For more than two years, Palmer College of
Chiropractic has been working through a systematic
process of solidifying a relevant identity
within the contemporary chiropractic marketplace.
As reported in the Spring 2011 issue
of Insights, this effort was initiated by the
Palmer Board of Trustees and driven through a
committee of College administrators and
board members.
“Our challenge is to craft language that protects
our identity and explains to new audiences
what we do,” said Palmer Board of Trustees
Chair Trevor Ireland, D.C. “We must work
toward the preservation and advancement of
the chiropractic profession while integrating
into the national healthcare system.”
This past summer, the committee surveyed
four key groups: Palmer alumni, recent graduates,
Palmer Chiropractic Clinic patients and
the general public. Surveys for all groups
contained three primary areas of questioning:
- The central focus of chiropractic
- Phrases related to the practice of chiropractic
- Phrases related to the characteristics of chiropractors
The results of those surveys were then compiled
and tabulated by the College’s Office of
Strategic Development and presented to the
Palmer Board of Trustees in late September for
their initial review.
From that review and ongoing discussion
between the Board and the College administration,
the committee will be initiating a
plan to share the preliminary outcomes
with alumni, faculty, patients and other
key constituents over the next few months.
Those outcomes will include a draft set of
statements intended to serve the profession
as a marketable statement to the wider
public of prospective students and patients,
other healthcare disciplines and health
policy makers.
“By going back to our alumni and other partners,
we will confirm our direction and obtain
important feedback to this key set of statements,”
said Dr. Ireland. “We must be unified
as a Palmer community to expand our presence
and reinforce our position as ‘The
Trusted Leader in Chiropractic Education’.”
Following the testing period, the committee
will submit an updated report to the Board
containing a final recommendation on the
College’s chiropractic identity language.
Watch Palmer Highlights for more information
on this process in the coming weeks.