Chiropractic + Naturopathic Doctor

Taking the Bull by the Horns

By By Maria DiDanieli in conversation with Adrian Wenban Barcelona College of Chiropractic   

Features Business Management

Dr. Robert Gevers, one of the founders of the Spanish Chiropractic
Association (AEQ), once said: “Chiropractic is the most gratifying
profession there is, if practiced with generosity and a giving
attitude.”

Dr. Robert Gevers, one of the founders of the Spanish Chiropractic Association (AEQ), once said: “Chiropractic is the most gratifying profession there is, if practiced with generosity and a giving attitude.” In the spirit of this philosophy, a group of chiropractors working in Spain founded the association 25 years ago. Its main objective was and has continued to be the legalization of the profession in the country. It was their purpose to defend the principles of chiropractic as well as the unique qualities of the profession.

Spainpic  
Left to right: Garry Careless, BCC, director of international marketing; Mikael Peterson-Porath, European sales, AtlasChiropracticSystems; Adrian Wenban,  principal, BCC;  Tony Slattery, North American sales, Atlas; Roberto Cerdena, European sales, Atlas. Rod Pendarvis (Barcelona Chiropractic Center Director)

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As a result of all these combined efforts, the profession in Spain is at a very special and crucial moment. Defining this moment is the fact that the number of members in the AEQ has reached 187 and the fact that they have been able to open two schools – between them, at the moment, these schools have more than 160 students!

The two schools are the Barcelona College of Chiropractic and the RCU Escorial Maria Cristina, San Lorenzo de El Escorial near Madrid. Both are candidates for ECCE accreditation, and are institutions dedicated to educating students in the art, the science and the philosophy of chiropractic. The first class will graduate this year, increasing the number of chiropractors in Spain and in Europe.

At this crucual moment, then, the profession is growing, not only in Spain, but around the world, as it continues to look to the words of BJ Palmer: “You have in your possession a sacred trust. Guard it well.”

The Barcelona College of Chiropractic
“The Barcelona College of Chiropractic (BCC) opened its doors in October of 2009,” Dr. Adrian Wenban, chiropractor and principal of the school tells Canadian Chiropractor, “thanks to the efforts of a small group of Spain-based chiropractors who worked with a company of educational consultants called Bluegg.

“The BCC has always been in the centre of the city of Barcelona but 12 months ago the college moved onto the campus of the number-one-ranked university in Spain, the Universitat Pompeu Fabra – professors are cross appointed between the university and our program and the university graduates our students with a Master in Chiropractic. Our five year, full-time, bilingual chiropractic program is student-centered and aims at graduating compassionate biligual chiropractors who become committed to life-long learning. 80 students are presently enrolled in the college and we will be graduating our first class this year.”

Excellence in clinical practice and research
As the BCC evolves, it is developing its clinical training program and plans for a comprehensive research program to further enhance chiropractic knowledge. To facilitate these undertakings, the BCC has partnered with a Canadian chiropractic software developer who will be furnishing programs for the college’s in-house clinic as well as to assist with research data. The partnership is very new and holds much promise as the BCC strives to, in Dr. Wenban’s words, “…grow the profession; increase public access to, and awareness of, chiropractic; further improve the quality of the education; and have chiropractic recognised as a primary contact health care profesion.”

Dr. Stephane Laverdiere, the DC responsible for furnishing BCC with clinical and research software tools, says, “We will be creating a research module in the software to allow the college to collect vital information related to research projects they will be conducting.  The research projects will allow them to further solidify chiropractic as a world leader in the healthcare field. We are extremely excited to be part of something that will help the chiropractic profession.”

Closer to realizing the vision
The values and goals of the BCC reflect the unquivocal vision of all chiropractors in Spain to bring chiropractic to the forefront as a viable and beneficial healthcare profession in that country and across Europe. The efforts of the founding fathers of the AEQ have led to the opening of schools and the legalization of chiropractic in Spain.

Dr. Wenban is very proud of the school and the students currently in the chiropractic program. He notes, “It is our goal to be recognized as a quality accredited chiropractic educational institution with two official languages and with a strong affiliation to some of Spain’s best public universities.”

Now, as the BCC looks at graduating its first class, the vision is closer to being realized. Furthermore, the college’s partnership with the profession in Canada brings it one step nearer to being on the leading edge of practice and research on the world stage.

For more information about Dr. Wenban and the Barcelona College of Chiropractic, please visit http://www.bcchiropractic.es. For more information about Dr. Stephane Laverdiere, please visit www.atlaschirosys.com.


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