IMU chiropractic student Ooi Erli reflects on how the Hands for Vitality outreach mission in the Philippines strengthened clinical skills, confidence, and compassion in patient care.

My name is Ooi Erli from cohort CH222, and participating in the Hands for Vitality mobility programme in the Philippines was truly an amazing and transformative experience.

Throughout the mission, I gained a tremendous number of skills, experience, and knowledge by having the opportunity to care for many patients each day under the close guidance of the supervising chiropractors, especially Dr Janice and Dr Becky.

Before joining this programme, I struggled with considerable self-doubt regarding my adjustment techniques and overall patient management.  I was relatively confident with lumbar adjustments, but my thoracic adjustments were inconsistent, and I often felt anxious about performing cervical adjustments.

Prior to the mission, I had only performed cervical adjustments on a fellow cohort mate, which contributed to my nervousness at the start of the trip.

On the first day of our mission in Antipolo, I felt genuinely anxious.

However, Dr Janice took the time to give me an encouraging pep talk. She reminded me that chiropractic care is not solely about the adjustment itself, but about relieving patients’ pain, listening with compassion, and doing our best to help each individual.

Her words helped shift my mindset and allowed me to focus on serving rather than worrying about perfection.

My first patient required nearly 30 to 40 minutes of care, as I spent considerable time on soft tissue work while receiving guided support during the adjustment process.

After the second patient, I began to feel more relaxed and comfortable. I initially set a personal goal to manage about 10 patients per day, and as the week progressed, I was able to meet and even surpass this target.

This milestone significantly boosted my confidence.

As I continued seeing more patients, I started to recognise common clinical patterns, which further strengthened my clinical reasoning.

Dr Janice later encouraged me to aim higher by challenging me to manage 20 patients in a single outreach session.

During the second day at Camarines Sur, when the team attended to more than 400 patients, I successfully reached that goal. It was a proud and affirming moment in my learning journey.

Under Dr Becky’s patient guidance, I also expanded my technical skills considerably.

I learned to perform adjustments for multiple regions including the shoulder, elbow, wrist, thumb, knee, ankle, and toes, as well as the cervical-thoracic junction, which many patients required.

Her teaching approach was particularly impactful.

She first demonstrated techniques on peers, then allowed me to experience the adjustments myself to better understand the biomechanics, before guiding me to perform them under supervision.

This hands-on mentorship greatly accelerated my learning.

Of course, there were still moments when adjustments were not successful. However, these experiences became valuable learning opportunities rather than sources of discouragement.

Overall, this mission significantly strengthened my clinical competence, confidence, and professional growth.

I am truly grateful for the opportunity to serve the communities in the Philippines.

Beyond the clinical experience, the journey also allowed me to appreciate the beauty of the country, from its mountains and waterfalls to its rich culture and warm people.

Hands for Vitality has been a deeply meaningful experience that I will carry forward as I continue growing into a more confident and compassionate future chiropractor.

This article highlights the experience of IMU University chiropractic student Ooi Erli during the Hands for Vitality outreach mission in the Philippines. Through supervised patient care, mentorship from experienced chiropractors, and hands-on clinical practice, the programme helped strengthen technical skills, clinical reasoning, and confidence while serving communities with limited access to healthcare.