Because they have yet to pass national legislation protecting the chiropractic profession, Japanese DCs are in a similar situation that U.S. DCs faced. We were fortunate enough to be able to pass chiropractic licensure state by state. The DCs in Japan must accomplish this nationally, which has proved to be an extremely difficult task. And in spite of their efforts, Japanese DCs are currently faced with two chiropractic professions.
National's Peer-Reviewed Journals Get a Fresh Face
National University of Health Sciences (NUHS) has named Claire Johnson, MSEd, DC, DACBSP, associate editor of the university's three peer-reviewed research journals: the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics (JMPT), the Journal of Chiropractic Humanities, and the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine (formerly Chiropractic Technique). This year, Dr. Johnson will work with longtime editor Dr. Dana Lawrence, transitioning to the editor's position by 2005.
According to NUHS President Dr. James Winterstein, the need for a new editor became apparent after Dr. Lawrence recently became a senior research faculty member with the Palmer Center for Chiropractic Research:*
"Inasmuch as the journals are the property of National University of Health Sciences, it is my responsibility to see that National continues its fiduciary responsibilities to these journals. Part of that responsibility involves having a National faculty member or administrator as the editor of the journals, and it was to this end that we set in place a process of transition from the editorship of Dr. Lawrence, who will continue to hold faculty status until January 2005, to Dr. Claire Johnson, who is also a faculty member of our institution."
Dr. Winterstein noted that creating the position of "associate editor" allows Dr. Johnson to work with Dr. Lawrence for a year before becoming editor of National's three journals.
"National University of Health Sciences is the only institution with a chiropractic degree program that owns and supports indexed, peer-reviewed scientific journals," he added, "and we take our responsibility to the scientific, academic and chiropractic communities very seriously. To that end, we are most grateful to Dr. Lawrence for his many years of service to National and its journals, and look forward to that same kind of integrity and commitment on the part of Dr. Claire Johnson, who has also established an excellent reputation within our constituent community."
Dr. Johnson joins National with an impressive background in chiropractic education and research. She was a clinical professor and associate dean of assessment at Palmer College of Chiropractic West from 1997-2003, is the former editor-in-chief of the Journal of Sports Chiropractic and Rehabilitation. Currently, Dr. Johnson is a clinical professor and clinic education coordinator at the Southern California University of Health Sciences, Whittier Clinic, and serves on the editorial review boards of the Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association and Integrative Medicine: A Clinician's Journal. She is also the editor of the Chiropractic Research Review.