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I just talked to someone who says she specializes in Broadway dancers and fertility/women’s issues. I had no idea. Her website doesn’t show this, it came up by accident. Her site just shows she used to be a dancer.
If you want to specialize, you need to let people know.
From what I’ve seen, specializing is a very powerful way of getting new patients. Marketing without marketing, so to speak. There’s several reasons for this. Some are obvious, some aren’t.
Specialists have more credibility.
Two reasons: If you specialize in something, of course you should be good at it. And, if it’s specialized in, then it almost certainly works for that condition/area. Enough said.
You specialize in helping me!
Let’s face it. Patients want to be understood. If you’ve seen their condition before, you know what they’re going through. The acupuncturist I mentioned above who specializes in Broadway dancers was a dancer herself. She knows about the never-ending rehearsals. She knows about dancing through injuries. She knows about the common injuries everyone suffers from.
Patients want to know you understand what they’re going through.
It’s a plus when you “speak the lingo”. Skateboarders have their own language, and use it even when they’re not talking about skateboarding. The same with dancers, martial artists, etc.
Avoiding the “When you have a hammer, everything looks like a nail” syndrome.
There’s a saying. “When you have a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” For my readers in other countries - this means a person who has one tool tends to try to fix everything with just that tool. They do this even if it’s completely the wrong tool.
Which is more believable? If you claim to be good at everything? Or if you claim to be very good at a few things?
Let’s face it, acupuncture and Oriental medicine treats many more conditions than most people realize. But until they’re properly educated that AOM is a fairly complete system of medicine, it looks like you’re trying to be everything to everyone.
The Cool Story Factor
How you got into your specialty is always a cool story. Everyone loves stories - they’re easy to remember and repeat.
So, what do you specialize in? Do people know? And how is that working for you? Leave a comment below!
(By the way, if you specialize in AIDS/HIV or know someone who does, I’d like to talk to you. I have a standing invitation to give a presentation at the Chicago Department of Public Health for their AIDS planning group.)
5 responses so far ↓
1 Jared McCollum // Feb 3, 2009 at 1:09 pm
I have taken Bob Flaws advance training in Gynecology and have specialized in it for some time. I find it makes a huge difference as I work in a small town 20 mins outside a city centre of 1 million people. Since I specialize and treat Gynecological issues very well, I get referrals and patient from the city regularly which makes quite a difference when the population of my town is 20,000.
It is interesting that many of my competitors within the city claim to specialize but have a list of 10 conditions form 3-5 specialties that they specialize in. It’s not they they are specialists it just that they list the most common conditions that Acupuncture treats very well.
I enjoy specializing in Gynecology as I find women are much easier to treat then men anyway and the specialization usually keeps the men away. Accept for the ones that are sent in by their wives.
2 Curious // Feb 3, 2009 at 11:30 pm
I’m curious, why is it that so many men specialize in gynecology? I understand the idea that women are easier to treat than men (as stated
above), but I actually don’t find that to be the case. About half of my patients are men. I just talk differently to my male patients than to my
female patients. Usually the guys don’t want to know much about why I’m choosing the points or herbs I’m choosing. They’re just happy to be
feeling better.
I know that I don’t have to have experienced arthritis to treat arthritis (although I understand joint pain), but I’m not sure how men really
understand what it’s like to have menstrual cramps, PMS, etc. I think that goes back to the idea that Burton wrote about the dancer treating other dancers. She understands their needs, challenges, and strengths.
I focus on digestion, nutrition, and pain because those are areas that I feel I can relate to and have a greater understanding of, outside of just
my TCM training. They are of more interest to me too because it’s more personal.
So, without challenging anyone on it, I’m just curious to hear the reasons why there seem to be a lot of men focusing on gynecology. Or am I
wrong?
By the way, I agree that specializing (although in Canada we are not allowed to “specialize”, only focus) is very helpful, for both practitioner and patients.
3 Burton Kent // Feb 4, 2009 at 8:07 am
I noticed this with Western medical doctors - most gynecologists are men. However, most acupuncturists I know who focus on gynecology are women.
Of course male specialists in female issues haven’t experienced the symptoms themselves. But like you said, you don’t need to have arthritis to treat arthritis. A female acupuncturist might have an extra edge, but it isn’t necessary.
4 Eric Hollander // Feb 6, 2009 at 1:10 am
I agree with Jared above. I have found most men want a quick fix with some pain issue and rarely stick around for more then a session or two to really get well.
I have treated pain for years, and feel I treat it very well, but have moved on to focus on gynecology. I like to see an person improve over the course of treatment, and find women much more interested in their health then most men.
That’s not to say that it’s easier. It can be more challenging too.
5 Amy Galvan // Feb 21, 2009 at 10:41 am
In reference to the issues previously mentioned about how men can be successful treating gynecological disorders (or specialize) when they have not experienced it themselves, I have heard women state outright the advantage is particularly that some of these men—because they *don’t* have direct personal experience in the disharmonies—they listen more carefully, do not make assumptions (”I know what your cramps are like; they’re like mine” can be a false assumption), and they provide the masculine energy in a woman’s life that can be so missing (e.g., guidance, protection, positive fatherly energy). Sure, women practitioners can provide the same care I am describing, but some women patients find some men practitioners in gynecology have exactly what they need in terms of care for body, mind, and spirit. This can be absolutely critical in women who have experienced men negatively in their lives with respect to their femininity. A good male gynecologist can be a first step in trusting men with her femininity. This trust can later be expanded to men outside medicine whom she may encounter in daily, professional, or personal/romantic contexts.
I specialize in trauma, as a certified Victim Advocate and service provider using Contemporary Oriental Medicine. I have 20 years experience working directly with women survivors of rape, trauma, and domestic violence. Some women heal better with women practitioners; some better with men. It is as much about the patient’s needs as it is the practitioner’s understanding.
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