Life Represents in Rio
The Life University World Congress of Chiropractic Students represented well at the 32nd annual congress. The WCCS congress was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
April 2nd-9th. There were six Life students representing our school this year, more than any other year. The delegation was led by its president, Sean Drake; also attending the congress were DC students Ryan Barnett, Tania Demiray, and Ron Sweeney, as well as undergrads Jessica Quintero and myself.
The WCCS is an organization of students that represent thirty two chiropractic schools from around the world. Their purpose is to advance and unite the global chiropractic profession through inspiration, integrity, and leadership. According to the website at www.wccsworldwide.org, the objectives of the corporation are “to promote the exchange of new ideas from a student perspective, to unify the chiropractic profession from within, and to unify the health care community in the interest of contributing to world health.” Each year, students get together for a week to discuss issues in chiropractic education, as well as in the profession worldwide. At this year’s congress, 160 students represented twenty-four schools from five continents.
While in active session, the WCCS congress utilizes the formal Robert’s Rules to discuss a wide variety of topics that the delegations propose. Each delegation was allowed to submit three proposals at this year’s congress. The proposal topics range from issues at particular schools, to how to further improve the WCCS, to building a foundation for the future of the profession.
For the first time ever in the history of the WCCS, this year’s congress was held in conjunction with the World Federation of Chiropractors bi-annual conference. This was an excellent opportunity for students to mingle with chiropractors from around the world, listen to the leaders of the profession, and get a different perspective on chiropractic at the international level. There was also a wide variety of chiropractic seminars that students could attend.
The WCCS had very good speakers each day that had spoken to the congress. One of the most emotional moments was when a Korean chiropractor spoke about the struggles he faces practicing in his country. Only six months earlier he had been put in jail for practicing chiropractic. The Minister of Public Health and Sports for the island nation of Aruba is a chiropractor and he spoke about his plans for making chiropractors the point of entry into the health care system in his country. The universal health care in Aruba is being looked at as a model for larger countries in Europe. Life University graduate, Dr. Liam Schubel, had a high energy passionate talk on the endless opportunities in the profession and the need to take chiropractic to every person in the world.
One of the things that makes the WCCS such a special organization is that students are able to make and develop friendships with other chiropractic students from around the world. There is much bonding while discussing the similarities and differences in the educational processes at different schools, but some of the best connections are made after congress when people let down their hair and take to the city on adventures, like everyone piling into buses to visit one of the new seven wonders of the world, Cristo Redentor—or as we know it in English—the Christ the Redeemer statue. And aside from the organized side trips, there are the informal, intimate encounters between newly-made lifelong friends over a good meal and a night of dancing and enjoying the local nightlife. Many times, friendships at the WCCS easily turn into working relationships following graduation.
At this year’s congress, the delegations voted on where to hold the 2013 congress. The Durban University of Technology won the bid to host the congress in Durban on the eastern coast of South Africa. Next year’s congress will be held in August at Murdoch University in Perth, Australia. Past congresses have been held in Dallas, Texas; Auckland, New Zealand; Mexico City, Mexico; Toronto, Ontario; and many other cities.
The Life University chapter of the WCCS would like to thank all of those Life students who came out to support the organization at the mansion parties. We would also like to thank the Office of the President, Student Services, and the student council for their generous support.
If you have any questions or interest in being a part of our school’s chapter, WCCS meets in room C-108 at 5:00pm on Wednesdays.
