In the mid-1980s, while serving as dean of clinical sciences at Texas Chiropractic College, Dr. Rob Francis developed the first certification course in manipulation under anesthesia (MUA) for doctors of chiropractic, opening up the practice of MUA for DCs in the hospital setting. He also was one of the first chiropractors to obtain full hospital medical staff privileges in the United States, gaining those credentials at Doctors Hospital East Loop in Houston, Texas in 1987.
Most recently, Dr. Francis was honored with a clinical teaching faculty appointment at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, where he will serve as a clinical assistant professor in the branch's department of family medicine. Dr. Francis earned the appointment for establishing a hospital-based clinical rotation in pain management for chiropractic students, medical students and residents, and for his participation in a National Institutes of Health (NIH) educational grant designed to create a curriculum model for medical students in complementary and alternative medicine. He has served in the department of family medicine for four years, and is currently working on a federal grant designed to implement alternative and integrative medicine into the traditional medical school curriculum.
ACA Creates Chiropractic Protocols for Responding to Disasters Recognizing the need for special skills when dealing with disasters and large-scale emergencies, the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) has developed a series of protocols for appropriate chiropractic responses to such situations. The protocols include recommended skills, equipment and resource lists, and an algorithm designed to help state chiropractic associations develop a response plan regardless of the size of the emergency.
The disaster protocols, established following a resolution approved by the ACA in March 2003, were compiled via the help of interviews with, and input from, DCs who have served in previous emergency situations. The completed protocols were first presented at the annual meeting of the ACA House of Delegates in Albuquerque, N.M. in September 2003.
The disaster protocols are presented in a binder format, which allows for additional information to be inserted. The protocols, resource list and algorithm have already been distributed to ACA specialty councils, delegates and chiropractic colleges for dissemination to ACA members and associations. Copies of the protocols may be obtained by calling 800-986-INFO (4636) or sending an e-mail to pbernat@amerchiro.org.
Full A-Stern Dr. Neil Stern, vice president of administrative affairs at Parker College of Chiropractic, has been elected to the board of directors of the Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE). Dr. Stern's term began in January and will run for three years.
"Since its inception, the CCE and its Commission on Accreditation has worked diligently in the best interests of chiropractic education," said Dr. Stern, adding that he was "pleased and honored" to be elected by his colleagues to serve on the board.
The CCE board is comprised of 13 members in three separate categories, and is charged with managing the council's business affairs. Dr. Stern was elected as a non-CEO of a CCE-accredited chiropractic program.
