Meet William Atherton
Dr. William Atherton grew up on a small dairy farm outside of Greenwood, New York. After graduating from New York Chiropractic College in December of 1995, he completed a three-year residency in diagnostic imaging at Logan University and in December of 1999 became a Diplomate of the American Chiropractic Board of Radiology (DACBR). For the past 18 years he has been in Miami, Florida, where he owns a private film-reading practice.
Dr. Atherton originally wanted to become a veterinarian, but then decided that he wanted to help humans through holistic healthcare. When researching chiropractic schools, he decided that NYCC was a good fit because of the solid education in the sciences as well as the new anatomy lab. The location was also ideal, as it was both a beautiful campus and close to family.
After graduation, Dr. Atherton became an associate for a two-office practice in Valatie, New York, for three months, followed by a position in a multidisciplinary clinic in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, before finally moving to Miami.
The most challenging part of owning a practice is keeping it alive, Dr. Atherton says. It is only as successful as you make it. He also says that the most rewarding part of what he does is helping patients. He loves that he can help other chiropractors with a diagnosis that improves, or in some cases saves, their patients’ lives.
Dr. Atherton believes healthcare should be universally socialized and evidence-based, where anybody can seek healthcare for free. He hopes that chiropractors can become general practitioners who evaluate the patient as a whole and use enhanced clinical skills to make a diagnosis without relying heavily on expensive imaging.
A crucial piece of advice Dr. Atherton wishes to pass on is to always trust your gut, and to follow advice only from people who have your best interests at heart.
