September 2004

Sherman to hold research symposium

Sherman College of Straight Chiropractic will host the International Research and Philosophy Symposium (IRAPS): A Conference on Vertebral Subluxation on October 9‑10. The keynote speaker is Christopher Kent, DC, president of the Council on Chiropractic Practice and Vice President of the World Chiropractic Alliance.

According to the college, the conference will address the extent to which patient outcomes support or challenge a cyclic relationship with the philosophical tenets underlying vertebral subluxation correction.

"Since the inception of chiropractic, its practice has been strongly reliant upon a predictive philosophy," college literature explained. "As well, chiropractic research has continued to demonstrate a variety of patient outcomes associated with vertebral subluxation correction care. However, the link between what chiropractic philosophy predicts and what scientific research has reported has not been widely explored."

This theme is based on an investigation of the relationship between philosophy and science. As these two concepts, in essence, are perceived as a continuum, the cycle of inductive and deductive reasoning should allow philosophy to establish hypotheses testable through science. The completion of the cycle should reflect the impact of science on the modification or retention of the philosophy it has explored.

There will be three categories of relevant presentations:

******  Philosophical papers that discuss the general nature and validity of philosophy and science, including papers that evaluate philosophy and science in regard to the practice of vertebral subluxation correction.

******  Papers reporting patient outcomes. Outcomes include a broad range of significant changes including, but not limited to, physical and physiological status, and overall health and quality of life parameters associated with subluxation correction care. Submissions may range from case reports, case studies, pilot studies, observational studies, controlled clinical trials as well as descriptive papers and structured interviews or subjective studies.

******  Presentations that discuss patient outcomes in regard to supporting or challenging the tenets of the philosophy underpinning vertebral subluxation correction. This category allows for an evaluation of the level of responsiveness between philosophy and science within the practice of vertebral subluxation correction.

A $500 award will be given to the most informative presentation.

For further information, visit the Conference website at www.sherman.edu/edu/continued/iraps.html.

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