My Chiropractic Journey at IMU University: A Singaporean Student’s Story

I remember being a boy, accompanying my mother to the Chiropractor and seeing her get adjusted due to her back pain. My mother continued the visits, and gradually her pain improved tremendously, which was mesmerizing for my then 17-year-old self. I was at the age when we experience one of the many big milestones in our lives: taking my ‘O’ levels. I needed to decide what to pursue in my further studies, but I had no clue what I wanted to do.

However, I had always been fascinated with biology, and I knew that my career should be fulfilling and, of course, provide a living. Thus, here is a short story about why I chose Chiropractic as my future profession. My name is Fuad Suyuti, and I am a Singaporean IMU University student.

While pondering what to do with my life after exams, I received chiropractic treatments alongside my mom. That’s when it struck me. Chiropractic merged my two criteria for a suitable career: biology and fulfillment. Fulfillment in the sense that I could help people with their pain and make them feel better, just as my chiropractor did for me and my mother.

The profession was not well-known as a study option back then, so I struck up a conversation with my chiropractor about where she went to study. She was an American and attended a chiropractic university in the US, but she kindly looked into where to pursue this course in our region. Of course, there are well-known destinations such as Australia and the UK, but surprisingly, there was one in Malaysia! With its close proximity to Singapore, cultural similarities, and not forgetting the good food, I chose to pursue my tertiary education there.

The first time I stepped into the campus, it felt cozy compared to the grander options elsewhere. I liked that, since it made getting between lectures and around the campus much easier. Additionally, it was fully air-conditioned and even had escalators, making moving around campus with a laptop in one hand and a coffee cup in the other more convenient. There are also more than four different condos within a 10 to 15-minute walk from campus, and I had the opportunity to live in one of them. It’s a bonus if, like me, you sometimes need to make a quick run to the toilet before a lecture.

Besides the location and the campus itself, the Chiropractic programme at IMU is accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Education Australasia (CCEA). This gives you the opportunity to work in multiple countries in Asia and Australia, which is a bonus for me since my certificate is accepted around our region.

Hence, I began my arduous journey studying chiropractic at IMU. Let me give you a picture of what practical classes are like at IMU.

You are in a big room filled with chiropractic beds, and your classmates surround the lecturer. You greet one of your friends and sit down with them while the lecturer explains the adjustment we will be practicing that day. He demonstrates it on one of your classmates, and you try to work it out in your head. Then you ask your friend to lie down so you can practice on him. You take a deep breath, set up your adjustment, and thrust. You did it!

Your friend cheers you on and gets up to high-five you. This is what happens in most practical sessions. I love how supportive we are of each other in the class, and every practical session is filled with laughter and the satisfaction from nailing an adjustment.

There are a number of experienced and seasoned lecturers at IMU. My mentor, who is from the US and moved to the Netherlands for clinical practice, has been invaluable. I have had multiple conversations with her about setting up a clinic, her experiences, and how she catered to the needs of the public as a fresh graduate. Having a mentor like her has enabled me to bounce ideas, share my worries, and receive guidance throughout my studies and upcoming career.

Of course, it was not all rosy. There were multiple challenges I had to face. Degree studies are definitely harder than anything I have done before. The workload is heavier, deadlines are abundant, and it is all glued together by my own self-responsibility. Thus, it is not just about maintaining good grades or keeping up with assignments, but also about personal growth.

Being in a new environment and away from my parents, I have matured significantly during my degree years. Studying abroad accelerates that process, but hopefully not so fast that I start losing my hair soon.

The past year has been very eventful for me at IMU. Last August, I had the opportunity to participate in an exchange programme in Brisbane, Australia. What an experience that was.

We met experienced lecturers at the student clinic who shared their stories. It was fascinating to hear from both the Australian lecturers and our IMU lecturers in Malaysia, who had seen different demographics and lifestyles correlating to the various conditions they encountered. It was an eye-opening experience.

In the last two semesters, for about a year, we were put into the student internship clinic to face real cases and real people. It was definitely scary, but with the help of the supervising clinician and friends, we managed. If you come across a case that is hard to crack (pun definitely intended), everyone is willing to give you a hand. I’m more than halfway through the student internship clinic, with about two months left before my finals. I’ve seen a variety of cases, from osteoarthritis to scoliosis to torn ligaments. But it’s not so much the diagnosing and treatment that I think I’ve gained from this experience.

It’s the communication with patients. Back in classes, when we practiced our communication skills with patients, it wasn’t as hard since your friends understand what you’re saying, and they have the same knowledge of medical terms.