"Educational institutions become the caretakers and purveyors of professional wisdom and bear the burden of providing the infrastructure upon which the profession examines itself through investigation and research." – Reed Phillips, DC, PhD, 2000, when president of LACC (now SCUHS)1
"Because we're creating the next generation of practitioners, we have the potential (and responsibility) to educate doctors who will play a larger role in wellness and neurological care. But the milieu in which we operate is changing dramatically and we have to change with it or – even better – ahead of it." – Guy Riekeman, DC, 2013, when president of Life University2
In 1896, less than six months after delivering the first chiropractic adjustment, D.D. Palmer obtained his corporate charter for what would eventually become Palmer University. In doing so, he not only found a profession, but also created a model for growth.3
The private college model was pretty much the norm in the United States, but not so much in the rest of the world. Twenty years ago, there were only 16 chiropractic colleges in the U.S., with a few more in Australia, Brazil, Canada, England, Japan and New Zealand.
Today, the number of colleges in the U.S. has grown to 20, but the number of chiropractic colleges outside the U.S. has grown to 33. There are chiropractic colleges on six continents. And while the U.S. is still home to the greatest concentration of DCs (currently 77,000),4 the increasing number of non-U.S. colleges will likely raise the number of chiropractors globally well beyond the current estimate of 103,000 over the next few decades.
This not only bodes well for the future of the chiropractic profession, but also furthers the mission of our profession to provide chiropractic care to every person on Earth.
What is interesting is that while in the U.S., only a few of the chiropractic programs are attached to previously existing educational institutions, the majority of those outside the U.S. are. Look at the chiropractic colleges / programs leading the revolution:5
Australia
Brazil
Canada
Chile
Denmark
France
Japan
Malaysia
Mexico
New Zealand
Puerto Rico
South Africa
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
United Kingdom
Author's Note: It is possible that I left some chiropractic colleges / programs off the above list. If so, my sincere apologies.
Chiropractic is becoming a force in health care globally, sparking revolutions as consumers discover wellness without the drugs and surgery they have been lead to believe is their only choice. Just think how health care will change in the next 100 years because you and many other DCs have introduced chiropractic to millions in need.
References
Read more findings on my blog: http://blog.toyourhealth.com/ wrblog. You can also visit me on Facebook and Twitter (donpetersenjr, @donaldpetersen).
When sports chiropractors first appeared at the Olympic Games in the 1980s, it was alongside individual athletes who had experienced the benefits of chiropractic care in their training and recovery processes at home. Fast forward to Paris 2024, where chiropractic care was available in the polyclinic for all athletes, and the attitude has now evolved to recognize that “every athlete deserves access to sports chiropractic."
It is estimated that 61% of patients with CTS avoid taking surgical options due to postoperative complications and costly surgical procedures. Chiropractic care offers a comprehensive and effective treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome, addressing the condition from multiple angles. Recent studies also have unveiled a game-changing adjunct to chiropractic treatments for CTS: nerve flossing.
Some doctors thrive in a personality-based clinic and have a loyal following no matter what services or equipment they offer, but for most chiropractic offices who are trying to grow and expand, new equipment purchases help us stay relevant and continue to service our client base in the best, most up-to-date manner possible. So, regarding equipment purchasing: should you lease, get a bank loan, or pay cash?
