Another New Chiropractic Program
As discussed by Donald Petersen Jr., publisher, in our August issue, as go the colleges, so goes chiropractic – and global expansion of chiropractic education is strong these days. Case in point: the new chiropractic program at Centro Universitário Gama e Souza (UNIGAMA) in the Brazilian capital of Rio de Janeiro.
It is the fourth chiropractic degree program in the country, significant because chiropractic is not yet regulated in Brazil. Thus, chiropractic education is what separates legitimate chiropractors from those who call themselves chiropractors, but without proper training. The inaugural class began coursework earlier this year, with a second class starting last month (August 2022).
Founded in 1998, UNIGAMA has a well-developed health curriculum that includes programs in dentistry, nursing, physical therapy and physical education. The chiropractic program received significant support from the Brazilian Chiropractic Association (Associacio Brasileira de Quiropraxia – ABQ), helping ensure its compliance with WHO guidelines and internationally accepted standards for chiropractic curriculum.
History for New Zealand Chiropractors Association
Cassandra Fairest, a 2013 graduate of the New Zealand Chiropractic College, was recently elected president of the New Zealand Chiropractors Association – the first woman to assume the top leadership role of one of the chiropractic profession's oldest associations.
In an interview with the World Federation of Chiropractic for its Quarterly World Report, she offered her leadership perspective – words that are as appropriate for chiropractic in the U.S. and elsewhere as in New Zealand:
"It is so critical that as an association we work to close the gaps and heal the divisions, some of which are deep. We need to forget grandstanding and egos and dispel the myths of certain techniques being superior to others. We need to focus on values such as integrity, inclusivity and humility as we move forward."
Editor's Note: Both of the above news briefs are based on articles published in the WFC Quarterly World Report, July 2022.
