Ja-born Dr Venessa Walker drops medicine dreams, finds chiropractic joy
Published:Wednesday | June 14, 2023 | 12:09 AMKrysta Anderson/Staff Reporter
Growing up in Mount Salem, St James, Dr Venessa Walker always dreamt of becoming a doctor, until she was introduced to chiropractic. Today, the Jamaica-born practitioner has a doctorate in the field and has opened her own practice, much to the relief of her clients in Florida.
“Chiropractic wasn’t my profession of choice. I always desired to be a doctor growing up, seeing my mother as a registered midwifery nurse in Jamaica. As I got older I wanted to be a sports physician, but truly didn’t know the direction to get there,” she told Lifestyle, adding, “When I started at the University of South Florida, I was given a class called university experience. In that class, I was asked to shadow someone who was in the profession that I desired to be. I found a sports physician, and I went to his office to shadow him.”
Everything changed during an interview, when he told her that he was actually a chiropractor, “At that time, I didn’t know what a chiropractor was. I sent him a thank you note after completing the shadowing, and he offered me a job for all my undergrad years. Dr Jones is still a mentor of mine to this day.”
EARLY DAYS
Walker grew up in a close-knit. Despite her father living overseas, she would go on vacations with him, and officially migrated to the United States in 1993 at the age of nine. “I had just passed Common Entrance in Jamaica, but wasn’t given the opportunity to start high school due to my age. So, when I got to the States, I was placed in the fifth grade, which is considered elementary school,” she shared.
Although she excelled in classes, she still had to navigate being the new girl in school. “I eventually was able to make my path with those who I now consider family,” Walker shared.
The toughest part about that transition process was not having her mother by her side. She remained on the island, while her brother and sister were with her father.
Walker went on to attend Stranahan High School, a medical magnet programme, which she considers to be the catalyst for her core studies in pre-med, “I went on to study at the University of South Florida, and graduated with a bachelor’s in biomedical science. Thereafter, I attended Palmer College of Chiropractic in Florida, where I obtained my doctorate of chiropractic.”
Since opening her practice, Walker Chiropractic and Wellness Centre, eight years ago, she was eager to serve her community. “We don’t only see injuries in the office; we see from neonate to geriatric. We do pregnancies, paediatric and chiropractic care, sports injuries, decompression for herniated discs, and many others. We are a family chiropractic office; we are there for you at any stage of your health journey,” Walker highlighted, reflecting, “I absolutely love what I get to do daily. There are good days and bad days, but the journey has been very rewarding.”
Starting out with another professional, her team has grown to eight. Together, the members engage in a back-to-school drive annually to celebrate the company’s anniversary. The event includes doing school physicals for the children and giving school supplies for the upcoming school year.
When she isn’t working, Walker is travelling the world, living the gym life, and deepening her faith. “I’m always looking for new experiences that will broaden my horizons and help me create lifelong memories. Exploring different cultures, learning new languages, and engaging with people from all walks of life are some of the activities that bring me the most joy.”
She is also a member of the St Ann Homeowners Association and has started a foundation, the Owen Walker Jr Foundation, in honour of her brother, who passed away from a heart attack at the age of 22. “The foundation equips, empowers and educates youth and young adults for a positive change,” shared Walker.