4 minute read
COLLEGE UPDATE
LIFE WEST LOOKS TO THE FUTURE
As chiropractic grows and flourishes, Life West will always be an ongoing contributor to all that makes the profession great. Last year was our 40th Anniversary year and we took time to celebrate our history, reflect on our values given to us by Dr. Sid Williams - our Lasting Purpose of Giving, Doing, Loving and Serving from our own abundance with no expectation in return, and remember our achievements over those years. Now we are looking forward and have set ourselves up for success.
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The Clinically Inspired Learning program is fully embedded as students now in their 8th quarter have been through the program and are entering clinic better prepared than ever with adjusting skills and office protocols already honed from quarter one. Over 85% of all senior interns are now out on preceptorships across the U.S.A. and in other countries. They have the gift of real world experience before they graduate and the opportunity of a ready place of employment straight out of graduate school!
The Health Center is bedding in the ChiroTouch EHR with new technology available to all interns and doctors as they interact with patients. And now the college has begun equipping all our classrooms with lecture capture audio/visual equipment and large smart screens so our faculty can deliver hybrid synchronous or asynchronous lectures with no more than the touch of a button. Our technique labs will now benefit from new Force Sensing Table Technology, enabling students to precisely measure the force needed for a specific adjustment, and to train to deliver that precise force. (If only we had these when we were at chiropractic college!) And our library is now the Learning Commons, an open area for student study and research, collaboration in huddle spaces, and access to a wide range of electronic databases and resources.
Admissions has never had a better year. We beat all quarterly targets in 2021 and now, with a new Executive Director of Admissions in Dan Cardenas, we are focusing on improving our admissions team and reinvigorating our outreach to alumni and DCs in practice to refer prospective students to us. Check our website go.lifewest.edu for all the details you need to contact us and be part of the growth of this amazing college and our profession.
Our research program is moving in leaps and bounds. See the article on page 5 for some of what is being produced in the area of optimal human vitality.
Diversity and Inclusion is an area where Life West has dug deep and changed the dynamic at the college, laying the groundwork for our graduates to be effective working in a far more inclusive and diverse
world. Our previous strategic plan made no mention of D&I. The current plan, 2019-2025, places it as our second Strategic Initiative after the CIL program. In December 2021 we presented two papers at the Chiropractic Educators Research Forum: comparison of diversity and inclusion in Life Chiropractic College West’s strategic plans 2013-2018 and 2019-2025; and using collaborative methods with stakeholders to develop a preliminary action plan to improve diversity and inclusivity in chiropractic education and the profession. The latter reviewed the three D&I summits facilitated by Life West in 2021 that brought colleges, associations and industry leaders from the profession together to learn, discuss and develop action plans for expanding into the diverse communities around us that we need to be serving better.
Mission trips in 2021 were stymied by the travel restrictions. Not-withstanding that, the college is moving forward with re-opening our New Delhi clinic and bringing interns and doctors back to serve in India on mission trips. Tonga remains a destination as we open a new clinic there in the next months, and return with mission trips. And new service opportunities have opened in Mexico as we develop partnerships with the largest public and private universities in Mexico City. Service is in the college DNA and we will always be bringing these amazing and life-changing opportunities to student interns and doctors. When we see interns return from service trips changed, inspired, and wiser, we know that this is more than just a college experience. It is what makes them chiropractors with heart, ready to change the world.
Our Student Council for the first time in our history has an all-women executive board. These ladies are giving, doing, loving and serving every day to enhance the student experience. They represent at a high level and Life West could not be prouder of them. Athletics, club sports and activities are vibrant, taking advantage of the great northern Californian climate and outdoors. Mountain hikes, city walks, scuba diving and skydiving are some of the features for our 2022 student activities program. Our rugby program continues at a high level and full competition schedules begin in March and April 2022 for both women’s and men’s teams. Finally, college Institutional Advancement has a new leader in Touré Carter. See page 16 for a full profile and watch out for messages from Touré as he takes us to another level. We ask for your support if we are to reach all our goals and continue the enduring legacy in our profession that is Life Chiropractic College West.
