From Feb. 12-15, the World Federation of Chiropractic (WFC) co-sponsored a technique symposium in Panama City in the Republic of Panama. The WFC was joined by co-sponsors The American Chiropractor and Williams Healthcare Systems Inc., both of whom became corporate associate members of the WFC in 2005. The symposium, which promises to become an important annual event, reflected a partnership between three totally different types of organizations, all devoted to chiropractic.
"Better Health Care for Everyone" was the simple but unifying theme of the symposium. Approximately 50 world-class speakers, from college authorities to technique developers, described an incredible variety of techniques, supplements, alternative healing methods and practice management strategies to an audience of 150 attendees who came from countries in North, South and Central America.
Many pioneers of the chiropractic profession in Latin America attended, and a new Latin American Chiropractic Association affiliated with the WFC was formed to unify the profession throughout the Southern Hemisphere and Mexico.
Various chiropractic dignitaries were present, including WFC officers David Chapman-Smith and Drs. Michael Flynn, Ricardo Fujikawa, Rand Baird and Sira Borges. Parker College President Fabrizio Mancini, DC, attended and addressed the audience, as did the vice presidents of New York Chiropractic College and Palmer Chiropractic College.
David Chapman-Smith, secretary-general of the WFC, commented, "The WFC upholds quality standards for chiropractic throughout the world. We've all learned a lot in this first endeavor together and had a positively enjoyable experience doing it and some fun at the same time. We look forward to other alliances for the common good."
The symposium reflected a unique format in which various lecturers presented introductory capsules of their unique areas of expertise in the mornings, and then more in-depth breakout sessions of their topics in the afternoons. Some speakers also offered extra seminars later in the week and even into the weekend. Up to 20 hours of CE credits could be obtained from the 41 approved for relicensure and offered through the postgraduate department of Parker College.
Twenty-five vendors of chiropractic products and services, including eight corporate associate members of the WFC, staffed booths in the exhibit hall. Many of the vendors also made brief lecture presentations.
No seminar would be complete without some fun and relaxation, and Panama proved the perfect locale. The Caesars Park Resort Hotel and Casino offered top-notch facilities, wonderful food, and side tours to exotic locations such as the Gamboa Rain Forest, Embura Indian Village, and of course, the Panama Canal. Entertainment and social hours included a special speaker and exhibitor appreciation dinner held at the Miraflores Locks on the Panama Canal, a poolside welcome social at the Caesar Park, and a gala closing banquet with music and native dancers in beautiful costumes.
Planning is already underway for a 2007 symposium to be held in Panama Feb. 22-24, with extra seminars available Feb. 25-27.
Information for this article provided by
Rand Baird, DC, MPH, FICC. Dr. Baird chairs the WFC Public Health Committee and the WFC Associate Member Committee. He is also author/editor of the "Chiropractic in the American Public Health Association" column for
DC.
