A Unified Direction Continued from Page 10 attract the best candidates for chiropractic studies. It is not by lowering entrance stan-dards, in order to fill up our programs, that we will have strong student bodies. As well, we must work toward a more unified core curriculum in all chiroprac-tic colleges and programs. One of the reasons for this is so that SUBSCRIBE TODAY ! $2400 8 ISSUES only (GST $25.20; QST/HST $27.12) Name: ___________________________ Clinic Name: ______________________ Address: _________________________ City: ____________________________ Prov: ____________________________ P.Code:___________________________ Tel: _____________________________ Fax: _____________________________ e-mail: ___________________________ PLEASE CHECK ONE: Doctor of Chiropractic Other Practitioner Graduate Student Chiropractic Assistants Other ______________________ Please Specify TYPE OF PRACTICE Solo Group Chiropractic Integrated Disciplines Other ______________________ Please Specify Not in Practice -Student ARE YOU? (SELECT ONE) Owner ❏ Associate ❏ Assistant ❏ Employee ❏ Other ______________________ ❏ Please Specify PAYMENT: Cheque -Payable to Annex Publishing & Printing Inc. Amex Visa MC Account #: ____________________________ Expiry: ___________________________ Signature: ____________________________ Date: ________________________________ TO SUBSCRIBE: Tel: 866-790-6070 Fax: 877-624-1940 Mail: Canadian Chiropractor c/o Annex Publishing & Printing Inc. P.O. Box 530 Simcoe, Ontario N3Y 4N5 e-mail: [email protected] www.canadianchiropractor.ca GST#867172652RT0001 40 • CANADIAN CHIROPRACTOR | JULY/AUGUST 2010 0710CC ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ our accreditation agencies, along with the World Federation of Chiropractic, would then be able to refer governments wishing to establish new chiropractic programs in a specific country to these programs. In my opinion, this should greatly facilitate and harmonize the in-ternational growth and development of our profession, and will greatly reduce the creation of new laws or regulations, that might not be appropriate to our pro-fession, in other countries. The direct consequence of all this will be more academic and clinical authority and will then produce more cultural au-thority. CC: Which aspects of chiropractic educa-tion do you feel need to be standardized and where might individual colleges be allowed some autonomy? All aspects of chiropractic education must be looked at. A great deal of this has already been done, with the help of the CCEI and the Association of Chiropractic Colleges (ACC). We could easily form an international forum for this, comprising not only the presidents of the institutions or programs, but also the academic and research deans of all CCEI-accredited in-stitutions or programs. The end product would be a uniform template, a uniform core curriculum. From there, specific additions could be accommodated, reflecting the unique-ness of each institution or program, along with the qualities and credentials of the academic and research staff. CC: How does standardizing chiroprac-tic education achieve common goals and promote unity even in the face of opposing groups within the profession? It is only by being strongly united that we will succeed as a profession. The major problem that we struggle with is how we manage our internal divisions. We must join together, as a professional community. We must continue to inter-nally debate, discuss, even oppose, but always constructively, never negatively, and this is crucial – especially in this time of our history – to demonstrate to the external world a strong united image. I believe that the colloidal substance that will unite us is our chiropractic par-adigm, as put forward by the leaders of the Association of Chiropractic Colleges in 1995. Some aspects of this statement need to be adapted, but its core is very strong. Furthermore, the vast majority of our profession is actually adhering to it. This adhesion to a paradigm, ac-cording to the philosophy of scientist Thomas S. Kuhn, is vital. In this sense, I am optimistic. This paradigm can be reflected in education programs that are standard-ized to include the necessary and funda-mental elements of practice as a doctor of chiropractic. But I know that some in my profession will not share those ideas – this brings us back to the internal battle, or struggle, surrounding identity. We are very young, as a profession – I would say we are like a young adult. In order to grow and to reach our full destiny, we need to unite very strongly. In this, standardized chi-ropractic education – that incorporates high entrance standards and a strong clinical, philosophical and scientific/ research core curriculum – can help by providing a common ground from which other dialogues can proceed. Diversities can then be navigated with respect, but firm adherence to fundamental chiro-practic principles. FINAL COMMENTS When asked for some final comments, Drs. Saint-Germain and Gonthier had the following to offer: Dr. Saint-Germain: Let us set aside old thinking. Together, let us embrace the best standards in education, testing and clinical practice, and continually move the line of minimal performance ever higher. Our patients deserve this. Dr. Gonthier: I am convinced, more than ever, at this moment of our history, of the importance of unity within the profession. As regulators, as educators, as researchers, as association leaders, as public members on chiropractic boards, as presidents of chiropractic academic institutions, as doctors of chiropractic, we still have indeed a great deal of work to do. We will succeed but only with uni-ty, and with a common goal for chiropractic in mind.• www.canadianchiropractor.ca
Chiropractic + Naturopathic Doctor July/August 2010: Page 40
