Initial untangling AT Life University
When I first arrived at Life University it seemed as though students were speaking in tongues. I kept hearing students mentioning letters that I had no idea what they stood for or meant such as OSCE, ACA, ICA, CCE, LP, DE, WCCS, ML, ACC, SOS, DOA, IDK, WTF? I was on a mission to understand what these cryptic initials stood for. So after having been here seven months now I think I have finally figured out what the heck people have been talking about, and that my new found knowledge might be of help to other new students!
Let me see if I can break it down for you and save you the confusion I had to go through when I first arrived at Life University.
Let’s start out with the easy ones,“DC”-stands for Doctor of Chiropractic.
“LP” –Stands for “Lasting Purpose” and was started by Drs. Sid and Nell Williams – the founders of Life University. This concept was created to encourage students to have a purpose in life higher than themselves or their bank accounts. Lasting Purpose was intended to teach students to become Doctors of Chiropractic and develop a purpose in life of serving others along with leaving this world better than they found it.
WCCS”- “The World Congress of Chiropractic Students” – an international forum representing the chiropractic profession. Active membership consists of over 28,000 students from 32 chiropractic colleges. The WCCS, which began in 1979, meets once a year for a week to discuss issues pertaining to the chiropractic education and chiropractic profession. This past September 125 students from 23 chiropractic schools met in Dallas, Texas. The 2011 Congress is scheduled to meet this coming April in Rio de Janiero, Brazil. The Life chapter meets on Thursdays at 12:00pm in room C-108.
“ML” –“Maximized Living” – a club made of Chiropractors and students committed to changing the way people view and manage their healthcare from the inside out. Members believe that Maximized Living is not only a club, it’s a lifestyle. They believe the power that is in the body keeps you well, helps get you well if you are sick, and maintains wellness for the rest of your life. The ML club meets Mondays at 5:00 pm in room C-1.
“OSCE”- “Objective Structural Clinical Examination” is a series of tests administered while in Student Clinic that involves numerous stations where each student is tested and evaluated by one or two examiners, typically lasting five to ten minutes. The students rotate around different testing stations where they are tested on both their communication skills and clinical examination of mock patients with varying ailments. This takes place for fourth and twelfth quarter students
“CCE” – although most students seem to have no idea what these initials stand for, I did my homework and found out they officially stand for “Council on Chiropractic Education.” The “CCE” is an agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education as the accreditation group Chiropractic Colleges. According to the CCE website (www.cce-usa.org) ”The CCE seeks to insure the quality of chiropractic education in the United States by means of accreditation, educational improvement and public information. CCE develops accreditation criteria to assess how effectively programs or institutions plan, implement and evaluate their mission and goals, program objectives, inputs, resources and outcomes of their chiropractic programs.” Sounds like an important organization to be aware of if becoming a Chiropractor is the path you have chosen.
“ACC” – The Association of Chiropractic Colleges represents accredited chiropractic colleges in North America and seeks to advance chiropractic education, research and service. The Association of Chiropractic Colleges will support its member institutions in advancing chiropractic education, in graduating competent professionals, in conducting scholarly research, and in carrying out public service to enhance the health of the public. Taken from the ACC website (www.chirocolleges.org/about.html)
There are numerous professional chiropractic organizations such as the WFC, ACA, and ICA.
The ACA is the “American Chiropractic Association and its mission is to preserve, protect, improve and promote the chiropractic profession and the services of Doctors of Chiropractic for the benefit of patients they serve. The purpose of the ACA is to provide leadership in health care and a positive vision for the chiropractic profession and its natural approach to health and wellness. On behalf of the chiropractic profession, they accomplish their mission and purpose by affecting public policy and legislation, by promoting high standards in professional ethics and quality of treatment and by carrying out a dynamic strategic plan to help ensure the professional growth and success of Doctors of Chiropractic.” Taken from the ACA website (www.acatoday.org/level2_css.cfm?T1ID=10&T2ID=20)
The International Chiropractic Association represents chiropractors around the world with the simple yet profound mission “To advance chiropractic throughout the world as a distinct health care profession predicated upon its unique philosophy, science, and art.” They work internationally to “maintain and promote chiropractic’s unique identity as a non-therapeutic, drugless and surgical-free health science, based on its fundamental principles and philosophy.” As referenced from the ICA website (www.chiropractic.org/index.php?p=ica/vision)
The WFC – World Federation of Chiropractic has members in eighty-five countries and has worked closely with the World Health Organization since 1997. Acting with national and international organizations to provide information and other assistance in the fields of chiropractic and world health;
- Promoting uniform high standards of chiropractic education, research and practice;
- Developing an informed public opinion among all peoples with respect to chiropractic; and
- Uniting members of the chiropractic profession and protecting the character and status of the profession.
- From the WFC website wfc.org
There are other organizations that I did not mention but I wanted to get you started in having a better understanding of this new language you might hear on campus.. So I hope this tutorial has helped in some way. At the very least it might save you from some embarrassing blank stares when talking with other chiropractic students.
P.S. –FYI Start using this new language ASAP so you don’t forget what it means. THNX, CU LTR
