Congratulations to our 2024 Essay Contest Winner - Joseph Richardson, D.C.

2024 Essay Contest

Grand Prize Winner is Joseph Richardson, D.C.

Here is his winning essay:

Perspectives on Online courses and Adopting P.A.C.E. for Chiropractic Continuing Education in Michigan: professional and communal advantages

 By Joseph Richardson, D.C.

Healthcare providers are required by the state of Michigan to complete ongoing courses for continuing education. Rightfully,   most states necessitate that providers take such courses to maintain their professional licenses. The Michigan Board of Chiropractic’s primary objective is to protect the public, and requiring continuing education is an important vehicle to do so.

The vast majority of states in this country adhere to the national standards of the Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards (F.C.L.B.) through its specific arm dealing with continuing education which is known as “P.A.C.E.” This acronym stands for “Providers of Approved Continuing Education.”  P.A.C.E. carefully vets organizations providing continuing education to Doctors of Chiropractic.

At the present time, the Michigan Board of Chiropractic (M.B.O.C.) does not permit P.A.C.E. continuing education courses. The M.B.O.C. individually reviews and approves courses submitted to them for consideration many months in advance of the presentation date through a laborious and very time-consuming process. The applications for such review may be many pages long and must include answers to various questions about the program, the speaker(s), the venue, sponsoring organization, precise timing, content and nature of the courses and more. Sponsoring organizations wishing to host continuing education must submit the course outlines, speaker resumes or curriculum vitae, and sample certificates or approval letters, attendance monitoring details, etc., along with the application many months ahead of a C.E. program for Board review.

Courses presented by the Michigan Association of Chiropractors do not need to submit any documentation to the state Board whatsoever and any course that specific organization presents is considered automatically approved by the Board. Although this system is inconsistent and provides an unlevel playing field for providers of Chiropractic continuing education, this is the current system that organizations planning C.E. courses must cope with. 

Adopting P.A.C.E. in Michigan would be a very logical and appropriate course of action for our Board of Chiropractic. This would elevate Michigan to national standards and broaden the variety of approved continuing educational courses available to D.C.’s in our state. This would also level the playing field for C.E.-providing organizations, easing the advance paperwork and smoothing the process to help D.C.’s to earn their continuing education, thus protecting the public through better-educated providers. The state’s Department of Licensing and Regulation, also known as L.A.R.A. would benefit tremendously by saving time and resources of the state’s employees. 

In addition to adding fairness, reduced administrative burden, and leveling the playing field for C.E. provider entities, adopting P.A.C.E. has another significant advantage. P.A.C.E. programs may benefit Chiropractors with multiple state licenses. A single P.A.C.E.-approved course may be eligible for approval in multiple states, saving the D.C. time and money in meeting their C.E. requirements for multiple jurisdictions. P.A.C.E. provides a ‘win-win’ for all parties, including the D.C.’s, the state Board, the provider entities, and the state’s Department of Licensing and Regulation. Accepting P.A.C.E. programming offers many advantages with no downside. 

The Michigan Board of Chiropractic not only requires thirty hours of C.E. for each license renewal period, but also specifies several very specific topic-areas which must be included in the C.E. studies. These include Implicit Bias training (a state requirement for most healthcare providers,) the Performance and Ordering of Tests (two hours,) Physical Measures (two hours,) Pain and Symptom Management (one hour,) Ethics (one hour,) and Sexual Boundaries (one hour.) 

Some of these specific topics may have been needed in the past but may no longer be relevant and the state Board should consider removing the requirements of the Performance and Ordering of Tests, and Physical Measures. When the Michigan law for Chiropractors changed some twenty years ago, these topics were mandated to ensure that the D.C.’s were brought up to speed at that time. Today, these two topic areas are no longer necessary as required C.E. The one-hour requirement in Pain and Symptom Management should likewise be removed since many C.E. courses already include this component. For example, courses in various Chiropractic techniques already include the concept of pain management and this is frequently a component of the purpose of many techniques. Although we seek structural correction, we also seek to reduce pain to benefit our patients. The specific topics in professional Ethics and Sexual Boundaries are clearly relevant and should be maintained as necessary components of C.E. in the state of Michigan.

It should be acknowledged that P.A.C.E.-approved C.E. programs would not alter each individual D.C.’s obligation to adhere to all the Michigan-specific requirements, including the special topic hours outlined above. P.A.C.E. is an extremely beneficial and nationally recognized methodology for approving C.E.-providers and should rapidly be welcomed by the state of Michigan.

Currently, Michigan Board of Chiropractic rules require D.C.’s to earn up to fifteen hours of live, in-person C.E. with the remaining fifteen hours through virtual or online programs. Other states allow their Chiropractic licensees to earn their C.E. hours in any manner they choose without these Michigan restrictions. Chiropractors licensed in the state of Florida for example, are permitted to take any or all of their C.E. courses as virtual/online or in-person programs. This saves time and money and gives tremendous flexibility to the Chiropractors. This should also be the case in Michigan. Virtual programs are accepted as equivalent for credit by all major colleges and universities nationwide, in fact around the world, and these courses are for a degree program, not merely for continuing education.

Online courses offer many advantages to the D.C. in particular. Technique courses are often difficult to see from the back or middle of a crowded room, while a virtual program gives every student a ‘front row seat.’ Online programs may be reviewed multiple times to assist in understanding and mastery of the material being presented. Certainly, some students will prefer to take the live, in-person courses, even benefitting from the camaraderie at such programs, but this does not have to be a requirement for Chiropractic continuing education which should be as diverse as possible while still meeting the requirements.

Some Michigan-licensed Chiropractors reside in a different country although they may desire to maintain their Michigan license. The current live, in-person requirement adds a major hurdle and expense to these D.C.’s. The current system requires that they submit correspondence to the Board many months in advance, requesting an exception to the in-person hours requirement. This cumbersome and time-consuming aspect of the Board’s work and L.A.R.A.’s work would end if Michigan allowed licensees to take their C.E. programs in any format, virtual or in-person. 

Accepting P.A.C.E. for C.E. along with allowing virtual or in-person courses would be a great advantage for Michigan’s Chiropractors, the state Board, and L.A.R.A., the licensing authority. Let’s enhance and improve the Chiropractic profession in Michigan by adopting P.A.C.E. and opening C.E. to the format of each D.C.’s choice, virtual or in-person. 

Dr. Joseph Richardson, D.C. graduated from Life University in 2019 and is in private practice in Troy, Michigan.  He was born and raised in Romeo, Michigan.  He specializes in a variety of techniques including Thompson, Diversified, Activator, and Gonstead. Besides saving lives with chiropractic, Dr. Joe also saves lives throughout the city of Troy as a volunteer firefighter.  Dr.Joe's life mission is to help make the world a better place emphasizing the natural approach of Chiropractic care.

Announcing our fifth annual essay contest for 2025….

Please spread the word to eligible contestants!

                                   M.C.C.A. Essay Contest Rules

Grand Prize winner will receive $ 500.00.  Any additional prizes at M.C.C.A. discretion.

Essay contest is open to Chiropractic College students and D.C.’s in their first five years of practice in Michigan. Applicants may be from Michigan and/or Michigan residents.

One entry per person. All submissions must be original with any sources cited.

Entries must adhere to the 2025 theme:

 "Should Chiropractic Continuing Education in Michigan be either virtual or live at the discretion of each Doctor of Chiropractic?"

All entries will become property of the Macomb County Chiropractic Association and may be published in any manner including the author’s name, photo and short bio.

Entries may be from 2 to 5 pages long (total length not to exceed 3,000 words.)
 
Entries must be submitted as an email attachment in .doc or .docx format to: admin@macombcountychiropracticassociation.org

Please provide your name, email, phone, Chiropractic College name, date of anticipated graduation, and postal mailing address along with your essay.

All entries must be submitted received by September 30, 2025.

Questions? Call the M.C.C.A. at (586) 907-5003 or to: admin@macombcountychiropracticassociation.org

Please email essay contest entries.  Winner will be announced at the annual November Seminar.

2023 Essay Contest

Grand Prize Winner is Ali Hatem, D.C.

Here is his winning essay:

 Adopting P.A.C.E. for Chiropractic Continuing Education in Michigan: benefits to the public and the profession

                                                                     By Ali Hatem, D.C.

     Chiropractors, like many other healthcare and non-healthcare professionals, must take continuing education (C.E./CE) courses to stay current with developments and practice. Patient care is enhanced thanks to this ongoing educational process. The Michigan Board of Chiropractic has a primary responsibility to protect the public, and finding new and more effective ways to enhance the provision of Continuing Education can benefit the public, the profession, and the Board itself. Adopting “Providers of Approved Continuing Education” (PACE) for Chiropractic Continuing Education in Michigan would ensure that doctors continue to improve and polish their clinical approach while easing the administrative burden to the Michigan Board of Chiropractic and the Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Department. Adoption of PACE would also increase the variety of courses available to licensees. As a result, the lives of many would be improved. PACE, a division of the Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards, is utilized by most state Boards, with several additional states accepting PACE Pre-Check. PACE brings well-accepted recognized national standards to Chiropractic Continuing Education while still respecting the Michigan Board’s specific requirements.

     PACE provides a standardized process for approving Continuing Education, ensuring that the course providers meet a high level of quality and relevance to the profession. Setting standards for course content, instructor qualifications, and administrative processes ensures that Chiropractors receive high-quality, relevant education that supports professional development yielding enhanced safety of patients. The majority of Chiropractic licensing boards in the U.S. and in several provinces of Canada accept PACE protocol. Adoption of PACE in Michigan would also benefit Chiropractors licensed in more than one state, as PACE courses may be accepted by many states. For example, Chiropractors taking a PACE-approved weekend seminar could potentially be approved for multiple jurisdictions, adding convenience and saving time.

      PACE will provide Michigan Chiropractors with a wide range of continuing education courses, a major advantage, in addition to the reduced administrative burden. Chiropractic is both an art and a science that

differs from practitioner to practitioner with a wide range of methods and abilities that take time to master. By expanding the C.E. course options available through PACE, Chiropractors would be able to delve into more options for improving their diagnoses and treatments. PACE adoption in Michigan would increase quality access to C.E. in terms of best practices, documentation protocols, and inter-professional cooperation in addition to providing access to a wider variety of courses. PACE could undoubtedly aid Chiropractors in having stronger interprofessional communications and collaboration with other healthcare professionals. Such cooperation ensures that the public receives the highest quality treatment and care. PACE approved C.E. is listed in a publicly accessible database, making it easy for Chiropractors to find appropriate and relevant courses. By adopting PACE, the Michigan Board of Chiropractic can save time and money, making the process of reviewing and approving CE courses much more streamlined and consistently fair to all provider entities.

     PACE adoption would benefit Michigan's Chiropractic Continuing Education and the consequence would be improved collaboration and information sharing both within and between health professionals and better protection of the public. The value of Continuing Education is rising, especially with the advance of acceptance of online courses nationwide. As we further develop as a community of professionals, we gather momentum and open new doors to eventually reach many new patients who would not have otherwise experienced the therapeutic benefits of Chiropractic. Adopting PACE is a wise option for the Chiropractic profession in Michigan.

References:

Pace accepted states: Tools of Practice: Online Chiropractic CEU’s. PACE Accepted States | Tools of Practice | Online Chiropractic CEU’s. (n.d.). https://www.toolsofpractice.com/pace-accepted.

Providers of approved continued education. Pace. (n.d.). https://pacex.fclb.org/index.php. 

2022 Essay Contest

Grand Prize Winner is Mark Hess

Here is his winning essay:

 Insights on adopting P.A.C.E. for Chiropractic

Continuing Education in Michigan

           Continuing education is immensely important for each of the health care specialties, but especially for the Chiropractic profession. Research studies in conservative care have exploded in the past decade giving clinicians improved protocol and updated perspectives involving musculoskeletal care and other aspects of wellness care. These changes in knowledge and practice must be kept up with by doctors currently in practice.  Being a doctor includes a commitment to life-long learning. This ongoing educational process ensures that doctors continue to refine and enhance their clinical approach and ensures that patients get the best care possible.

           New concepts and information are best shared with the profession through continuing education programs.  Consistent learning protects the doctors and also serves to protect the public. Attendance at consistent programs of continuing education (C.E.) helps to protect the doctor’s license, keeping the doctor up-to-date, and may protect the public from care that may be less effective.

           The Chiropractic profession is fortunate to have a nationally recognized neutral program for reviewing providers of continuing educational programs. “Providers of Approved Continuing Education,” often known by the acronym “PACE” is the national program of the well-respected nationwide organization, the Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards (F.C.L.B.) 

           Standardizing the process of the provision of continuing education yields accuracy, transparency, integrity, and convenience.  PACE carefully and objectively reviews each provider of continuing educational programming before they are accepted as a PACE provider-entity. Adherence to criteria of quality continuing education is monitored and must be maintained. 

           PACE has developed a well-established and detailed process of review that is accepted by the majority of states in the nation. Guidelines are structured and clear and meet national standards. PACE provides a process that is convenient for provider entities as well as for the Doctor of Chiropractic obligated to attend C.E. programs. Consider those D.C.’s licensed in more than one state. These D.C.’s may complete a PACE-approved C.E. program that is accepted by multiple jurisdictions, saving the doctor time and money when choosing C.E. programs to attend.

        The current rules in the state of Michigan require 30 hours of C.E. every 2 years for renewal of the Chiropractic license.  There are specific subjects that must be included within the 30 C.E. hours. These include one hour in Ethics, one hour in Sexual Boundaries, one hour in Pain and Symptom Management, two hours live and in person in the Performance and Ordering of Tests, and two hours live and in-person in Physical Measures. Licensees must currently earn no more than 15 hours in virtual or online courses.

           If the Michigan Board of Chiropractic were to vote to accept PACE, Doctors of Chiropractic attending PACE-approved programs would see a much wider variety of quality C.E. programs available to them. These C.E. offerings would meet national standards while still also meeting all the specific subject requirements of the state of Michigan as listed above. This would certainly also save the Michigan Board of Chiropractic and the staff at the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (L.A.R.A.) significant time and effort with no loss of quality, and more quantity and diversity of C.E. offerings.

           Excluding PACE as an option to Michigan licensed Doctors of Chiropractic limits the potential C.E. options and makes the process more cumbersome, time-consuming, and difficult for C.E. provider-entities, the State Board, L.A.R.A., and the Chiropractor-licensees. Adopting PACE benefits providers, regulatory boards, and practicing Chiropractors.  Under PACE, C.E. providers have a fair and uniform application process.  Regulatory boards save time and other resources and receive high-quality, vetted C.E. programming.  Practicing D.C.s get convenient course searching and the affirmation of the quality of the C.E. provider-entities.

         PACE is already accepted by the majority of states in this country for their C.E. provision.  Adopting PACE in Michigan will increase the quality of C.E. and elevate Michigan to national standards while retaining the special C.E. requirements of D.C.’s in Michigan. This nationally standardized system is unlike any other and does not compete with any other organization for resources. F.C.L.B. encourages best practices to protect the public while enhancing the quality of Chiropractic care. Simplifying and enhancing Chiropractic Continuing Education, while aligning with national standards, is the preferred model for the future of C.E. in Chiropractic in Michigan.

        One major benefit of PACE is the wide variety of C.E. courses it will bring to Michigan Chiropractors.  The art and science of Chiropractic is diverse and varies from practitioner to practitioner. Chiropractic students are exposed to a variety of techniques and skills that cannot be mastered in a short time.  Opening the choices of C.E. courses through PACE would permit D.C.s to explore more options in enhancing their diagnoses and treatment.  Currently, I am a student at Logan University in St. Louis, and I have had the opportunity to attend C.E. courses as a student in the local area. The courses are of high quality and explore techniques such as rehabilitation in further depth than is covered in school.  Seminars are invaluable to young doctors before and after graduation to learn from the best in the field.

        Along with access to broader course diversity, PACE would add more quality access to C.E. in terms of best practices, insurance protocols, and inter-professional collaboration. Currently, the Chiropractic profession struggles with ever-increasing documentation standards and issues with electronic health records (Taylor).  Many Chiropractors must adapt while on the job to the frequently changing third-party insurance requirements and documentation demands without adequate training.  One great underdeveloped C.E. option is communication with doctors of other health professions and specialties.  Collaboration and referrals involving Chiropractors have been increasing over the years. Utilization of PACE could certainly help to better equip Chiropractors with enhanced interprofessional communication. Such collaboration helps to ensure that the public gets the best healthcare possible.

        In conclusion, adopting PACE would enhance the efficiency, diversity, and quality of C.E. in Michigan with no downside.  Better information sharing and collaboration within the profession and between professions would result. Improved healthcare begins with science and research and is carried out through the education of clinicians.  The importance of Continuing Education continues to grow, and the state of Michigan should align with national standards by adopting PACE.

Mark Hess,

Chiropractic Student

November 2022

References:

PACE home page https://pacex.fclb.org

Taylor D. N. (2017). A Literature Review of Electronic Health Records in Chiropractic Practice: Common Challenges and Solutions. Journal of chiropractic humanities, 24(1), 31–40. https://doi-org.logan.idm.oclc.org/10.1016/j.echu.2016.12.001

Essay Contest Winner's Biography:   

Mark Hess is currently a Chiropractic student at Logan University in Chesterfield, Missouri. He will graduate in December of 2023.

Prior to his Chiropractic studies, Mark graduated from Wayne State University in Detroit in 2020 with a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and Chemical Biology. Mark graduated from Parkway Christian High School in Sterling Heights in 2016. His hometown is Warren, Michigan. He plans to practice Chiropractic in Macomb County after his graduation. 

As to other interests, Mark always makes time for physical exercise including weightlifting. He also enjoys cooking, restaurants, and attending concerts. 

    We wish Mark much future success and congratulations on his winning essay in our competition!

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2021 Essay Contest

Grand Prize Winner is Aaron Sakevich, D.C.

 Here is his winning essay:

 Chiropractic Continuing Education in Michigan and national standards

        Continuing professional education essentially provides two purposes. First, it provides protection for the public and second, it provides professional and academic/intellectual enrichment for those required to partake in it. The Chiropractic profession has continuing education requirements with both purposes in mind.

        The public is protected by making sure that licensed Chiropractic physicians are regularly exposed to the most relevant and progressive information to achieve the highest standard of care. For Chiropractors, providing the best care possible should be the driving force of each practitioner’s practice. As with medical doctors, there is no single national standard regarding continuing education (CE) hours or curriculum however there are similarities across the country.

        From a national standpoint, Chiropractic CE timetables can range from required completion within 1 to 3 years. In addition, the hours of continuing education required within each state’s timeframe can range from 12 hours up to as many as 150 hours. (www.fclb.org)

        Some examples of required curricula are anatomy, recordkeeping, risk management and patient management. Some states require specific hours within each category.

        In the state of Michigan, in addition to programs that are approved by the Board of Chiropractic, or by the Michigan Association of Chiropractors (MAC), accredited Chiropractic schools that offer CE courses on-campus are considered automatically approved. 

        Some examples of course subjects offered in 2021 are nutritional topics, subluxation review, relevant rehabilitation, risk management, recordkeeping, compliance, and ethics. 

        The state of Michigan requires each Chiropractor to complete 30 hours of continuing education biannually in Board-approved courses. As part of the 30 CE hours, each Chiropractor is specifically required to complete:

 1 hour of continuing education in Sexual Boundaries
1 hour of continuing education in Ethics
1 hour of continuing education in Pain and Symptom Management
2 hours of live, in person continuing education in Physical Measures

 2 hours of live, in person continuing education in the Performance and Ordering of Tests

        Finally, not more than 15 of the required 30 hours may be earned in Board-approved distance learning programs. (Michigan.gov/documents/lara)

        The majority of states utilize PACE (Providers of Approved Continuing Education) for approval of CE provision. PACE is part of the Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards (FCLB.)  PACE is widely respected as an independent nationwide entity functioning for decades carefully and thoroughly reviewing organizations offering CE to Chiropractors. PACE’s mission is protecting the public through advancements in Chiropractic education. PACE does not compete with any CE provider. PACE holds consistent very high standards of CE provider review. Just as the Michigan Board of Chiropractic has entrusted the Michigan Association of Chiropractors (MAC) by automatically accepting all of MAC’s CE programs without need for specific approval for each individual course, PACE reviews each provider organization and PACE also audits to maintain quality and integrity. 

        PACE acceptance in Michigan would provide more diverse and varied CE course offerings which would enhance protection of the public, which is the major purpose of the State Board’s existence. Furthermore, Chiropractors licensed in multiple states would benefit from PACE approval by being able to attend CE programs accepted by many states.

        PACE is a perfectly logical choice for Michigan to include as a fair and neutral reviewer for CE in addition to the state Board of Chiropractic’s own review process. PACE utilization will save time and effort while expanding quality educational opportunities with fairness to all stakeholders. Also, Covid restrictions have clearly shown that CE courses taken online are equally valuable as live, in-person courses. The “live, in person” Michigan requirements for 4 of the required hours is outdated and these hours should be acceptable when taken live or online.

        What I find most interesting regarding Chiropractic continuing education and the future development of the profession is the rise and expansion of interprofessional collaboration, particularly with medical doctors. The Chiropractic students of today are graduating with expectations of interprofessional collaboration above and beyond that of previous generations.  Chiropractic is now more widely accepted than ever before. While philosophies may always vary within Chiropractic, the opportunity certainly exists for interprofessional collaboration with medical doctors to provide the best patient care possible.

        Research from Bednarz (2014) suggests more interprofessional growth is possible. In surveying Interprofessional Education (IPE) regarding Chiropractic continuing education in the United States, “Forty-five chiropractors with experience in interprofessional settings completed an electronic survey of their experiences and perceptions regarding DC-MD IPE in chiropractic continuing education (CE). The majority (89.1%) of survey respondents who attend chiropractic CE-only events reported that they rarely to never experienced MD-Interprofessional Education (IPE) at these activities. Survey respondents commonly attended Continuing Medical Education (CME)-only events, and 84.5% stated that they commonly to very commonly experienced MD-IPE at these activities.”

         Also interesting is that the same research from Bednarz (2014) surveyed the Chiropractic licensing boards of all 50 states attempting to correlate which states accepted Continuing Medical Education (CME) as a form of Chiropractic CE’s. Granted, not everything translates between disciplines but certainly there are relevant courses that medical doctors are learning that Chiropractic physicians can also benefit from.

        The study found “Regarding chiropractic licensing boards, overall, in 26 of the 51 jurisdictions (51%), insufficient information was obtained to determine the applicability of CME credit to chiropractic re-licensure. Thirteen of 51 jurisdictions (25.5%) do not accept CME; 4 of these reject it outright, and 9 would require the CME event to be approved as a CE event prior to the activity, essentially rendering the putative acceptance of CME a moot point. Twelve of the 51 jurisdictions (23.5%) accept CME credits for chiropractic re-licensure.”

        Only about one-quarter of state licensing boards accept CME credit for Chiropractic re-licensure while about three-quarters do not. Essentially Chiropractic state licensing regulations are preventing DC’s from attending and learning at CME events.

        Clearly there is room for growth in terms of Chiropractic cooperation with the medical community, attempting to bridge gaps rather than build divides. “Perhaps more illuminating regarding our population is that respondents quite commonly attended CME events, and at such they were likely to interact with MDs. Therefore, as far as continuing education is concerned, CME activities may be the most likely setting for IPE to occur between DCs practicing in integrated settings with MDs.” (Bednarz, 2014)

        If we can continue to grow from an inter-professional standpoint, we can gain traction, paving new avenues toward ultimately reaching thousands if not millions of new patients who otherwise would have never benefited from the healing power of Chiropractic. Shared CE programming can provide a forum for future interprofessional cooperation.

Sources:

-Home. (2021b). Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards. https://www.fclb.org/

-Bednarz, E. M., & Lisi, A. J. (2014). A survey of interprofessional education in chiropractic continuing education in the United States. The Journal of chiropractic education, 28(2), 152–156. https://doi.org/10.7899/JCE-13-17

-Michigan.gov/documents/lara

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