Chiro Spotlight: Dr. Dylan Tarrant (He/Him)
Instagram: @Dr.Dylan_DC
Dr. Dylan Tarrant, DC graduated from Southern California University of Health Sciences with his Doctorate of Chiropractic in August 2022. Prior to become a doctor, Dr. Dylan was a professional dancer performing and choreographing nationwide. He achieved his BA in Dance Science from California State University of Long Beach in 2015. Although his speciality and passion is the dance community, Dr. Dylan has experience working with high level athletes both professional and pre-professional baseball, basketball, volleyball, powerlifting, soccer, and rugby players.
Can you share your personal journey through chiropractic? How did you become interested and what motivated you to pursue it as a career?
During my last semester of undergrad, I had a dream that I was a chiropractor. At the time, my mentor was an athletic trainer. I told him about my dream, and what I thought he said was, "I do not like chiropractors." The two normal pathways in dance science were either athletic training or physical therapy, so I put that dream aside. After receiving my BA in Dance Science in 2015, I was teaching dance all over California and the U.S. I was also judging dance competitions, working as a backup dancer, and serving as one of the choreographers for Reyna Roberts. Around the time I was turning 25, a bit of anxiety started kicking in because I was about to be removed from my parents' insurance and wanted something a little more stable. I went back to my mentor from undergrad and started the process of trying to get into athletic training school. I hit so many roadblocks—no one was letting me shadow, and I needed 250 hours of observation just to apply to athletic training school. I went back to my mentor and told him how frustrated I was. He then asked me, "Have you thought about chiropractic?" I looked at him, puzzled, and said, "I thought you hated chiropractors?" What he said next changed the course of my life. He replied, "It's not that I don't like them, I don't trust them. Be a good one that I can trust." That day, I emailed SCU. They called me, I sent in my transcripts, and weeks later they said all I needed to do was take chemistry, which made me nervous because I hadn’t done so well in undergrad—my focus was dance. However, I took a 6-week course, called my mom crying every week as I kept getting A's on the exams. I sent in my transcripts, paid my deposit, and BOOM, I was accepted into chiropractic school.
How has your diverse perspective contributed to your journey in chiropractic? In what ways has your unique background influenced your approach to patient care, community engagement, or professional growth?
When considering diverse perspectives, I think what contributed heavily to my chiropractic journey is that I was one of two professional dancers in chiropractic school. It’s funny because we knew each other—same dance science program, just years apart. I believe that being a dancer creates a deeper connection to the body and attunement to kinesthetic awareness and interaction with others. I am also Samoan and Filipino, and I present more as Samoan. While living here in New York, I’ve been meeting many Samoans and other Pasifika people, learning about our history as a culture, which plays a significant role in how I navigate the world and approach treatment. A fun fact I discovered through my research is that there is documentation of early "bone setters" in ancient Samoan culture and history.
Being both Samoan and Filipino, I carry a strong sense of community, which is why I take a biopsychosocial approach to health. Getting to know people, understanding their culture, and being in community with them can change the way we perceive our pain and give us the strength to be courageous enough to make meaningful change.
Could you elaborate on any hardships you have had to overcome in your chiropractic career? How did you navigate these difficulties and what lessons did you learn along the way?
Hardships that I have had to overcome in my chiropractic career is finding my worth and that everyone's chiropractic journey will look different, and it is okay if my journey does not look "traditional". I wanted to work where my internship was held, however, it was hard to say yes because I was making more as dance teacher than what most docs would offer a new doc. Which is why I went back to what I did prior, I went back to being a personal trainer for dancers, and build my own chiropractic practice slowly.
Another hardship in this chiropractic journey is not becoming too busy. I think growing up in poverty, it is easy to keep that mindset. The mindset that I have to be working in order to be worthy, or if I am not busy than I am not worthy. That was the hardest part of the move. At first I was not "busy enough". However, through therapy, and this new degree I am getting, I am able to find a better work life balance.
The biggest lesson I had to learn was being away from family. All my family live within a 2 mile radius back in California. I am the only one on the east coast. I did promise my family I will come home as often as I can. I have been able to go home either every month or every other month.
As a trailblazer in the field, what advice would you give to the next generation of chiropractors, especially those from diverse backgrounds, who are just beginning their journey? Are there any key principles or insights you have acquired that you would like to share?
My advice would be to not be afraid to be different and to know your worth. Many people told me that my niche was too small, but I can confidently say I’m doing just fine. I also encourage you to find community and rely on it. It’s difficult to find people like us—those who are considered minorities in this field. If you feel like you’re the only one in your culture doing what you do, seek out others like you through Google, Instagram, Facebook, and other platforms.
If you’re just starting your journey, don’t let your past define how you’ll perform in chiropractic school. I had a 2.83 GPA in undergrad, but in chiropractic school, I ended up with a 3.4 and never earned lower than a B.
If you’re in school, study in groups. It’s okay if your group changes because not everyone will vibe with you. If they don’t, they’re not your tribe. Also, make sure to get plenty of sleep. I aimed for at least 8 hours a night, and if I had exams, I’d sleep closer to 10 hours.
Lastly, get good at your diagnostic skills. Know when it’s something you can handle and when to refer out. One piece of advice that always stuck with me is: "A good doctor knows when to adjust, but a great doctor knows when not to."
Work on your adjusting skills, soft tissue techniques, and bedside manners. At the end of the day, patients are people—bring humanity and empathy back into chiropractic care.