History of ACC

ACC is continuously evolving to serve its membership and be a champion for change.

Cooperation

The ACC was founded in 1988 having evolved from the Association of Chiropractic Colleges Presidents. Its specific purpose was to provide a cooperative base whereby chiropractic colleges could participate in the pursuit of the most effective practices and concepts for the academic, clinical, and continuing education of students and practitioners of chiropractic. This also included funding of educational offerings, research efforts and general operational concerns.

Pedagogy and Research

In March 1994, the ACC held its first educational conference to provide educators with a forum to learn about new and innovative pedagogical methodology. ACC’s educational conference joined forces with the Research Agenda Conference (RAC) in 2001, bringing together educators, administrators, researchers, practitioners and students from across the profession. Since that time, ACCRAC has transformed into the only chiropractic conference dedicated to promoting institutional and academic excellence and learning. ACCRAC continues to maintain the scholarship of the conference by delivering peer-reviewed, scientific platform and poster presentations.

Commitment

The organization is committed to addressing issues that face chiropractic education. Its members represent a broad diversity of institutional missions. ACC brings together a wide range of perspectives on chiropractic and is uniquely positioned to define its role within healthcare. ACC is also committed to greater public service through reaching consensus on issues of importance to the profession, including:

Continued enhancement of educational curricula
Strengthening chiropractic research
Participating in and providing leadership in the development of healthcare policy
Fostering relationships with other healthcare providers
Affirming professional confidence and conduct
Increasing public awareness about the benefits of chiropractic

Chiropractic Paradigm

Position on Chiropractic

Chiropractic is a healthcare discipline which emphasizes the inherent recuperative power of the body to heal itself without the use of drugs or surgery.

The practice of chiropractic focuses on the relationship between structure (primarily the spine) and function (as coordinated by the nervous system) and how that relationship affects the preservation and restoration of health. In addition, doctors of chiropractic recognize the value and responsibility of working in cooperation with other health care practitioners when in the best interest of the patient.

ACC supports its members in fostering a unique, distinct chiropractic profession that serves as a healthcare discipline for all. It advocates for a profession that generates, develops, and utilizes the highest level of evidence possible in the provision of effective, prudent, and cost-conscious patient evaluation and care.

Principle:

The body’s innate recuperative power is affected by and integrated through the nervous system.

Practice:

The practice of chiropractic includes establishing a diagnosis, facilitating neurological and biomechanical integrity through appropriate chiropractic case management, and promoting health.

Foundation:

The foundation of chiropractic includes philosophy, science, art, knowledge, and clinical experience.

Impacts:

The chiropractic paradigm directly influences education; research; health care policy and leadership; relationships with other health care providers; professional stature; public awareness and perceptions; and patient health through quality care.

Subluxation

Chiropractic is concerned with the preservation and restoration of health and focuses particular attention on the subluxation.

A subluxation is a complex of functional and/or structural and/or pathological articular changes that compromise neural integrity and may influence organ system function and general health.

A subluxation is evaluated, diagnosed, and managed using chiropractic procedures based on the best available rational and empirical evidence.

Scope and Practice

In July 1996, ACC drafted a consensus statement on chiropractic scope and practice:

ACC members educate students for the competent practice of chiropractic and have a direct interest in the definition of the chiropractic scope and practice. Clarity on chiropractic scope and practice enhances consistency and excellence of educational outcomes, contributes to a better understanding of chiropractic education and practice within the profession and by the public, and provides direction to the profession for the advancement of chiropractic.

Chiropractic Scope

Since human function is neurologically integrated, doctors of chiropractic evaluate and facilitate biomechanical and neurobiological function and integrity through the use of appropriate conservative, diagnostic and chiropractic care procedures. Direct access chiropractic care is integral to everyone’s health care regimen.

Chiropractic Practice

Doctors of chiropractic, as primary contact health care providers, employ the education, knowledge, diagnostic skill, and clinical judgment necessary to determine appropriate chiropractic care and management. They have access to diagnostic procedures and /or referral resources as required.

Doctors of chiropractic establish a doctor/patient relationship and utilize adjustive and other clinical procedures unique to the chiropractic discipline. They may also use other conservative patient care procedures, and, when appropriate, collaborate with and/or refer to other health care providers.

Doctors of chiropractic advise and educate patients and communities in structural and spinal hygiene and healthful living practices.