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Editorial Staff

CCA Moves Upward in Business Trade Association Ranking

The Business Journal, a weekly newspaper specializing in business news of Sacramento, California, rated the California Chiropractic Association (CCA) as No. 12 of area-based state business/trade associations in a recent directory of the largest state business/trade associations.

"The member doctors of California Chiropractic Association are gratified that their dynamic organization is among the best in the nation," said CCA President, Merlyn A. Green.

"CCA is dedicated to consumer freedom of choice in health care and to meeting the needs of the profession," Dr. Green added.

CCA moved up one standing over last year's ranking composed by The Business Journal. CCA was placed ahead of the California Veterinary Medical Association, the California Society of Hospital Pharmacists, the California Chamber of Commerce, and the California Optometric Association.


Faculty Development Workshop at LACC

A series of workshops for the Los Angeles College of Chiropractic (LACC) faculty are being conducted to enhance knowledge, skills, and insights that will assist planning, implementing, and evaluating LACC's competency-based problem-centered curriculum.

During the second week of April, a series of workshops introduced teaching methods: practical, didactic, individual, small and large group discussion that enabled the faculty to place themselves in the students' position. These workshops, which were well received by LACC faculty, covered a wide variety of subjects: review of general recommendations, introduction to problem-centered learning, intructional strategies for problem solving, role of the tutor in small group learning, skills smorgasbord: practicum and demonstration tutorials.


An Innovative Exchange Program Between Law Students and Chiropractic

Since 1987, Texas Chiropractic College (TCC) faculty and students have acted as expert witnesses in mock trial exchange programs with the University of Houston (UH) Law Center and the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA).

The program is the result of a liaison established between UH and TCC by Dr. John Nash, Dr. Laura Buczek and Dr. Ron Buczek. Dr. Buczek initiated the program when he made a presentation on chiropractic to a group of law students.

The mock trials follow a format in which one party has brought a civil suit against another for damages allegedly resulting from some type of negligence on the part of the defendant. In each case, the jury must reach a verdict based upon a preponderance of evidence (determining the greater weight of believable evidence), instead of finding guilt beyond a reasonable doubt as is called for in criminal cases.

"The TCC faculty and students are allowed an excellent opportunity to learn the intracacies of courtroom not given to many in the chiropractic profession. We have been very pleased with the results of this program," said Dr. Lawrence Wyatt, program director.

Dr. Wyatt and Dr. George Aubert are working with Houston attorney Neil Calnan, formerly of the U.S. Attorney's office, to establish another liaison between the professions, possibly addressing problems that are germane to chiropractic and law and discussing hopes for future interactive symposiums. Finally, it is hoped that the program will further expand to other southeast Texas law schools, allowing more students and faculty the opportunity to benefit from this unique program.


Scout Physical Offered at Texas Chiropractic College

Texas Chiropractic College (TCC) Clinic offered free physicals to Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts and their leaders on May 12, 16, 26, and also on June 2.

The scouts received complete physicals including urine analysis, hernia check, and scoliosis screening; the latter required by state legislation.


Cleveland Exams Observed by Oklahoma State Board

Three members of the Oklahoma State Board of Chiropractic Examiners were in Kansas City, Missouri, on April 5 to observe the Objective Standardized Clinical Examination (OSCE) being administered at Cleveland Chiropractic College. Among the three were President Kent E. Carder, D.C.; Vice President R.C. Romero, D.C.; and Secretary/Treasurer M. Wayne Clark, D.C..

"I wish I would have been exposed to such an examination when I was in chiropractic college. The OSCE is great for students as preparation for state boards and private practice," said Dr. Carder.

The OSCE is made up of a series of 15-18 mini-exams, or stations. The purpose of each station is to establish the clinical competency level of the student within a specific area.

Students follow a single patient's case through the entire exam, moving from station to station, performing tasks that include the patient's case history, examinations, interpreting x-rays, laboratory tests, and formulating the patient's treatment plan. This format allows the student to establish clinical judgements regarding the patient's overall health problems, and arrive at a diagnosis.

"I am very impressed with the procedures, and I believe other states would benefit from observing them," said Dr. Carder.


Palmer College Named the Leader in Enrollment of Chiropractic Colleges

According to the April 11, 1990 issue of The Chronicle of Higher Education, Palmer College of Chiropractic enrollment surpasses all other chiropractic colleges. U.S. Department of Education figures showed that, for 1988, Palmer led the way with 1,622 students enrolled.

"Palmer College of Chiropractic has always been a leader in the field of chiropractic. These figures simply stand as reinforcement," said Palmer College President, Dr. Donald P. Kern. "We will continue to strive toward excellence in chiropractic through our recruitment efforts," Dr. Kern added.


CANAH Sues FDA and CDC

On May 2, 1990, the Coalition for Alternatives in Nutrition and Healthcare, Inc. (CANAH) filed a Civil Action in United States District Court for the District of Columbia, against the Food and Drug Administration, Rockville, Maryland, and the Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, Georgia.

This action was taken because neither agency had complied with CANAH's request on November 24, 1989 for important information about the contaminant/contamination of the amino acid L-Tryptophan and the FDA's decision-making process/report on the removal of L-Tryptophan from the open marketplace together with the investigative reports on the health food store industry's sales of L-Tryptophan.

This lawsuit comes on the heels of CANAH's Citizen Petition contesting FDA's continued recall of L-Tryptophan and its apparent attempt to treat L-Tryptophan and amino acids as drugs.

June 1990
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