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Skill Decay: Don’t Let Your Edge Dull

Skills fade when they’re not used or refreshed—just like muscles. 


Taking a weekend course on cervical manipulation is a great start. But unless you have a plan to get in the reps, gather feedback, and seek mentorship once you’re back in the clinic, that shiny new tool will start to lose its edge.


 5 Questions to ask when learning a new clinical skill:

  1. When will I practice and refine it?

  2. Who will I practice with and how often?

  3. What patient(s) will benefit? 

  4. What does the evidence say?

  5. Who will mentor me and give me feedback after I apply it? 


The difference between learning and mastery is what you do after the course ends. 

 
 
 

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