Quarter 8

The overall goals of this course include increasing expertise in the realm of targeted exam skills, improving speed and efficiency in doing a clinical work up of a regional complaint (with a special emphasis on the spine), and improving overall clinical decision making. Additionally, there is special focus on clinical problem solving, increasing the breadth and depth of knowledge regarding selected spinal conditions and synthesizing pre-appraised literature for a clinical problem. Utilizing simulated standardized patients, the lab portion is designed to promote the student’s ability to perform a variety of regional exams and synthesize clues from the history, physical, and ancillary studies into a diagnosis and management plan. Areas of emphasis include EENT, heart/lung, abdominal and thoracic exams. The complete regional cervical and lumbar exam flows are revisited in addition to the introduction of the “focused” examination.

This course is devoted to the development of the skills of examination, diagnosis, and management of upper extremity conditions, which may be mechanical, congenital, degenerative, or traumatic in nature.

This course reviews chiropractic extremity manipulative procedures that are commonly utilized in practice (learned in the prior foundational course, CHR 7139) and also incorporates variations of said manipulations . Instruction centers around common clinical scenarios where extremity manipulation is indicated. Relevant research evidence is referenced when available. Individualized variation of foundational manipulative techniques is reviewed and encouraged.

The clinical internship course series provides students with increasing opportunities to apply, integrate, and refine the knowledge, skills and behaviors necessary to become confident, competent, and caring primary care chiropractic physicians. Occurring within a clinic setting, interns incorporate evidence-informed clinical reasoning in applying effective health care procedures and professional integrity in the delivery of patient-centered care. Interns are mentored and supervised by attending physicians who facilitate patient care and clinical education while ensuring quality patient care. At this early point in the clinical internship course series, interns are closely supervised by attending physicians and limited to active involvement in less complicated cases. As apart of clinical internship I, students participate in the clinic entrance assessment (CEA), an evaluation which provides supervising clinicians the opportunity to evaluate their respective interns’ clinical skills, identify their individual strengths and weaknesses, and determine their readiness to engage in patient care.

This course helps the student understand the role of diet modification and nutritional and botanical supplementation in the management of commonly encountered health disorders. The course begins by introducing the science underlying the use of botanical therapies and reviewing several basic therapeutic programs that use diet and lifestyle changes as well as supplementation with micronutrients, botanicals, or nutraceuticals. Subsequently, a body systems approach is used to present specific nutritional therapies for a variety of cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, psychoneurological, respiratory, and endocrine/metabolic disorders, including nutritional anemias. Additionally, cancer prevention and sports nutrition will be addressed. Discussions revolve around issues and controversies in current nutritional science. Assignments allow students to practice diet assessment, diet prescription, and the use of electronic resources for investigating scientific evidence for the efficacy and safety of nutritional and botanical interventions.