Every year, the best chiropractic physicians from across the United States come together in Washington D.C. at the National Chiropractic Leadership Conference (NCLC). The conference is hosted by the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) with the intent of professional collaboration and promotion within the chiropractic field. One day is dedicated specifically at the conference to lobbying for increased chiropractic scope of practice and increased access to chiropractic care for patients. The ACA understands that students are the future of the chiropractic profession and invites students from colleges across the country, that are involved in the student arm of the ACA called SACA (Student American Chiropractic Association) to come and be involved at NCLC.
At UWS, we have a very active SACA chapter. Each year, the executive board works hard to empower students to attend the conference and have their voices heard in regards to laws that will one day affect them as chiropractor physicians. NCLC and participation in SACA give students the opportunity to become involved before they graduate and develop into the future leaders of the chiropractic profession.
“When I was approached about going to D.C. to talk to senators and state representatives as only a second quarter student, I thought ‘no way!,’” said Christeen Perkins, UWS SACA chapter president and SACA national communications committee vice chair. “I wondered why anyone would care what I had to say about things like scope of practice and patient care. After all, I’m not yet a chiropractic physician and at the time, I had barely even had begun the journey to graduation. Luckily, my good friend Taylor Kerschner, fellow UWS student and SACA national vice legislative chair, looked at me and said ‘if you go, I’ll go,’ and we have both been participating in SACA at the chapter and national-level ever since.”
Students that attend NCLC have the ability to network with chiropractic physicians and fellow students from all across the country and gain further insight into their future careers.
“As the current UWS SACA chapter president and national communications committee vice chair, it is an honor to be involved in SACA and continue advocating for my future patients and future career,” said Perkins. “I am looking forward to NCLC 2019 being my third year in attendance and seeing what kind of progress we are able to make this year.”
The 2019 NCLC will be held January 16-19, 2019 in Washington, D.C.
Top Five Reasons to Become More Involved in SACA
1) Networking with evidence-based chiropractic physicians
2) Lobbying for the progression of the chiropractic profession
3) Connecting with chiropractic students from across the country
4) Building leadership skills
5) Learning about different specialties
