PORTLAND, Ore., August 20, 2013 – The University of Western States (UWS), a leader in the education of health care professionals, hosted an inaugural conference for teachers, curriculum planners and clinical supervisors who develop and manage programs for evidence-informed chiropractic care. The focus of the 2013 conference was to help chiropractic colleges teach students how to use the latest research to deliver the best possible care to their patients. Representatives from every U.S. chiropractic college and one of the two Canadian chiropractic colleges were in attendance.
“This is the first conference of its kind where representatives of chiropractic institutions gathered at one location to share and discuss best practices, resources, and strategies on evidence-informed practice,” said UWS professor Ron LeFebvre, who served as one of the workshop architects. “We wanted to create a forum for colleges to explore opportunities for collaboration, and help them further develop their curricula.”
The federally-funded conference was divided into two tracks: one for faculty who work in clinics and classrooms, and one for curriculum developers and managers who develop evidence-informed programs at their schools. The faculty track focused on teaching skills to access, assess and apply clinical research information; the curriculum developer/manager track focused on the implementation and management of an evidence-informed curriculum. Each track consisted of several workshops that were facilitated by content experts.
Participants attended interactive workshops to learn how their institutions could graduate new generations of chiropractors who are better trained at translating clinical research into practice.
“The aim was to provide training on how to effectively teach evidence-informed practice in classroom and clinic environments, and provide help to colleges that want to replicate curricular changes made by chiropractic institutions who have already successfully developed their evidence-informed curricula,” added Dr. LeFebvre. “We were thrilled with the teamwork and enthusiasm of our colleagues to create a process and infrastructure for future collaboration.”
The next evidence-informed conference is tentatively scheduled for 2015 at Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa.
About the University of Western States
A leader in the education of health care professionals, the University of Western States (UWS) provides a science-driven curriculum that delivers a solid foundation and competitive edge in preparing students for clinical practice. UWS is a regionally accredited, non-profit institution dedicated to improving the health of society through its educational programs, research and clinical services. Founded in 1904, the university offers a doctor of chiropractic degree program; master’s degrees in exercise and sports science, human nutrition and functional medicine, and diagnostic imaging; a massage therapy certification program; and accredited continuing education programs for licensed health care professionals. UWS is a founding member of the Oregon Collaborative for Integrative Medicine, an organization that aims to advance integrative health care through education, research, patient care and advocacy. To learn more about the University of Western States and its academic programs, go to https://www.uws.edu.
