missed exam) the exam grade will be calculated as a “0”.

Students must be on time for all examinations. If a student is late, and no one has left the examination room, they will be allowed to take the examination, but no additional time will be allowed. If a student comes in late for any exam (including final exams) and another student taking the exam has already left the classroom, the late student will not be allowed to sit the exam, and the exam grade will be calculated as a “0”.

With documentation of extenuating circumstances for late arrival or for missing a written exam, faculty may either give a written make-up (multiple choice, true/false, essay, etc.) or move the points to the final exam. The make-up exam (which will be a different exam and may or may not be of the same format or same level of difficulty as the exam given to the rest of the class) must be taken within 5 business days of the missed exam unless the student is physically incapable of doing so or unless other arrangements are made by the course director. The exam time will be scheduled at the discretion of the course director.

There are NO makeup lecture exams or lab practicals barring any unforeseen emergencies or extra ordinary circumstances the student might encounter. Each case of a missed exam is judged on an individual basis and the determination as to whether to give or not to give a make up exam to any given student at any given time is at the sole discretion of the course director. You must be on time for the Exam or Lab Practical as no Exams are passed out once the first student leaves the exam room. Vacation, leisure travel and seminar attendance do not constitute extra ordinary circumstances.

With documentation of extenuating circumstances for late arrival or for missing a lab practical, points may be moved to the final lab practical or student must take a make-up lab practical (which will be a different lab practical and may or may not be of the same format or same level of difficulty as the lab practical given to the rest of the class) within 5 business days unless the student is physically incapable of doing so or unless other arrangements are made by the course director. The time of the make up lab practical will be scheduled at the discretion of the course director.

If a student encounters an extenuating circumstance where they feel they will not be able to perform to their abilities on any given exam, lab practical or final exam, they must notify the course director prior to the exam start time. Once a student takes an exam, even if the student is in a less than optimal physical or emotional condition, the exam grade will be final.

VACATION, LEISURE TRAVEL, SEMINAR ATTENDANCE, OVER SLEEPING,

FORGETTING WHEN THE EXAM IS GIVEN, STUCK IN TRAFFIC, etc. DO NOT

CONSTITUTE EXTRA ORDINARY OR EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES FOR

MISSING ANY EXAM.

ESTIMATE OF STUDENT WORK LOAD:

This course is designed to provide action steps necessary to plan, organize and act on a career in the chiropractic profession.  In order to complete the actions steps in time with the progression of the course topics, the student should expect to devote 3-5 hours weekly to this course.

STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS:

Parker College of Chiropractic adheres to section 504 of the Federal Disability law and assists qualified students. If you feel you qualify for this type of assistance, you should contact the Office of Student Affairs.

A complete listing of all Academic policies is found on the Parker Website:

https://my.parker.edu/ICS/Academics_-_Coursework/Academics/Catalog_Handbooks_Policies/

IMPORTANT NOTE:

The provisions contained in this syllabus do not constitute a binding contract between the student and the Parker College of Chiropractic. These provisions may be changed at any time and for any reason at the discretion of the Course Director. When it is necessary to make changes to this document, appropriate notice (at least one week, if at all possible) will be given to the student(s).