University of Western States (UWS) faculty consistently refine their skills and knowledge they pass on to students through training in new evidence-informed practice (EIP) techniques and research practices. The university greatly values our faculty’s hard work in extensive training as it models the standard of being lifelong learners. Part of this deeper training faculty partake in is led by Dr. Ron LeFebvre, UWS clinical education professor and EIP coordinator.
Dr. LeFebvre’s program guides participants through a variety of EIP components including clinical literature searches, quality assessment and going further into how the application of the literature would directly benefit classroom instruction or patient education.
“One of the foundational principals here at UWS is that our clinical training is evidence-informed,” said Dr. LeFebvre. “After faculty complete this training, we can see that they are more confident integrating EIP skills and knowledge into their courses or on the clinic floor.”
UWS faculty members who have completed the program include Dr. James Strange, Dr. Amanda Armington, Dr. Kate Brown, Dr. Chad Lambert, Dr. Suzanne Lady and Dr. Craig Kawaoka.
“Going through this program has helped me directly teach some of the EIP courses in Q10/11, but more importantly, it has allowed me to become a better steward of the literature and develop skills and confidence when reading about studies that directly impact what we do as chiropractic physicians,” said Dr. Lady. “The program helped me become more familiar with the literature for conditions we co-manage with other providers in an interdisciplinary way.”
Now that it’s been a few weeks into quarantine, the dust has theoretically settled. Well, at least a little. As I’m currently in my clinical internship year for the UWS clinical mental health counseling (CMHC) program, I can thankfully report that my internship site, Care Counseling in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has finished transitioning over to all telehealth psychotherapy sessions. Now that we are all in our new routine of working from home, I’d like to carve out some time for gratitude and recognition for our wonderful university.
As an online student, I have become quite familiar with Zoom. Not only has this portion of my program been extremely convenient, it also prepared me very well for COVID-19. In September 2019, I took on the task of researching best practices for telehealth, and creating as well as delivering a telehealth training program for 35+ clinicians at my internship site. Not only was I able to teach an important skill to my colleagues, but I felt proud to be an ambassador of UWS in this way.
Flash forward to March 2020 with new COVID-19 precautions, stay-at-home orders, etc., that required most professionals to shift quickly to working remotely. Many therapists scrambled to secure HIPAA compliant telehealth platforms, figure out how to work technology, and adjust to connecting with clients in new ways through a device. However, not only had my site been utilizing telehealth smoothly for months, but we had the bandwidth to also create a COVID-19 telehealth resource library that we shared with thousands of providers in our community.
I say all of this to highlight how fortunate I feel to have been able to leverage online learning and help many people adjust successfully to these unprecedented times. I think that online learning requires students to be particularly driven, independent and resourceful. COVID-19 has required similar qualities to “thrive” in this new environment. I felt uniquely prepared to take on this challenge thanks to my amazing professors and peers in the UWS CMHC and sport and performance psychology programs. Now more than ever, we are reminded about the importance of collaboration and flexibility. Each and every one of us have something unique to contribute and sometimes it takes a bit of courage to step forward and give a helping hand. During this time of uncertainty, it will take new ideas, fresh initiatives and an element of bravery to come through on the other end stronger than ever. I encourage everyone to think of how they might be able to connect with someone outside of their comfort zone and see where it leads.
The mission of University of Western States (UWS) is to advance the science and art of integrated health care through excellence in education and health care. Since the university’s inception in 1904, generational ties have connected alumni and their families toward the pursuit of integrated health care.
The UWS motto, for the good of the patient, exemplifies the decision-making process of UWS graduates and the care they provide. At the heart of this care, the whole-person health perspective is valued and it is common to see our graduates working alongside other practitioners such as naturopaths, massage therapists, nutritionists, clinical mental health counselors, athletic trainers and more.
Recent UWS doctor of chiropractic graduate, Sierra Ambrose-DeLapp, DC, (class of 2019) is just one example of our graduates working closely on an integrated health care team. In fact, she is working alongside her mother, Dr. Satya Ambrose at Sunnyside Collaborative Care in Happy Valley, Oregon.
Dr. Daniel DeLapp, Dr. Sierra Ambrose-DeLapp, Dr. Satya Ambrose
Dr. Ambrose is an acupuncturist and naturopathic physician who has been in practice for more than 40 years. She was co-founder of the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine (OCOM) where she currently teaches classes in nutrition, biochemistry and pediatrics. Her care leans heavily on her passion for the overall prevention of illness and spreading knowledge that empowers patients’ lifestyles.
Dr. Sierra Ambrose-DeLapp’s father, Dr. Daniel DeLapp, is a chiropractic physician, a licensed acupuncturist and a naturopathic physician. He has been an attending physician in the UWS clinic system for more than 30 years. In his practice he emphasizes natural therapies such as manipulation, massage, nutritional and herbal remedies with physical rehab and lifestyle modification as foundational care.
The family raised their children on a 24-acre organic farm and while they lived healthy lifestyles and shared their values with their children, Dr. DeLapp and Dr. Ambrose never pushed their children into the medical field.
“The best piece of advice I received from my parents is to never stop learning, to always love and be kind to everyone,” said Dr. Sierra Ambrose-DeLapp.
“Sierra naturally gravitated toward health care,” said Dr. DeLapp. “She was fortunate to be in a program in high school called CAL (Center for Advanced Learning). The program allowed students to explore their personal interest.”
Once Dr. Sierra Ambrose-DeLapp knew that she wanted to pursue a career in the medical field, integrated health care, as modeled by her parents, was her chosen route.
“When I was in school, I envisioned being able to make connections with my patients,” said Dr. Sierra Ambrose-DeLapp. “I envisioned working alongside with other medical professionals and having a community that was centered on health and happiness. It is a blessing to be able to get people out of pain by just using my hands and teaching them ways to get out of pain themselves so they do not need to take medications.”
Valuing a love of lifelong learning was another tenant that Dr. DeLapp passed along to his daughter. He gives the same advice to current students as well.
“My biggest piece of advice to students is to enjoy learning, because it never stops,” said Dr. DeLapp. “Be sure to study hard, but also practice your hands-on every day. When I see patients get better from the intern care, it’s the most rewarding part of the job.”
From forging her own path in the medical field and making a name for herself and the care she provides, Dr. Sierra Ambrose-DeLapp is proud of the education and support she received from the UWS community, including her parents.
“The most valuable thing I learned from my time at UWS is that we are all here to help each other,” she said. “Trust in all that you have learned. Sometimes, it’s easy to forget how much you take in and how much you really have to offer patients. I have learned that there is always something you can do, even if you cannot heal everyone.”
By: Caitlin Jones, Q7 UWS doctor of chiropractic and sports medicine student
With everything closed and not being able to spend time with friends in person, I’ve heard a few people talk about how bored they are. I can’t say that I have this whole quarantine thing figured out, but I can say that I have not been bored once. Sure, there are days where I’m unmotivated to do much and end up watching hours of old Boston Legal episodes or movies – haven’t tried Tiger King yet, but my Instagram is covered in memes about it – but for the most part, I have a ton of activities to do every day.
My tip for staving off boredom without becoming one with your couch is to switch up your activities. I start off my day by making a real breakfast. I love to cook, it takes time, it’s delicious and it makes me happy. After, I’ll spend a few hours reading, putting a puzzle together while listening to podcasts, crafting, calling friends and family, and going for walks. I try not to do something until I’m tired of it because then it makes my enjoyable activities unenjoyable. The trick is to find something that you enjoy doing and to switch it up every couple of hours.
I have a friend who loves to paint, but hasn’t been able to since
starting the doctor of chiropractic program due to lack of time. Same with a
friend who used to play the guitar and another who used to read books for fun
and not just to learn about physiology and neuroanatomy. We have so much time
now to go back to activities that we love to do but always had excuses to put
it off – mainly because we don’t have the time or energy. Well, that’s no
excuse now!
I’ve busted out all my old coloring books, my stamping craft
supplies, and I joined Kindle Unlimited so I can read all of the Harry Potter
books and the Wayward Pines trilogy. I’ve also called and video chatted with friends
I haven’t spoken to in months. They’re all stuck at home too and it’s great to
reconnect with them. I love podcasts, but it’s usually difficult to find time
to listen to all the ones on my list. Now, I listen to them while crafting and
going on walks. If you’re looking for some to take your mind off of COVID-19, but
still want it to be relevant to chiropractic or sports medicine, I recommend “Stronger
by Science.” There are two guys
discussing current research and even talk about confidence intervals and
metabolic enzymes so you get a bit of Dr. LeFebvre and Dr. Williams.
There are also a ton of online resources to keep you
entertained. As I mentioned in my last post, the National Parks have some
virtual tours and many other places have set up the same thing! You can go to
France to see the remains of the Louvre’s moat and an Egyptian collection here, see the arms and
armor exhibit in Manhattan’s Met Gallery here,
and tons of whale vertebrae at DC’s Smithsonian National Museum of Natural
History here. If
you want more ideas, Smithsonian Mag lists and links 10 different museums
around the world with virtual tours here.
If you want something more school related, go to Dynamed and
see what current research is being done, look for scholarships, and brush up on
your anatomy and palpation skills. Start compiling information for your next board
exam, whenever that may be.
If you don’t want to be bored, there are plenty of options
to keep you active and your brain engaged.
Reconnect with old friends and hobbies, look up fun recipes to try – going
to the grocery store is now a very time-consuming endeavor! Enjoy your socially
distant time before the world restarts and you can go back to saying you don’t
have time to do your favorite hobbies.
Hopefully that gives you some ideas to make the best of this
time. The next blog will be a Q&A from our favorite professors on what to
expect from them this quarter. Going remote is going to be different and
they’re giving us some helpful tips on how to best succeed!
How to Remain Active While Remaining Socially Distant
By: Caitlin Jones, Q7 UWS doctor of chiropractic and sports medicine student
I don’t know about you, but two weeks into social distancing
and I’m going stir crazy. Both of my roommates drove home for break and
quarantine, and since my family lives across the country, I decided to stay in
Portland. By myself. Being a full-time chiropractic and sports medicine master’s
student, I’m looking at this as a welcome break to do the small things that
have been on my list for months. I also try to maintain some normality in my
days. I take a shower every day, even though my hair doesn’t get washed nearly
as often as it used to! And to keep my sanity and my health, I’ve tried some
ways to remain active while keeping socially distant. Hopefully these ideas
will help you too!
Without gym access, I signed up for a free daily newsletter that has a new body weight workout that I commit to doing. My pushups are starting to get really good after only a week! If you’re interested, there are plenty of free and paid options out there, but I subscribed to Brute Force Training since I was looking at getting some home equipment when I realized that the gym would not be available for at least a month. I try to do the workouts in my yard as often as I can. Even in the front yard so I can wave at people as they walk around the neighborhood while maintaining social distance but getting some much needed human interaction.
There are also great yoga sessions, Barre classes, Zumba,
HIIT training and more available for free on YouTube. I subscribed to Black
Swan Yoga for $8 a month because I really liked the consistency of the
instructors, the different skill levels, meditation practices, and it fit into
my small budget. If you are a gym, sport or group fitness class enthusiast,
look up that activity – you can definitely find a way to practice your skills
at home.
Another great way to stay active and get outside is to go on hikes. Despite the large number of trail closures, there are still plenty open. Just be sure to be safe. On my last hike in Mt Hood National Forest, there was a sign stating that rescue teams are not readily available. So I made sure to let someone know what hike I was taking and an expected time for me to return. It’s also recommended that you only go hiking with people in your household and try to maintain a six-foot distance from others. Some hikes make that impossible. When I went to Angel’s Rest a week ago it wasn’t that busy when I got there, but as I was coming down, there were a tremendous number of people on the trail. I couldn’t make it 10 steps without passing someone. So if you go to a trail and the parking lot is full, you should consider going on another hike. I make sure to go early in the morning and even on days that aren’t the best weather. It gets me outside while still being able to remain socially distant. When I went to Mt Hood, I was the only person on the trail for my entire hike. Granted, there was four feet of snow, but the trail was marked with footprints and it was an amazing experience to be alone in nature.
There are a number of trails closed, so I use the All Trails app to give me ideas of where to go and it marks which ones are currently closed. You can also look up individual parks and forests such as Mount Hood to see what options they have available. It is recommended that you stay local, so if you had grand plans to go to Zion National Park in Utah as I did a couple of weeks ago, think again. That park is closed now, but it is also a 16-hour drive – so not quite local. Personally, I’m staying within an hour drive. And to satisfy my desire to go to National Parks, they have started virtual tours that you can check out here.
If you aren’t a hiker, or don’t feel comfortable hiking by
yourself, take a walk or bike around your neighborhood! Once I got bored of walking
around mine, I drove down to the river and walked along it for an hour. I
downloaded a book on tape and lots of podcasts to listen to on my walks so I’m
being active while still learning and keeping up to date with current events.
The podcast I listened to today was great because it was all about how to make
the most of your home workouts. If you’re interested in giving it a listen,
it’s the Mind Pump podcast episode number 1257: The Best At-Home Exercises for
Your Entire Body.
Even though we should be practicing social distancing, that doesn’t
mean that you can’t get outside and remain active. UWS is a really fit and
active community. It’s great for mental health and I hope that you are able to
get outside.
I’ll be writing a few blog posts about how to keep your sanity through this, so stay tuned for the next one on at-home activities!
We connected with UWS DC students Caitlin Jones and Leandra Ramsay, attendees of the 2020 American Chiropractic Association’s ENGAGE conference held in Washington, D.C., to recap some highlights of their trip!
Caitlin Jones, 6th quarter DC student
Being
from Washington, D.C., and working for a youth advocacy program before coming
to UWS, I immediately jumped at the chance to join the UWS Student American
Chiropractic Association (SACA) to go advocate on Capitol Hill for chiropractic
physicians. Every year, SACA joins the American Chiropractic Association (ACA)
in Washington, D.C., for the ENGAGE conference (formerly NCLC) to advocate,
attend seminars, meet practicing chiropractic physicians, as well as mingle
with students from the other schools across the country.
This
year, 32 students from UWS made the trek and it was amazing! I took a red eye
flight with a few people so that we could get some sights in before the
conference started Wednesday night. We nerded out at the Natural History Museum
looking at dinosaur vertebrae, saw the monuments and grabbed an amazing
breakfast at Ted’s Bulletin with homemade pop tarts. After a long day of
sightseeing, we got some rest, because Thursday was our long, exciting day on
the Hill.
A
big part of ENGAGE is to go to meetings with senators, representatives and
their staff. In the past, ACA has discussed a few bills at their meetings, but
this year we focused only on H.R. 3654, which allows Medicare patients to see
chiropractic physicians for more than just spinal manipulation. We were seeking
representatives to co-sponsor the bill and vote for it to pass when it came
time. If passed, chiropractic physicians would be able to provide the level of
treatment needed to Medicare patients. In addition to spinal manipulation,
chiropractic physicians would be able to manipulate extremities, provide a
physical exam, order diagnostic imaging and use the conservative care
treatments that we have been taught and are experts in.
After
advocacy day, there were a number of amazing seminars to go to. I attended one
on low back pain and it reaffirmed everything that Dr. LeFebvre teaches in
Spinal Disorders. There was also a great talk on sports injuries that focused
on treating the whole patient and how to analyze athletic injuries. The last
seminar I went to was one of my favorites as it was talking about how to get
patients motivated to do their rehab through gamification. There were some
really great topics and presentations, it was difficult to choose which to go
to!
It was a privilege to be able to go to D.C. to advocate on the Hill, meet with chiropractic physicians and students from across the country and get to know my classmates more outside of campus. It was an amazing opportunity and it inspired me to run for SACA’s Legislative Rep so that I can be more involved in ENGAGE 2021. I’m honored that my peers were as motivated as I was an we have a new SACA executive board with an amazing vision for our school and ENGAGE 2021!
Leandra Ramsay, 6th quarter DC student and Canadian native
This was my second time attending the ACA conference in Washington, D.C. Last year was so much fun I couldn’t wait to go again! Since I wasn’t a rookie this year, lobbying was a lot more fun and exciting because I knew what to expect. Being a Canadian student, many people didn’t understand why I wanted to go to ENGAGE in the first place and quite honestly neither did I the first year I attended. I mainly went because D.C. was always a place that I had wanted to see. What started as a tourism mission ended with new friends, new experiences and an eagerness to eventually lobby back in Canada to help improve the chiropractic profession back home.
The first day we were in D.C., Caitlin (Jones) showed off
her extensive knowledge of the city and made sure we didn’t go hungry. After
taking a red-eye flight from Portland, breakfast and coffee were top
priorities. After eating, we walked down toward all the attractions stopping to
view the White House and meandering through the Museum of Natural History. Day
two was a big day. Everyone dressed to impress for their meetings on the Hill.
In small groups, we met with representatives from both the House of
Representatives and Senate to talk about Bill H.R. 3654 in hopes to improve
Medicare benefits so that chiropractors have a wider range of billable
treatment options. The day ended with an amazing dinner a Filomena’s, a
wonderful Italian restaurant with homemade pasta and cheesecake. Dinner was
provided by Dr. Brimhall and gave us students a chance to interact with some of
the school’s staff and faculty in a professional but laid-back setting. If I’m
being honest, this is the main reason I came back to D.C. for a second time –
believe me, it’s worth the trip.
The rest of the conference featured multiple seminars on
various educational topics to choose from and an expo with more freebies than I
could fit in my carry-on.
My experience at ENGAGE was one I will never forget. From
seeing the amazing architecture and history that the Capital has to offer to
making a difference on the Hill for the future of our profession, the
Washington trip is something all students should be able to experience. I have
learned so much about the political influence in health care and how patients
often suffer due to decisions that are made from higher up. I hope to build on
this experience when I return home to Canada and get more involved with my
provincial and national associations so that I can help improve health care
benefits for my future patients. If we all could learn to be activists for our
patients, I believe it would make us better doctors.
University of Western States (UWS) was recently given top recognition for the sports medicine program as well as commended for the human nutrition and functional medicine (HNFM) program by Intelligent.com, a website providing unbiased college rankings and research for prospective college students.
The 2020 rankings are calculated through a unique scoring system which includes student engagement, potential return on investment and leading third-party evaluations. Intelligent.com analyzed hundreds of schools with comparable programs on a scale of 0 to 100.
The master’s in sports medicine degree was ranked No. 1 of 17, also earning the accolade of most “Intelligent Pick” for students. In addition, the program was named No. 4 of 24 of all sports medicine degree programs, being named “Best in the Northwest.”
Out of 44 schools, the UWS HNFM program was named No. 5 and “Best in the Northwest.”
“Our graduate programs are rigorous, flexible and provide students opportunities to apply their knowledge in multiple settings,” said Dr. Dana Sims, UWS vice president for academic affairs. “We are proud of the positive impact our students and alumni are having in health care communities worldwide.”
About the sports medicine program at UWS
The sports medicine program at UWS is a seven-quarter graduate professional master’s degree program designed to provide students with advanced training in the prevention, evaluation and management of injuries and disorders affecting athletes and others participating in sports activities. This professional master’s degree is targeted to students with prior training in the evaluation and management of neuromusculoskeletal disorders. This audience includes chiropractic program students, chiropractic physicians, athletic trainers, occupational therapists, physical therapists and other health care providers.
About the human nutrition and functional medicine program at UWS
The human nutrition and functional medicine (HNFM) program at University of Western States (UWS) is the only fully accredited master’s program in functional medicine. It is 100 percent online and is offered as a collaborative endeavor between UWS and the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM), the organization that founded and developed the key functional medicine concepts in use today. The master of science degree option (52 credits) can be completed in 5-9 quarters, while the graduate certificate option (28 credits) can be completed in 3-7 quarters.
In recognition of National Distance Learning Week, we reached out to some of our online faculty to get their thoughts on what it’s like to stay engaged with students all over the country and even worldwide. Hear from Dr. Matthew Condie, adjunct faculty in the sport and performance psychology and clinical mental health counseling programs.
I am honored to be part of a unique, diverse, and highly-skilled team in the clinical mental health counseling (CMHC) and sport and performance psychology (SPP) programs of both students and faculty. I hold a master’s in clinical psychology in Australia and a Doctorate of Education in Sport and Performance Psychology through UWS. I was fortunate enough to be invited back to be part of the teaching team and currently teach Communication in Leadership Positions, Positive Leadership in Sport, and Psychology of Performance Excellence courses at UWS.
I see my mission in education to explore and challenge the status quo regarding human performance, functioning, and coping through the lens of reflective practice, innovation, change, and lifelong learning. My passion is to promote the integration of inclusion, well-being and mental health to support athletes and leaders to achieve balance, resilience and performance excellence with authentic purpose, meaning and absorption.
As an alumnus of UWS, I can attest to the holistic, evidence-based and inclusive learning online environment. Having engaged in traditional face-to-face education historically, the online learning environment presents different learning challenges, yet an abundance of insights and opportunities. Online learning is becoming more common, with one in six students now choosing to engage in online learning. This flexibility and mobility allows me to travel anywhere in the world while connecting in to support, engage and hopefully inspire reflection and skill development to our onboarding sport and performance psychology consultants.
I was asked what my favorite part is about being an online instructor at UWS. For me, there are several. I am thankful to have the opportunity to offer my skills, knowledge and experience from the other side of the world in Australia, offering a cross-cultural context regarding the socio-cultural impacts of leadership in sport. I find this to be a unique characteristic of the online UWS program. Second, I am honored to encourage, empower, equip and enable students in an area fuel my passion, purpose and meaning. Sometimes I will facilitate classes when it is 3 a.m. Australian time. The fact that I can foster meaningful and robust conversations with the team I am supporting who are starting their day, who can then take that energy to motivate and influence others (who I will unlikely ever meet), makes the waking in the middle of the night totally worth it! Finally, I am thankful that while being half a world away, I feel a sense of community and belong with the student cohort and faculty as if we were all on campus.
If you are considering joining the UWS online journey to optimize the performance of individuals in the area of sport and performance, here are a few tips and tricks.
Consider the long game: Give yourself the opportunity to map out your study commitments in the context of your other roles and duties. You will be taking on an additional role and it is important that you balance it to ensure you last the journey with energy and giving your full effort. We want to support your growth and push you outside your comfort zone. We also don’t want you burning out before you get to the start line in the profession.
Connect with your peers outside of courses: You will come across an amazing bunch of humans with some great experiences. Take the opportunity to connect with these like-minded individuals outside of class. Have an e-coffee over a video call to build strength and support as if you were on campus in person.
Know your learning style: Online learning requires a different type of self-directed learning. Know your learning style, including how you best learn and/or barriers in absorbing the contents and achieving your best.
I look forward to sharing the experience and journey with you in the online classroom. Let’s train the mind to think and bring out the best in ourselves and in others.
“Who questions much, shall learn much, and retain much.” – Francis Bacon
David Peeace, DC, 1996 graduate of University of Western States (UWS), has been named the 2019 UWS Alumnus of the Year. Over the span of Dr. Peaace’s professional career, he has been a leader in best practices in chiropractic care both in direct care of patients and in service on numerous professional organizations, including as immediate past chair of the Canadian Chiropractic Association and current chair of the Steering Committee for the Canadian Chiropractic Guideline Initiative.
In addition, Dr. Peeace is a mentor for indigenous youth, having spoken at numerous indigenous educational events and having paved the way for future generations as the first indigenous chiropractic physician to practice in Saskatchewan. Always a voice for compassion and quality of patient care, Dr. Peeace’s career exemplifies the UWS motto, “for the good of the patient.”
“I am profoundly honored to be the recipient of the UWS Alumnus of the Year award,” said Dr. Peeace. “It is a great privilege to be a graduate from such an esteemed educational institute and this has instilled in me to give back to our esteemed profession. To be acknowledged for my contribution is something I could never have dreamed of sitting in the gym/lecture hall so many years ago.”
Do you have someone in mind that would be an ideal candidate for our next alumni of the year? Submit a nomination!
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