Previous reports regarding the upcoming World Federation of Chiropractic (WFC) 10th Biennial Congress have focused on the impressive technique and clinical science presentations scheduled to take place at the April 30 - May 2 event in Montreal. This year's congress, co-sponsored by the Canadian Chiropractic Association and with a theme of "Celebrating Chiropractic in the 21st Century," also has an outstanding program on the philosophy of chiropractic and health care. One session in particular features three leading authorities speaking on whether the biopsychosocial model, rather than the biomedical model, should be the philosophical model for not only chiropractic, but also all health care:
- Serge Robert, PhD, professor of philosophy, Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Quebec at Montreal, who has lectured and published on the philosophy of science and health since the 1980s;
- Guy Riekeman, DC, president, Life University, one of the chiropractic profession's most dynamic lecturers; and
- Alan Breen, DC, PhD, professor of musculoskeletal health care, Anglo-European College of Chiropractic, who gave an enthusiastically received philosophy lecture at the Paris Congress in 2001.
This session is moderated by Dr. Gerard Clum, WFC past president and current president of Life Chiropractic College West, and includes panel and audience discussion. (Dr. Clum also serves as keynote speaker in the last plenary session of the philosophy program.) Dr. Clum later moderates a second session with lectures on "Teaching Philosophy in Chiropractic Education Today" by Ashley Cleveland, DC, MA, from Cleveland Chiropractic College; and "Acupuncture and Yoga - To What Extent Do They Have a Similar Philosophy of Health to Chiropractic?" byHoward Vernon, DC, PhD, from Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College. The third speaker in this session is Gilles Lamarche, DC, from Parker College of Chiropractic, discussing "The Role of Philosophy in Chiropractic Practice."
In addition to programs on philosophy, technique and science, the 2009 congress features an impressive social program that includes an opening reception, a Quebec cultural night, and a gala banquet and dance. For comprehensive program details, please visit www.wfc.org/congress2009.
To review other scheduled program content as reported previously in DC, please read "Pediatric Experts Among Scheduled Speakers at WFC Congress" (March 26 issue) and "WFC Montreal Congress Spotlights Senior Care, Sports Chiropractic" (April 9 issue).
