Researchers from the University of Western States were given the “Best Poster” Award from the 2012 Oregon Health and Science University Pain Day at the Vey Conference Center at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital on February 28.

Sponsored by the OHSU Schools of Nursing and Dentistry, Offices of the Provost and Vice-President for Research, Knight Cancer Institute, and OCTRI, the event included workshops, poster displays and social hour.

The Best Poster Award was selected for outstanding research and compelling results, said Darcy Vavrek, ND.  The poster, “Dose-Response and Efficacy of Spinal Manipulation for Low Back Pain: Short-Term Outcomes from a Randomized Trial” was completed by Mitchell Haas, DC, MA, Darcy Vavrek, ND, MS, David Peterson, DC, (all from UWS and pictured left) and Mikel Aickin, PhD,b (from the University of Arizona.)

Dr. Vavrek and Dr. Haas also presented their poster, “A Causal Model for Expectancy Effects in an Open-Label Randomized Trial of Manual Therapy for the Care of Cervicogenic Headache” by Mitchell Haas, DC, MA, Mikel Aickin, PhD (from University of Arizona), and Darcy Vavrek, ND, MS.

Greeley, Colo. – Nicholas G. Opie, D.C., was honored recently for 10 years as a National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE) Part IV test committee member. Dr. Opie represents Hawaii at annual sessions to review patient case scenarios and select case-related questions for upcoming Part IV exams.

A graduate of Western States Chiropractic College (WSCC), Dr. Opie has a long history of service to the NBCE also including service as a Part IV examiner, a voting delegate at annual business meetings, and a test committee member for the NBCE’s Part III Examination and post-licensure Ethics and Boundaries Examination. NBCE Director of Practical Testing Research and Development Dr. Paul Townsend said, “We owe a debt of gratitude to Dr. Opie for his dedication and commitment to this organization. NBCE’s Parts III and IV examinations focus on the practitioner’s knowledge and ability to perform in a chiropractic setting. Dr. Opie’s devotion to the profession and his experience as a practitioner make him ideally suited to serve on these test committees. We could not do our jobs without individuals, such as Dr. Opie, who are truly committed to testing excellence.”

The governor of Hawaii has appointed Dr. Opie to serve three terms on the Hawaii State Board of Chiropractic Examiners; he is currently chair of that board. In 1998 he was elected to the Distinguished Fellows of the International Chiropractors Association, an organization that he began serving while enrolled at WSCC.

Headquartered in Greeley, Colo., the NBCE is the international testing organization for the chiropractic profession. Established in 1963, the NBCE develops, administers and scores legally defensible, standardized written and practical examinations for candidates seeking chiropractic licensure throughout the United States and in many foreign countries.

Shown in the photo: Mr. Horace Elliott, Dr. Paul Townsend, Dr. Nicholas Opie, Dr. Norman Ouzts.

DR. HERBERT JAMES MORTLOCK VEAR, former Western States Chiropractic College president, and a respected leader in the chiropractic profession passed away peacefully February 2, 2012 at the age of 87 years. Dr. Vear had a long and integral role in the development of what is now the University of Western States and will be greatly missed in the health care community.

Dr. Vear led Western States Chiropractic College through one of its most difficult periods.  In July 1979, Dr. Vear was appointed President of WSCC. WSCC had just lost its accreditation by the Council on Chiropractic Education the month before, but Dr. Vear refused to accept CCE’s decision without a fight.  In late January 1981, Vear and his team of representatives appeared before the CCE Commission on Accreditation. The college had submitted the best Self-Study it had ever written and the Commission on Accreditation granted Western States Chiropractic College accredited status for a period of three years. In 1982 Dr. Vear submitted an application for regional accreditation through the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges, a recognition the college received shortly thereafter and enjoys to this day.

Under Dr. Vear’s guidance, WSCC established its reputation within the profession as a leader in chiropractic academics, including research and teaching. It was under Dr. Vear that WSCC lead the 1980 formation of the Chiropractic Library Consortium and its Index to the Chiropractic Literature, an important source work for the chiropractic periodic literature.

Dr. Vear is one of the two individuals most strongly responsible for the 1984 policy revision of the American Public Health Association (APHA) toward chiropractic. In collaboration with Rand Baird, M.P.H., D.C., Dr. Vear was able to persuade the APHA to soften its stance toward chiropractic, and chiropractors were admitted as professional members. It was an important step in the legitimization of chiropractic, and in establishing working relations with a wide range of health service providers. Dr. Vear was elected to APHA’s Governing Council for 1985-86 and again during 1989-1992. He served as chairman of the APHA’s Chiropractic Forum during 1989-1991.

Dr. Vear’s positive influence on UWS and the chiropractic profession cannot be overstated. For a more-in-depth look at the life and career of Dr. Vear, please take a few minutes to read a short biography posted here .