2023 ENGAGE Student Experience Recap

Posted on February 17, 2023December 4, 2025 by Dana Schatz

We connected with UWS doctor of chiropractic students Jessica Settle and Aimee Tanner, attendees of the 2023 American Chiropractic Association’s ENGAGE conference held in Washington, D.C., to recap some highlights of their trip!

By: Jessica Settle

Before starting at University of Western States, I heard about an opportunity to be involved in the lobbying/advocation for chiropractic care, but I didn’t exactly know what it was or how I could participate. That was until my first quarter at UWS, when the UWS Student American Chiropractic Association (SACA) executive board at the time presented to new students and discussed the opportunity to go to Washington D.C., to attend the national American Chiropractic Association (ACA) annual conference ENGAGE. I immediately signed up for SACA and was excited about what was to come the following year. Unfortunately, that’s when the Covid-19 pandemic began and put in-person plans on hold. In 2021 and 2022, I participated in the virtual lobbying on the Capitol Hill, which was an awesome experience to witness the various doctors who had done lobbying in the past. The ENGAGE 2022 conference was also the year that UWS was announced as the host site for national SACA annual leadership conference, which fellow doctor of chiropractic students Aimee Tanner, Gretchen Gatzke, and I put together.

ENGAGE 2023 was scheduled to be in person, and while Aimee and I were excited to go, we were a little skeptical that it wouldn’t suddenly be switched to a virtual experience as it had in previous years. Much to our surprise, on January 24 Aimee and I were headed to the airport for our 9-hour trek to get to Washington D.C. The one thing I was absolutely dreading about this trip was the three-hour time difference between the west and east coast, but luckily we were able to sleep in on Wednesday before we had our welcome meetings that night to prepare for lobbying. On Thursday, I was able to meet with congressmen and congresswomen, and senators from both Washington and Oregon state. Lobbying in person was truly a unique experience and as students, we were given the opportunity to speak on the Medicare Modernization Bill in meetings. It was very encouraging to have backing from many representatives who were in support of co-sponsoring the bill without any hesitation.

Friday was spent in the SACA executive national board (SNEB) business meeting, where executive board members from each chiropractic school met. This was an opportunity to hear about the year in review of the various committees, and for all of us to vote on the new national chairs. After all of our meetings and to end our trip, Dr. Gary Schultz, UWS chiropractic professor and SACA chapter advisor, took Aimee and I to the infamous Filamina’s Italian restaurant. It was truly a unique experience, with the restaurant being decorated for Valentine’s Day and with delicious food! The trip wrapped up Saturday with “see ya later’s” to the various students, doctors and ACA staff that we had met over the past couple of years!

By: Aimee Tanner

I was lucky to attend the 2023 American Chiropractic Association (ACA) annual conference ENGAGE. It has been many years since I last went to Washington, D.C. and it is just as architecturally diverse as I remember. One of the highlights of the trip was being able to go to Capitol Hill and advocate for the re-introduction of the Medicare Modernization Act. I met with representatives from Oregon, Washington (where I currently live), and Utah (my home state). It was a new experience sitting down and talking with congresspeople and their staff, and I was amazed at how receptive they were and that they were interested in what we had to say. It was empowering to be able to speak at several meetings as well.

The conference was hosted at the Omni Hotel and there was a lot of amazing local cuisine within walking distance. In addition to advocating with representatives, there were socials, educational opportunities, as well as a vendor exhibition going on during the conference. Throughout the week, I was able to meet chiropractic physicians from across the country and mingled with students from other schools.

As a SACA executive board member, I also participated in the SACA business meeting. This was a new experience for me, since I have never sat on a board before. We had some interesting conversations about what’s next for SACA and voted for new leadership representatives. Outside of the conference, I visited the Spy Museum. The museum features a lot of history about spy agencies and what they do, as well as a fun interactive way of solving a mystery sometimes involving crawling through vents and hanging onto bars. I even got my own secret identity!

Dr. Brimhall, UWS president, invited UWS ENGAGE attendees to a local restaurant called New Heights. We were joined by past SACA members and Dr. Bobby Maybee, the Oregon delegate representative. I found my experience attending ENGAGE to be very memorable. I look forward to continuing this education when I become a licensed chiropractor, and will do my part to advocate for the profession moving forward.

University of Western States Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine Degree Program Collaborates with the Institute for Functional Medicine

Posted on February 17, 2023August 7, 2025 by Dana Schatz

The University of Western States (UWS) Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine (NMD) degree program welcomes its inaugural class in fall term 2023

University of Western States (UWS) and the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM) are pleased to announce their joint collaboration to integrate the functional medicine curriculum into the UWS doctor of naturopathic medicine (NMD) degree program, enrolling its first class in fall term 2023.

“This collaboration with the Institute of Functional Medicine benefits our doctor of naturopathic medicine students and the patients they serve with an organizational structure designed to address the complex needs of people with acute and chronic health dysfunction,” said Dr. Marcia Prenguber, dean of the naturopathic medicine program. “With this integration of curricula, UWS doctor of naturopathic medicine (NMD) graduates complete the requirements to qualify for jurisdictional licensing and complete the IFM training requirements to qualify for the IFM certification examination.”

Naturopathic medicine and functional medicine are evidence-informed, patient-centered approaches to achieving and maintaining optimal health and well-being by addressing the root cause of dysfunction, not simply suppressing symptoms. Functional medicine’s focus on understanding each individual patient’s genetic, environmental, and lifestyle influences complements naturopathic medicine and integrates its full scope of assessments and treatment modalities.

The UWS mission is to advance the science and art of integrated health care through excellence in education and patient care. This collaboration with the Institute for Functional Medicine aligns with the university’s mission and prepares health care professionals to address individual patient concerns.

“Functional medicine and naturopathic medicine share a common focus on patient-centered care,” said Amy R. Mack, MSES/MPA, IFM chief executive officer. “IFM is honored to support the naturopathic medical students of UWS through the integration of functional medicine curriculum, faculty training, and scholarship to ensure confident and successful practitioners of naturopathic medicine.”

“UWS is proud to extend its long-standing partnership with IFM to include the doctor of naturopathic medicine degree program. By embracing a whole-person approach to optimizing health and well-being, UWS graduates bring unique competencies to the field of modern health care,” said President Dr. Joseph Brimhall.

UWS NMD Program Overview

The UWS NMD curriculum is a 14-quarter doctoral degree program, taught year-round. Students complete the program in 42 months (three and a half calendar years). UWS delivers the NMD program at its vibrant, state-of-the-art campus in Northeast Portland. The curriculum includes anatomical sciences, physiology, pathology, clinical nutrition, botanical medicine, physical medicine, and pharmacology, to provide graduates with a broad array of modalities and procedures for the clinical care of patients. Clinical competencies are assessed through a variety of evaluations including standardized patient experiences and are applied in clinical practice through various patient care settings.

WHY UWS?

• Graduates qualify for jurisdictional licensing in naturopathic medicine.
• Graduates qualify for IFM certification.
• Program is financial aid eligible to qualified applicants.
• Students receive hands-on experience and training in the UWS Connected Whole Health clinic system.
• Standardized patient experiences provide firsthand opportunities for students to learn and assess their clinical skills and competencies.

About The Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM)

As the leading voice for functional medicine for more than 30 years, IFM is advancing the transformation of healthcare for patients and practitioners worldwide. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, IFM supports the confident and competent practice of functional medicine through high-quality education and certification programs; partnerships across medical disciplines; and advocating on behalf of functional medicine clinicians and patients across the globe. IFM is the only organization providing functional medicine education and certification programs that is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME). For more information, please visit IFM.org.

Ebling, O’Hana Named UWS Faculty Member of the Year

Posted on January 31, 2023December 4, 2025 by Dana Schatz

Congratulations to the recipients of the inaugural UWS Faculty Member of the Year award, Carrie Ebling, DC, LMT from the UWS college of chiropractic and Amy O’Hana, PhD, LPC from the UWS college of graduate studies.

“I’m so grateful to have been selected by my peers for this award,” said Dr. Ebling. “The support of administration has allowed me to further my education in teaching methods, which I have had the freedom to implement in the classroom to increase student engagement. I am truly honored and love that I get to share my passion for chiropractic with so many amazing students.”

“I’m incredibly honored and grateful to receive this award, and like any great endeavor, it did not happen alone,” said Dr. O’Hana. “Everything I know, someone else taught me. Everything I do, someone else mentored me for. I teach at a cutting-edge university, in an innovative program, with supportive colleagues and rock-star students. It means so much to receive this award, but even better, the connections I’ve made along the way have made my work a JOY, not a job.”

The Faculty Member of the Year award was developed to recognize faculty contributions and successes based on peer nominations. Faculty nominated Dr. Ebling and Dr. O’Hana for their demonstration of the student-focus core value of UWS.

“We are proud to congratulate the recipients of the inaugural UWS Faculty Member of the Year award representing the college of chiropractic and college of graduate studies,” said Dr. Dana Sims, UWS provost. “Both Dr. Ebling and Dr. O’Hana were nominated by their peers for their clear commitment to our student-focused core value and are so deserving of this recognition. We celebrate these members of our faculty and the tremendous work they do in preparing our students!”

Pt 3: What is Sport and Performance Psychology?

Posted on January 13, 2023December 4, 2025 by Dana Schatz

Post 3: How the UWS SPP programs prepares students to build their careers in this growing profession

By: Sarah Castillo, PhD, CMPC, UWS sport and performance psychology program director

Welcome to 2023 and welcome back to the blog! Here’s hoping your holiday season was filled with family, friends and joy.

In the first two blog posts (Pt. 1 of “What is Sport and Performance Psychology?” and Pt. 2), we discussed the continuum of mental health and the role of sport and performance psychology (SPP) practitioners in serving the needs of performers. In this third and final installment of the blog, I’m excited to share how the UWS SPP programs prepare students to build their careers in this growing profession.

Without a doubt, the most important relationship in the development of the SPP programs is the relationship between the program directors for clinical mental health counseling (CMHC) and SPP. Although we’ve been trained very differently, Dr. Michelle Rose and I share a very similar vision for the ethical training and practice of SPP. Beyond that… we truly like each other and are friends! Because our students share so much coursework, we work together to develop CMHC and SPP classes that blend to meet the needs of each student population.

So what are those SPP classes anyway?

Students in the SPP programs come to University of Western States (UWS) for a variety of reasons. Some have the end goal of working as a Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC®) with individuals or groups, while others want to expand their current career to include performance psychology, while still others want to improve their coaching and leadership skills. For this reason, we’ve designed the core of our SPP programs to include coursework we find to be foundational to an understanding of sport and performance psychology, regardless of how our students plan to use their degree.

In each degree program, students meet all the coursework requirements to obtain certification as a CMPC® through the Association of Applied Sport Psychology (AASP). We have specific required classes that meet each of the eight required knowledge areas and keep up to date on any changes in those areas so we can make adjustments when needed.

We’ve also got a large selection of elective courses that allow students to broaden their educational experience and truly personalize their degree to their career goals. Courses such as “Performance Psychology in High-Risk Occupations,” “Psychology of Athletic Injury and Rehabilitation,” and “Business Basics for Clinicians and Consultants” have been incredibly popular!

Finally, for those students who have specific career goals in clinical mental health counseling, performance consulting, or leadership, we offer specific concentrations in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (EdD), Applied Practice (MS), Positive Coaching (MS), Sport and Performance Psychology Consulting (EdD), and Positive Leadership Administration (EdD).

What else do I need to know?

Online educational programs present unique opportunities. At UWS, we’re looking for students who have a passion for SPP, have demonstrated academic success and possess a high level of internal motivation. The most successful SPP students are connected to their classmates and faculty and never miss the chance to ask a question. The diversity of the students in the SPP programs is our greatest strength!

One of the exciting things about our online program is that our faculty come from all over the world! Because we can connect from anywhere, we’ve been able to put together a faculty with expertise working in a variety of performance populations, a diversity of training and experiences, and informed perspectives that will challenge you to broaden your perception and understanding of the topics you study.

You can probably tell that we’re not only passionate about the field of sport and performance psychology, but also about the programs we’ve created at UWS to guide our students toward their academic and career goals. For me personally, I’ve never worked with such a dedicated group of faculty, all laser-focused on doing what it takes to help our students be successful, from early-morning Zoom meetings to restructuring a series of courses to offering students the opportunity to participate in their research.

I hope you’ve learned a bit about the philosophy and culture of the UWS Sport and Performance Psychology programs! Myself and our dedicated admissions advisors are happy to chat with you more if you have more questions about why the UWS SPP programs are right for you.

Thanks for reading!

Want to learn more about the UWS sport and performance psychology degree programs? Visit the program webpage for more information or contact the admissions department virtually, by emailing [email protected] or calling 800-641-5641.

Time Management Tips for Busy Graduate Students

Posted on January 10, 2023December 4, 2025 by Dana Schatz

By: Aleasha Nelson, UWS doctor of chiropractic student

Work smarter not harder. Time management is easier said than done. Balancing classes, watching lectures, studying, connecting with family, maintaining a social life, and keeping an active lifestyle in a graduate program is a difficult task.

Here are a few tips that can help make your time in a rigorous University of Western States program more manageable and enjoyable.

Prioritize your calendar:

Have a daily, weekly and/or monthly calendar whether it be on an app, paper, or whiteboard. This can be utilized to help organize your time. Write down all your term assignments, quizzes and exams for each class …. as seeing all deadlines at a quick glance at any given time can make it easier to stay on top of studying.
Having a daily to-do list can keep you on track of what you want to complete that day and help break down goals into manageable pieces.
Color coordinating your schedule is a great way to keep your calendar looking clean and easy on the eyes! It can help you make sure you don’t accidentally miss something if everything is in the same color.

Be honest with yourself about how you spend your time:

Calculate the length of lectures that need to be watched for each class and write it on your calendar. This can be helpful to stay on top of lengthy lectures (even if you do speed them up, make sure to add extra time allowing you to pause the video to write down notes).
If you are an on-campus student, account for commuting to and from the university, trips to the grocery store, gym, work, etc. Sometimes we can underestimate how much time everything will take, especially if you have a 7:30 a.m. lab or one that ends at 5:40 p.m. If you often find yourself stuck in rush hour traffic, plan your day accordingly. Use this time in the car commuting to re-listen to lectures, audio books or podcasts to help deepen your learning.
A 15-minute task can often turn into a couple hours if one is not careful. Be honest with yourself on how long it will take you to complete an assignment, work out or grab coffee with a friend as to not get stuck continually feeling behind.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle:

When one is busy, sleep is often the first thing people cut out of their schedule because people tend to think they can just make it up another night. This isn’t healthy for your body or your mind. Professors will tell you to make sure to get a good night’s sleep before an exam and to not stay up all night studying. Your body and brain need time to rest. Factual recall will be challenging if your brain is foggy, you are running off a couple hours of sleep, and those three cups of coffee are all that’s fueling you.
Fuel your body with healthy meals. Wake up 10 minutes earlier to eat something for breakfast and set time aside to fuel yourself. Meal prepping over the weekends can be beneficial as you can then ensure you have a healthy meal set aside to quickly grab on a busier day instead of grabbing a burger from a fast-food restaurant.
Exercise is another task people push to the side when busy but is so important. Even taking 10 minutes to step away from studying to go for a walk outside can give your mind a break and help you come back ready to focus.
Make sure to block time on your daily planner for exercise, eating, and getting sufficient sleep.

Learning time management isn’t easy! You may not complete your task list every day, but don’t be hard on yourself and get caught in disappointment. Prepare ahead by setting time aside each week for self-care and socializing to prevent that burned out feeling. You got this! Remember to just take it one day at a time as small changes add up over time.

If you would like to explore more options for time management or organizational techniques, visit the UWS Student Affairs webpage or contact the department by phone at 503-251-2802 or email [email protected].

University of Western States Establishes Partnership with Marimn Health

Posted on December 14, 2022February 19, 2025 by Dana Schatz

University of Western States (UWS) has partnered with Marimn Health, a Federally Qualified Health Center on Coeur d’Alene Tribal land near Plummer, Idaho, as a UWS Community Based Internship (CBI) site. UWS Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) student interns train with Dr. Ryan Kain, a chiropractic physician provider at Marimn Health, to serve members of the Tribal and surrounding rural populations.

“We are excited to partner with Marimn Health to provide learning opportunities for our interns, to help deliver health care to a broader community, and to teach others about the benefits of chiropractic health care,” said UWS President Dr. Joseph Brimhall.

Dr. Stanley Ewald, UWS associate dean of the UWS College of Chiropractic added, “Just about every indicator of health and health care access demonstrates large disparities among our Native American population.”

Located 45 minutes south of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, Marimn Health is a Federal Qualified Health Center (FQHC) operated by the Coeur d’Alene Tribe. Marimn Health serves patients from the Tribal community and from the surrounding rural areas. Students from a variety of health care disciplines such as physician assistants, nurse practitioners, medical students, osteopathic students, and now chiropractic students complete clinical rotations at Marimn Health.

Dr. Ryan Kain and Dr. Stanley Ewald — Dr. Ryan Kain, Marimn Health, Dr. Stan Ewald, UWS

“We are thrilled to partner with UWS to further our mission of providing excellent health care to those we serve,” said Dr. Kain. “With UWS being an institution in our region that aligns with our integrative care model, it’s a partnership we are thrilled to collaborate on.”

The UWS CBI program enhances the clinical training of chiropractic interns who demonstrate defined competencies, as they continue their training in established chiropractic practices. UWS CBI interns gain valuable real-world experience and insights about various aspects of chiropractic practice. Marimn Health provides UWS interns the opportunity to collaborate with an integrative health care community, advancing the UWS vision, ”To Advance Quality of Life and Wellness Through Transformative Education and Health Care.”

“Our first and foremost goal for the students is for them to gain experience and exposure to multi-professional integrative care, and how to grow and cooperate alongside practitioners from other professions,” said Dr. Kain. “I really want the interns from other professions to experience the healing power of chiropractic care and learn how our disciplines can collaborate, develop professional relationships, and provide referrals all “For the Good of the Patient.”