Chiropractic and medical curriculum at a crossroads: A movement towards healthcare integration

Carole Smith

Supervisor: Dr. Stephen Berg

City: Oakville, Ontario

Occupation: Chiropractor

Year: 2022

Subject:

  • Curriculum
  • Other

Description

Despite the seemingly mainstream use of chiropractic care by those with musculoskeletal conditions, and the rigorous education of chiropractors as specialists in musculoskeletal medicine, the profession has not been fully integrated into mainstream health care education in North America. There are historical barriers to the integration of chiropractic education into the medical curriculum, including the influence of the Flexnor report on medical education, and a focus on disease causation. Furthermore, despite the similarities to modern medical education and the education of chiropractic students, there is often a barrier to interprofessional collaboration between chiropractors and other medical providers in practice. With the recent rise in patients presenting with more degenerative and chronic conditions that are less responsive to regular medical care, chiropractic may be in a position to move forward as a profession and overcome the historical barriers to mainstream healthcare with their own chiropractic educational reform, and a continued movement towards interprofessional collaboration with other medical professionals.


Student Biography

Carole Smith received her undergraduate degree in psychology from Simon Fraser University and graduated with clinic honours from the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC) in Toronto, where she is now on faculty. In addition, she runs a multidisciplinary wellness centre in Oakville, ON where she has her own private practice.