May 2005

The prestige of being a chiropractor

by David A. Jackson, DC, CEO, Research & Clinical Science

For more than a century, chiropractors have worked to achieve credibility with the general public. Some DCs dress in lab coats and hang stethoscopes around their necks in hopes of gaining that elusive level of respect. Others point to the use of chiropractic by popular celebrities as a way to win vicarious acceptance. Organizations work to get positive coverage for chiropractic in the print media, and colleges maintain the highest academic standards in order to deflect criticism about the education of chiropractors.

Yet, despite all our attempts, we haven't reached our goal. We're still the butt of jokes on TV sitcoms, dismissed as irrelevant by the medical community, largely ignored or bypassed by government health officials, and misunderstood by the general public. We're bone crackers or quacks to uninformed or malicious critics and even when we're given grudging recognition for being effective "back doctors," we're lambasted for our "dearth of good research to prove efficacy" (Newsweek: April 26, 2004).

Thankfully, we have at hand a way to dramatically increase our status in the eyes of the public and establish a new image of chiropractic that could very easily outclass even the medical profession: repositioning ourselves as scientific, evidence based research practitioners.

According to a 2004 Harris poll, scientists tied with medical doctors as the most prestigious occupations among US adults. Both scored a 52% rating (52% of the people polled said these two professions enjoyed "very great prestige"). Interestingly, doctors' rating slipped nine points over the 2003 poll. Although the poll didn't specify "medical doctors," we can assume that most people had them in mind when they took the survey. We can also assume that "doctors of chiropractic" would have scored somewhat below "lawyer" or "journalist" had we been included as a separate category.

While we don't need our own category to enhance our prestige and credibility, we do need to get people to associate chiropractic with science. Once that mental link is made, chiropractors move into the realm of scientists and researchers and enjoy the built‑in esteem and status that classification affords.

What, exactly, does 'prestige' mean in this context? According to Harris Interactive, Inc., "prestige is strongly associated with respect, public service and good work. Professions with high prestige are those which are widely seen to do great work which benefits society and the people they serve..."

When people learn you are a chiropractor, do they automatically associate you with respect, public service and good work? Do they realize how much you benefit society and the people you serve? If not, you may need to reposition your office as a scientific, evidence based practice by showcasing your involvement in chiropractic research.

One could attempt this by becoming a published researcher, writing and submitting case histories to journals such as the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research, Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, European Journal of Chiropractic or the Journal of the Neuromusculoskeletal System." Be sure to publicize your accomplishments throughout your community.

You can also give research‑oriented presentations for community groups. You'll need to prepare thoroughly for such talks, however, since you may be called upon to answer questions concerning research findings on a variety of topics, from chiropractic and infertility to the risk of stroke.

Another way to firm up your involvement in chiropractic research is to become an RCS (Research & Clinical Science) Authorized Research Site and participate in the RCS research program. Thousands of DCs around the country will be taking part in the program. RCS will compile a massive database of findings from hundreds of thousands of chiropractic research subjects throughout the world. The RCS International Scientific Advisory Panel will conduct a detailed analysis of the data to determine the direct and distinct correlations between subluxations and states of wellness. The project hopes to prove the hypothesis that: "Drug‑free chiropractic care has a significant, positive and far‑reaching impact on health and wellness for people of all ages."

With this data, RCS plans to provide the proof needed to validate our role as unique health care providers and silence ‑‑ once and for all ‑‑ those detractors who say we don't have the scientific evidence to support chiropractic.

But even before the data is analyzed and the papers published, RCS doctors will have established themselves as scientific, evidence‑based practitioners. By positioning themselves as RCS Authorized Research Sites, they'll share the prestige and credibility of scientists and researchers, and overcome one of the most formidable obstacles to practice success.

RCS uses the same volunteer recruitment techniques and guidelines as the Mayo Clinic, the Naval Medical Research Center, the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, and the University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center. Volunteers are directed to the RCS Authorized Research Site, where they receive a complimentary chiropractic exam and instructions on filling out the RCS "Self‑Reported Quality of Life" study online. They also receive an exclusive RCS Vitality Wellness Index report, which compares the results of their evaluation with those of the larger population.

While in the RCS doctor's office, they'll be able to read more about the world‑class group of scientists and researchers who make up the International Scientific Advisory Panel, as well as information about chiropractic and research written by RCS.

To these volunteers, you're no longer "just a chiropractor." You're an RCS Authorized Research Site, a scientist working to increase the store of knowledge that will make all people healthier and elevate the general level of wellness in the world. Best of all, for less than $10 a day, you get all the training, equipment, materials and support you need to seamlessly incorporate the RCS program into your existing practice, regardless of your technique, practice purpose, or instrumentation.

In 1987, in an article published in The Chiropractic Journal Joseph C. Keating, Jr., PhD, director of research, Northwestern College of Chiropractic, said: "The development of chiropractic research will determine the credibility of the profession's claim to be the masters of the science and art of spinal ...care." In the intervening 15 years, little substantive research has been done to actually enhance the profession's credibility.

With RCS, doctors have a tool that is as unique ‑‑ and effective ‑‑ as chiropractic itself, one that will help turn the dream of credibility and respect into reality.

(Dr. Jackson is chief executive officer of Research and Clinical Science (RCS), a private sector research program exploring issues of subluxation correction and chiropractic care as they relate to health and wellness. Previously, he served as president of the Chiropractic Leadership Alliance and Creating Wellness Alliance and was owner/operator of several private practice offices in California and Idaho that specialized in high‑volume, family wellness‑based care. For more information on RCS, call 800‑909‑1354 or 480‑303‑1694, or visit the RCS website at www.rcsprogram.com.)