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Northwestern Today invites you to send us your thoughts and opinions and we will publish them in a future issue if they meet certain criteria. In My Opinion is intended to provide the members of the Northwestern community with a forum for their opinions and views. The publication of these opinions is not an endorsement of the author's opinion by the University. Views and opinions relevant to the events, trends and issues that affect Northwestern are welcomed. Submissions that are deemed to contain factual errors or that are libelous or defamatory will not be printed. Please send opinions to John Healy, director of communications, via email at jhealy@nwhealth.edu.

Diversity Terms

Submitted by Tlahtoki Xochimeh, Diversity Commission Student Representative

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the fourth in a series of “Points to Ponder” articles that will run regularly in the Opinion section of Northwestern Today as a means of informing students, faculty, staff and alumni about issues relating to diversity. We hope that the process of reading these articles will provide an impetus for introspection and conversation about this important topic. We welcome your comments regarding the topics we will be presenting related to diversity. After all, intellectual dialogue is at the heart of any institution of higher education.

Ethnocentrism

Ethnocentrism occurs when someone attempts to understand a culture by using another culture’s ideas, knowledges, or practices.

Ethnorelativism

Ethnorelativism occurs when someone attempts to understand a culture using that culture’s ideas, knowledges, or practices.

Privilege

Privilege is when a group of people receive unearned advantages from a system of oppression. For example, in the United States, male privilege exists because numerous academic studies have demonstrated that patriarchy has inundated a majority of institutions and interpersonal relationships. Many academic studies have also revealed that other systems of privilege exist in the United States, such as white privilege, elite privilege, heterosexual privilege, English language privilege, citizenship privilege, thin privilege, etc.

Power

Power is the ability to do something. Privileged power is when a group of people has more of an ability to access resources and opportunities because a system of privilege exists. However, as history has shown, those who are not privileged can also use their power collectively to create social movements that resist systems of privilege. In other words, this power, called liberatory power, is the ability the non-privileged use to mobilize in order to dismantle systems of privilege.

Allied behavior

Allied behavior (solidarity) occurs when someone who is privileged in a society works with those who are not privileged in order to dismantle the system of privilege that provides the former with unearned advantages. For instance, those who are white demonstrate allied behavior when they mobilize to dismantle white privilege because they are acting as allies to those who do not benefit from white privilege, namely people of color.

Liberation

Liberation is when dehumanizing and constrictive apparatuses in a society, such as systems of privilege, no longer exist. Put another way, liberation is true and total freedom.

 

Confronting Homophobia

Submitted by Jeff Novak DC, faculty clinician, University Health Services

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the third in a series of “Points to Ponder” articles that will run regularly in the Opinion section of Northwestern Today as a means of informing students, faculty, staff and alumni about issues relating to diversity. We hope that the process of reading these articles will provide an impetus for introspection and conversation about this important topic. We welcome your comments regarding the topics we will be presenting related to diversity. After all, intellectual dialogue is at the heart of any institution of higher education.

The following is a summary of a presentation from the 2008 Multicultural Forum, summarized at the request of the Northwestern Health Sciences University Diversity Commission by Dr. Novak.

“Let’s talk About Homophobia: A Personal and Professional Exploration to Harness Winds of Change.” Presented by Scott Fearing at the 2008 Multicultural Forum on Workplace Diversity.

Definition of Homophobia:

Root Components of Homophobia:

Definitions of Heterosexism & Privilege:

Aspects of Identity
Gender (sex):

Gender identity:

Gender expression:

Sexual orientation:

Sexual behavior:

Stress
Issues above the waterline are what we are comfortable with.
Issues below the line we are unaware of.
Issues at the waterline are stressful and what we identify the most with.

Examples of Stress Responses
While interacting with an openly gay co-worker, a straight employee keeps thinking about his sexuality and identity.

Changing your seat because a GLBT person sits in the chair next to you.

Assuming that everyone you meet is heterosexual.

Not confronting an anti-GLBT joke or comment for fear of being identified as a GLBT person.

Being afraid to show physical affection to someone of the same gender. (Even a family member.)

Being careful about the kinds of clothes you wear, or your mannerisms so that you do not have that “look.”

Assuming that if a GLBT person shows friendliness towards you, they are making a sexual advance.

Not asking about your GLBT co-worker’s partner, although you regularly ask about your heterosexual co-worker’s spouse.

Attitudes Toward Differences “The Riddle Scale”

Repulsion: People who are perceived as different are sick, strange, crazy and aversive.

Pity: People who are perceived as different are somehow born that way and that is sad and pitiful.

Tolerance: Being different is an “abnormality” of species; the difference is understandable, but still unfortunate.

Acceptance: Accommodation is made for another’s differences. Acknowledgement that another’s identity may have the same value as their own.

Admiration: Acknowledges that being “different” in our society takes strength.

Appreciation: Values the diversity of people and is willing to confront the insensitive attitudes of others and social systems.

Nurturance: Feels that “differences” in people are valuable; even indispensable in society. Works to safeguard the rights of those perceived as different.

Final Agreements
Marginalization, discrimination, harassment and violence are all points on the same continuum.

These actions are not part of healthy relationships; personal or professional.

They affect and hurt everyone.

Ending them will benefit everyone.

No individual is to blame for oppression occurring.

Each of us can facilitate it’s continuance.

Each of us can help to stop it.

Those who commit these acts of violence upon others are responsible for their actions and must be held accountable.

Those who commit these acts of violence upon themselves need a gentle hand to educate them and discourage such actions.

In Closing
“Until he extends his circle of compassion to include all living things, man will not, himself, find peace.” – Albert Schweitzer

Remembering Edith…And the Gifts Which She Bestowed

Submitted by Barbara J. Gosse, Associate Dean of Clinical Services, MCAOM

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the second in a series of “Points to Ponder” articles that will run regularly in the Opinion section of Northwestern Today as a means of informing students, faculty, staff and alumni about issues relating to diversity. We hope that the process of reading these articles will provide an impetus for introspection and conversation about this important topic. We welcome your comments regarding the topics we will be presenting related to diversity. After all, intellectual dialogue is at the heart of any institution of higher education.

Let me begin by talking a bit about one of my mentors, Edith Davis. Edith recently passed away. Her passing was the perfect opportunity to reflect upon the gifts she bestowed upon me and others in our profession. She was a great pioneer in bringing Asian medicine to Minnesota, as well as promoting our profession throughout the entire country.

What many of you may not know, if you never met Edith, was that she had polio at age 6 months. Polio changed her body dramatically. Her legs developed differently than the average pair of legs.

Edith and I met in the early 1980’s. We had an immediate knowing of each other that far superseded any words. We understood each other on a visceral level (I also am physically different). Some people would have described Edith as brash, tactless and one who would forge ahead like a steam roller. As a matter of fact, some people would describe me as being the same way. I prefer to look at these behaviors as developed survival techniques. I believe this gusto in behavior comes from a culture of physical difference.

Edith was the first woman that I met in the working world, and ironically a profession that I was just entering, who had a physical difference like me. I tell people she was my mentor in being a woman in the world. She had all of the things in life that most would naturally feel the right to have, i.e. a husband, children, a home, intelligence, a deep professional passion and curiosity, as well as the chutzpa to live her dreams. (I did not grow up with the belief that these privileges were my natural human right.) She was the first woman to model a life that was my vision, while living her life to the fullest. I will forever have gratitude for her pioneering spirit. (Thanks, Edith.)

My day is comprised of adapting to Northwestern’s physical structure. This statement is not a complaint - just a fact. Walking through the halls of the University, I find myself adapting daily to the heights of our campus.

Initially when I was asked to write this I was in the chiropractic faculty offices. The new “In Boxes” for the chiropractic faculty had just been installed. I immediately observed that I would never be able to reach the boxes to place material in them. I inquired as to why they were so high. I was told that they were placed at that height to make sure the tallest person in the office would not hit their shoulder on them as they walked through the hall. Initially I took that statement as fact for how it is. Then, I thought that it seemed a bit of an oxymoron to accommodate the tallest but not the shortest. (To the benefit of that department, it is not where I’m housed at the University, and there are more of you, tall people, than me.)

Being physically different by height takes lots of planning and adjusting. When I put supplies away I need a stool. I might reach the bottom shelf, but never any higher shelves. That means that I need to place the stool, get the supplies, climb up on the stool and place product that I can hold, on the shelves, get down, get more product, climb back up on the stool, and place the product away. As you can imagine, these steps really slow my production.

Having a difference means not touching the floor while using the restroom - humorous, but inconvenient.

When using the elevator rather than the stairs, I hope the person who used the elevator before me shut the door. If not, I waddle up the stairs to retrieve the elevator or ask someone to fetch the elevator for me, or find a different elevator to use. Again, a time consuming process. I never realized until a close friend made me aware that when I perform a task, the effort is with many added steps to the process.

I could go on and on about the adaptations I make. I prefer not to focus on the added difficulties that being short brings. I prefer to look at the gifts that I got from being short. (I believe that all hardships have a gift that equals or surpasses the hardship itself.)

Dealing with my shortness and the physical changes that come with having a genetic form of Rickets has certainly brought gifts to my life that I believe I would have spent a life time learning without having had Rickets. I believe my sense of compassion for others has its roots in my own physical difference. I believe that by not “fitting” into the norm, I was given the permission to fit into many norms with greater ease. I believe that by dealing with overt criticism from others about my looks, I have been able to develop a keen awareness of how we place our own “isms” onto others. It also gives me a freedom to look at how we may grow as a diverse community.

I guess the point to ponder is this:

Where in your life has your own vulnerability hindered or enhanced the ways you perceive yourself and others?

Additional “Points to Ponder” articles are available on the Diversity area of Northwestern Health Sciences University’s web site. Click here for more. http://www.nwhealth.edu/diversity/index.aspx)

 

On Becoming a Culturally Competent University

Submitted by Tolu Oyelowo, DC, Associate Professor, Chair of the Diversity Commission

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first in a series of “Points to Ponder” articles that will run regularly in the Opinion section of Northwestern Today as a means of informing students, faculty, staff and alumni about issues relating to diversity. We hope that the process of reading these articles will provide an impetus for introspection and conversation about this important topic. We welcome your comments regarding the topics we will be presenting related to diversity. After all, intellectual dialogue is at the heart of any institution of higher education.

A colleague recently asked me to define culture. My response was that culture is the lens through which we view the world, and the lens can be made up of many different filters. The filter of family, faith, society, group affiliations, community and nationality, to name a few. What followed was a blank stare and I quickly realized that what I had just said made no sense to this individual, which got me thinking – why is it so easy for some to define their culture, and extremely difficult for others? I think the answer is relatively simple; if one is customarily in an environment where there is perceived uniformity, then there is a tendency to presume we are “acultural.” Part of identifying your own culture is to have it juxtaposed against other like and unlike cultures, and to experience the affirmation or rejection of your culture as it is reflected against others.

What, you say? Well, let me explain. Imagine you are a homeopath, you were raised in a community of homeopaths, you see mostly homeopaths on television, your high school was made up of children of homeopaths, your girlfriend is a homeopath - you get the picture. If this was the only life you knew, and someone were to ask you to define your culture, you might say “what culture?” Aren’t we all the same? You have made the assumption that because everyone around you is sort of “like you” there is no unique culture. Until you start to see your (homeopathic) culture reflected against other differing cultures, you might assume you had no culture.

Okay fine, you say, but so what, after all I get along with lots of different people, and quite frankly what does this have to do with my views on health care? Good question and I will come back to the health care question in just one moment, but first indulge me as I describe a model of cultural competency. It is the developmental model of intercultural sensitivity described by Milton Bennett, PhD and Mitch Hammer PhD. This model describes three phases of intercultural competency development: Phase 1 is defense/denial; Phase 2 is minimization; and Phase 3 is acceptance/adaptation.

Defense – One’s own culture is experienced as the only good one, and cultural difference is denigrated. Example: “You know those foreigners.”

Denial – One’s own culture is experienced as the only “real” one and consideration of other cultures is avoided either by maintaining psychological and /or physical isolation from differences. Example: “Saddam who?”

Minimization – Elements of your own culture are experienced as universal, despite surface differences; deep down, other cultures are seen as essentially similar to one’s own. Example: “Aren’t we all deep down basically alike, and don’t we all just want to be treated with respect.”

Acceptance/ Adaptation – Other cultures are experienced as equally complex, but different constructs of reality and one attains the ability to shift perspective in and out of another cultural world view. Example: “Diversity is a good thing and I know that you not making eye contact with me doesn’t necessarily mean you are hiding something, it might mean you are showing me respect or that firm handshake does not necessarily mean you are trying to crush my bones, or that wimpy handshake does not necessarily mean you are insecure, or the fact that you like to tell stories first before making your point does not necessarily mean you are inefficient.” In other words, I am going to withhold judgment because I recognize that we have differences, and these differences might be valuable to the task.

That’s the model, and you perhaps recognize a potential value for cultural competency in relationships, but how does this connect to health care, which is the common thread that unites the culture of Northwestern Health Sciences University.

First, I think we will all agree that as proponents of natural health care, health care providers, and providers in training, our primary task is to model health and to sell our brand of health and wellness to the population at large – friends, family, neighbors, enemies, patients, and colleagues. Second I think we would all agree that ideally we want to sell our brand in the most effective way. This begs the question what does it take to be the most effective to a broad range of potential consumers? I propose to you that one element is to be culturally competent.  

Let’s take a look at our programs. If you are a chiropractor in the defense phase then as far as you are concerned, chiropractic is the only “real” choice for health care, and quite frankly it is the “superior” choice and if those acupuncturists would only just “see the light” then they would simply become chiropractors and practice chiropractic (which is true of course – no, just kidding), but you get the idea. Well, imagine contact with an acupuncturist, also in defense who feels as strongly that acupuncture is the superior choice, and that chiropractic is really an inferior second choice. What is the message that is communicated to the consumer? Quite confusing, isn’t it. Is this perhaps a reason why as individual entities we still don’t reach the masses? Given the strength of commitment that we hold to our different disciplines, wouldn’t you expect that everyone, and yes I mean everyone, will be jumping on the band wagon of natural health care. Collectively, we still make up less than half the utilization of health care services as a primary health care choice. Why is that?

What if you are a massage therapist in the denial phase – “acupuncture who?” Yeah, yeah, yeah – get with the program my friend, what you need is a massage – that’s the only thing that will help that sciatic pain of yours.”  Except you are conversing with a client, whose sister just went to an acupuncturist for sciatica, and guess what, they got better – so now who should the patient believe? Is it any wonder the general public is so confused?

I propose to you that to become the most effective health care practitioners, if we are indeed in the defense/denial phase, we need to move out of this, through minimization and into acceptance/adaptation. We need to acknowledge that the other health care cultures are equally complex, and strive to attain the ability to shift perspective into the other health views, so that we can better serve the consumer. At the very least, we need to be willing to learn enough about “the other” to enable us to intelligently educate our consumers.  To summarize, we can still hold firmly to our commitment to our chosen practices, while recognizing and intentionally assigning value to the health care practices of our colleagues.

So, what does acceptance/adaptation look like? The words that come to my mind are inclusive, dynamic, multiple voices, creativity, and marketability. In health care, it might mean a fundamental understanding and acceptance of the value of the health care professions, and the ability to identify and adapt the patients’ needs to the providers expertise. Within the health care programs at Northwestern, it might mean that a massage therapist would choose to refer the patient to the chiropractor because they identified the spinal misalignment as a primary problem; or the chiropractor referring the patient for herbs and acupuncture because they evidence spleen deficiency concurrent with infertility; or the chiropractor referring the patient for massage therapy because they recognize the role that stress is playing in the patient’s health outcomes; or the acupuncturist referring a patient for chiropractic manipulation because they recognize that spinal misalignment might be impacting the child’s ear infections, and so on….

I previously discussed the developmental model of intercultural sensitivity and gave examples of the chiropractor and acupuncturist in the defense phase and the massage therapist in the denial phase. How about an example of an Oriental medicine practitioner in the minimization phase?

In the minimization phase, the thinking is that deep down we are all basically alike. A patient presents in the office, and subconsciously an assumption is made. They are basically like you; they want what you want (after all, that is why they came to your office); they will follow your prescription. You prescribe some herbs, send them off with a wonderful array of nature’s best healing concoctions, and smile with joy at the improved health that your patient is soon to experience. Much to your surprise, they don’t get better, or at least not to the degree that you had anticipated. You are perplexed; those herbs were perfect for the patient’s circumstances. Well three months later you make an offhanded comment in the waiting room about how surprised you are that the patient is not making the progress you anticipated, and his daughter informs you that he never took the herbs, actually just tossed them once they left your office. What! How could this happen? After all, you carefully explained the reasons for the herbs, and why they were the right choice for this situation. The patient had said they understood, had thanked you profusely, and had even referred a friend. So why didn’t they take the herbs? Perhaps because deep down they have some fundamental beliefs about health care and the utilization of herbs that are very different from yours. In addition, they may have beliefs about your role as a healer that keeps them from disagreeing with you or even challenging you directly. So they do what works for them, remain cordial and respectful, but don’t follow your plan. The result is an unanticipated and potentially disappointing outcome.

A statement I have heard often regarding the diversity initiative at NWHSU is “why do you keep talking about differences?” we have more in common than we have that’s different. My response to this is “How do you know that?” Unless we are brave enough to dialogue about our differences, we truly have no way of knowing what we have in common. To make the assumption that we are all really very much alike is really in effect minimizing the ‘others’ experience.

It is perhaps worthwhile to spend some time talking about minimization, after all this is the bridge that connects ethnocentricism to ethnorelativism or defense/denial to acceptance/accommodation. Minimization is “safe.” It means you care enough about the ‘other’ to want to form relationships, and in order to do so you are invested in the similarities. That is great; unarticulated, however, is I suspect a hidden fear that focusing on differences can be divisive. This is true – wars are fought over differences; however, wars are also fought over assumptions of similarities. Assumptions that may turn out to be incorrect!  The key to dialogue about difference is an environment that is safe, so that differences can be articulated without fear of recrimination or reprisal.

Conjure up an image of someone you know quite well, someone close to your heart, a spouse, a sibling, a dear friend, and think through the life of the relationship. Let’s take your spouse. You meet, you find you have some things in common, you fall in love, you marry; you discover you are actually very different, you argue, you resolve the arguments. You now understand each other better, you have a deeper relationship – not based on the superficial (we are all alike) but on the deeper level. We are alike, we are also different, by learning about the similarities and differences, we now have a deeper relationship. The same is true for cultural relationships (health, race, gender, age, sexuality, socioeconomic – you name it). It is in understanding differences not in minimizing them that we find ways that enable us to best accommodate one other.

The common thread that unites the Northwestern culture is health care – holistic health care to be specific, meaning we choose to attend to the entire being – the body, the mind and the spirit. This means that as we engage in the healing of the body, we must pay equal attention to the mind and the spirit. Imagine a place where each of us as members of the NWHSU community were comfortable nurturing our minds, bodies and spirits. Isn’t that an exciting thought? Getting there might cause some tension, but arriving there would be quite euphoric. We get to dialogue without having our opinions minimized. It does not mean that we don’t speak our minds because we are afraid we might offend, quite the contrary it means freedom and safety of expression and being, within the boundaries of respect, courtesy and caring.

Let me say this one more time - cultural competency is not about losing your identity. It is about holding firmly to our commitments and chosen practices, while recognizing and intentionally assigning value to the commitments, identities and practices of others. In health care what this ultimately means is that because we come from a place of knowledge we are better able to guide our patients in making optimal health decisions. As such we are better health care providers because our patients manifest better health outcomes.

The remarkable thing about cultural competency is that it is not about “them” it is about “us.” Collectively when we leverage our differences, everyone wins, and the time to start to do that is now. What does this mean to the community? Well, it means that when our students leave, not only have they developed intellectual skills, they have also developed life skills. It means a greater understanding of the different areas, departments, positions, schools of thought, and issues on campus. It means being human centered. It means open and honest communication and it means improved health and wellness to the broad range of populations we influence because it is based on effective service. It is a win-win situation when we choose the words from our diversity slogan:

Celebrate Me, Celebrate You, Celebrate Us!

Additional “Points to Ponder” articles are available on the Diversity area of Northwestern Health Sciences University’s web site. Click here for more. http://www.nwhealth.edu/diversity/index.aspx)

 

Why ICA…or ACA or WCA for That Matter?

Submitted by Joanna Prokes, T5 chiropractic student, SICA President,
SACA Legislative Representative

EDITOR’S NOTE: For clarity, ICA is the International Chiropractor’s Association; ACA is the American Chiropractic Association; and WCA is the World Chiropractic Alliance

I was asked during one of our recent Student ICA (SICA) conference calls to address the topic of “why ICA.” I do not advocate solely the ICA. I also advocate a variety of clubs and associations, but most importantly I advocate being involved.

Why is it important to be involved?  Because you have a lot to lose and nothing to gain in the long run by not getting involved or becoming excited about what is to come ahead in health care. I Googled the number of “deaths by chiropractors in 2007” on May 15, 2008, and the first number I came across on the web page of hits was…well, actually I didn’t come across a number, I got 401,000 hits and one titled “Prescription Drug Related Deaths Triple: Chiropractic Cure May be the Cause”; check it out for yourself. I also Googled “deaths by prescription drugs in 2007” and the number I found was 490,000 deaths and got 9,040,000 hits.

We are at a very exciting junction in history. We are reaching a breaking point and realizing that we need to keep our purpose focused on what is best for the patient, because at 490,000 deaths a year this is hitting close to home. I am sure it is safe to bet that the overwhelming majority of Americans know of a close family member or friend whose life has been lost or severely affected by a prescription drug. This figure is outrageous and when added to our dismal public health statistics (infant mortality, life span, number of quality years, etc.) it clearly demonstrates the need for a paradigm shift within the health care field. This is why it is important to be active.

I specifically talk about chiropractic care because I am a chiropractic student but this applies to all natural health care professions, including Oriental medicine, massage therapy and naturopathy. We have stood on the sideline and kicked our feet in the sand looking the other way and saying “somebody should really do something because we have a better option available.” This is why it is important to be involved and keep the purpose for the good of the patient. We are the “somebody” who needs to do something because we are the ones that have an alternate solution.

Any ounce of effort that has been put toward fighting for territory within the realm of health care, whether it be DC, MD, DO, PT, Veterinarian, Dentist, Sports Fitness Trainer etc., is solely for the good of the practitioner. The more we fight amongst ourselves the more our families and friends and even enemies lose out on experiencing what a healthy life is supposed to be like; including objective treatment options whose benefits outweigh the personal costs. Our energies would be much better spent trying to find the middle ground and looking for “win-win” solutions for our patients. That is why it is important to be involved in the ACA, the ICA, the WFC and the technique clubs so you can be confident in giving the best care you can as a health care provider. Get involved in the speech, yoga, philosophy and sports clubs or others to keep your minds and bodies ready to give the best care you can to your patients because they are other people’s mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, grandparents, nieces and nephews. From all of the questions that I have been asking while at school to figure out how to be a great doctor; the best answer I have come up with so far is to treat your patients as you would want your family or yourself to be treated. We spend a lot of time and money as a profession arguing about petty differences while our immensely effective form of health care is being diverted from patients who’s live could be improved. We need to do something about it. That is why it is important to be active.
           
What I learned in Washington, DC, this past April is that the District of Columbia runs on money and the only thing that speaks louder than money is a constituents vote. We cannot outspend the pharmaceutical industry, and we cannot outspend the American Medical Association, but cumulatively we do have contact with millions of patients and we can give something, even small contributions of our money and time. As doctors we come into contact with a lot of people who vote, these patients can be educated on what their district’s Senators and Representatives views are in regards to their health care choices. The ICA is currently working to implement an online program with the intent to have at least one Doctor of Chiropractic in every district, in every state use the program to help keep patients updated on positions and allow for an easy way for the patients to contact their Senators and Representatives about important bills regarding their health care. Did you know that it only takes 5-12 letters on a subject to be red flagged as important when sent to a congressional member on the state or national level?  This election year will set the stage for the next 30 years of health care, according to James Carville, who spoke in February at the National Chiropractic Legislative Conference. We as chiropractors may seriously discuss how we define ourselves with each other, but what it comes down to is as soon as you become licenced the written law legally defines what chiropractic is, that is why it is important to become involved with professional associations. We need to be active or else leave it to others to define chiropractic. If your voice isn’t raised, the legislators will listen to who ever is doing the talking.

This is the time to get excited about being a doctor and taking pride in being part of a natural form of health care. Look at our track record in 2007 compared to prescription drugs. People need to be made aware of what a healthy life can be like. That is why it is important to be involved.

People are dying and still we sit back and say “Wow , someone should really do something.” I don’t want my family and friends to miss out on experiencing a healthy life. Kashif Ahmad, PhD, one of the newest members of our faculty, recently joined the American Chiropractic Association because he saw the importance of being involved in order to educate people about what a healthy life is and how to make smarter decisions by advocating a Council on Nutrition. He is not even a chiropractor. The vast majority of chiropractors are not members of any association. Why is apathy such a big part of our profession?  It doesn’t have to be.

There are many avenues available in order to better yourself as a doctor (origin: teacher, Latin) solely for the purpose of being able to deliver better care and education to your patients. That is why it is important to keep involved and active.

That is “why ICA...or ACA or WCA for that matter.

For more information about these three organizations, go to their web sites.
The ACA is at http://www.amerchiro.org/
The ICA is at http://www.chiropractic.org/
The WCA is at http://www.worldchiropracticalliance.org/

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