Christine Goertz, DC, PhD, was awarded the 2013 Lincoln Research Prize for Chiropractic and Biomechanics on August 24, 2013, at the Florida Chiropractic Association (FCA) National Convention in Orlando, Fla. Among the outstanding nominees for the prize, Dr. Goertz was selected for demonstrating excellence in clinical research completed during the years of 2010-2012 that most significantly contributed to the body of knowledge and also directly impacted patient care.
During the past three years, Dr. Goertz was the lead scientist on several large federal research grants studying the effectiveness of chiropractic care. For example, she was co-principal investigator on the largest DoD research grant ever awarded for the assessment of chiropractic care in the military. Dr. Goertz also was the principal investigator on a ground-breaking study assessing an interprofessional treatment model including chiropractic care for the management of back pain in older adults.
During 2010-2012, Dr. Goertz published numerous peer-reviewed manuscripts in high-impact journals and presented widely on clinically meaningful topics related to chiropractic care. The career research accomplishments of Dr. Goertz are numerous, including more than 100 published scientific manuscripts, book chapters, and abstracts, service on several prominent U.S. committees related to chiropractic care, and principal investigator on a variety of major federal grants.
"I am truly honored to have been selected as the recipient of the 2013 Lincoln Research Prize," Dr. Goertz said. "The increasing awareness of the debilitating impact musculoskeletal problems are placing on society, the projected shortage of primary care physicians, the movement towards multi-disciplinary, collaborative team health care delivery and the growing number of studies demonstrating the effectiveness and cost-efficiency of chiropractic care make this a very exciting time to be a Doctor of Chiropractic. [DCs], our medical colleagues, patients and scientists are now beginning to work together to figure out how to deliver the highest-quality, patient-centered care possible. I want to thank all of the prize's sponsors and founders for recognizing the importance of chiropractic researchers as part of this team."
Dr. Goertz currently serves as the vice chancellor for research and health policy for Palmer College of Chiropractic. She also is a member of the Board of Governors and chair of the program development committee for the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute; becoming the first and only doctor of chiropractic to hold leadership roles within this increasingly vital organization for health care decision-making. Dr. Goertz previously served as deputy director of the Samueli Institute and program officer of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine of the National Institutes of Health.
The Lincoln Research Prize was founded by its three sponsors, the Florida Chiropractic Foundation for Education & Research (FCF), Lincoln Chiropractic College Education & Research Fund (LCERF), and FCA, along with the Lincoln Endowed Research Chair at the University of South Florida, in order to bring attention to chiropractic research and build the image of chiropractic in the scientific research community worldwide. The prize is awarded to an individual who demonstrates the most outstanding research productivity in patient-oriented, epidemiological, and health outcomes research related to chiropractic care.
At $20,000, the Lincoln Research Prize is the largest research prize in the chiropractic profession. The annual Lincoln Research Prize was awarded to Dr. Scott Haldeman in 2011 and Dr. Gert Bronfort in 2012.
The three sponsors of the Lincoln Research Prize – FCF, LCERF, and FCA – collaborated over a decade ago to raise funds for the endowment of the Lincoln Chair at the University of South Florida, the first fully endowed research chair in chiropractic and biomechanics at a public university. All three sponsors have committed to the annual funding of the $20,000 Lincoln Research Prize. On behalf of the sponsors, FCF Chairman Dr. Ken Dougherty noted, "The Lincoln Research Prize, as initially proposed by Dr. Ed Williams, FCA CEO emeritus, is designed to further implement and encourage chiropractic research and to build its image in the scientific community."
The Lincoln Research Prize was named to highlight its relationship to the Lincoln Chair and to further perpetuate the name of Lincoln Chiropractic College, a highly regarded chiropractic institution before it merged with the National College of Chiropractic in the late 1970s. The former LCERF chairman, Dr. Ed Maurer, engaged the LCERF and FCA to initiate the funding effort for the Lincoln Chair in 1995.
Source: Palmer College of Chiropractic
