Chiropractors at McMaster University: The formation and direction of a university-based multidisciplinary chiropractic working group.

At present globally there are rare examples of chiropractic training in publicly funded universities.1 The absence of a university-style research tradition, coupled with a lack of access to government funding has acted as a barrier to the scientifi c development of the chiropractic profession.2 Within chiropractic educational facilities there are no formal programs cultivating chiropractic clinician researcher development.3 In examining the development of clinician researchers, Coulter (1986) observed “to become a productive researcher the student requires prerequisite knowledge of the area, skills in research methodology, academic values and attitudes, a supportive environment, and advisors/mentors with specifi c responsibility for monitoring the students’ progress.”4 It has also been recognized that research infrastructure, located outside of traditional chiropractic colleges is needed for the profession to develop productive clinical research programs.3 Professions of any health care discipline having faculty members at publicly funded universities are afforded academic freedom while maintaining the growth and development of their profession, with a focus on active scholarly publication thus fostering a strong research culture.5 A university setting reduces barriers to interdisciplinary research and allows clinical collaboration that utilizes the most current technology. A university, or university hospital setting also allow for clinician training, incorporation of experimental treatment protocols and facilitate delivery of health care to the general public.1 The chiropractic profession needs to remodel its present approach to clinical education and research to remain relevant in an era of evidence-based practice.6 Since January of 2009, a group of chiropractors that also have an affi liation with McMaster University, have been meeting quarterly on the McMaster campus. These affi liations may be as graduate students (chiropractors who are currently in pursuit of a Masters or PhD, or are medical residents), full-time, part-time, or adjunct faculty, clinical faculty, research affi liates, academic committee members or those who supervise McMaster medical interns in their clinical environment. The group allows chiropractors that are operating at some capacity within the mainstream university system to become aware of their colleagues. It also assists to foster collaboration among these colleagues within such an environment to serve and enhance the chiropractic profession in improving patient care. With the support of the Canadian Chiropractic Association and the Ontario Chiropractic Association, the group has been able to expand and thrive. Meetings consist of a member of the group presenting on a topic that relates to their McMaster University affi liation, followed by a round table discussion. At a recent meeting, a McMaster University Professor Emeritus, (Department of Clinical Epidemiology & Biostatistics) Dr. Charlie Goldsmith was present. He led the group through a workshop to identify