Quarter 10/11A

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 continue to provide patient care in this final clinical internship course. Most interns have the opportunity to participate in the university preceptorship program, completing their clinical education in a private practice setting. Upon successful completion of this course, interns will have demonstrated the competencies necessary for unsupervised chiropractic practice.

This course is a systematic review of pertinent pathological conditions and their resolution through minor surgical means and procedures. It provides academic and practical insights into minor surgical and proctological presentations with knowledge and practical skills for surgical interventions. Students become familiar with the legal limitations of minor surgery and identification of associated risk factors. Students gain knowledge in the appropriate use of sterile fields, administration of local anesthetics, closure of traumatic wounds, and elective surgical procedures. Students will cover the surgical management of lipomas, sebaceous cysts, inclusion cysts, growths, fibromas, lacerations, ingrown nails, and other presentations amenable to surgical intervention. Students gain knowledge of surgical interventions for various anorectal disorders, such as internal and external hemorrhoids, anal fissures, skin tags, inflammatory bowel disease, and others.

This course focuses on business planning and development. It addresses the analysis, planning, and establishment of a successful chiropractic business. The essential elements of any good business will be discussed, with an emphasis on chiropractic business start-ups. Students are introduced to concepts of business management and learn the key requirements needed to start and maintain a successful chiropractic business. Particular attention is given to writing a business plan that can be used to secure financing. Students learn how to implement advanced marketing techniques to promote their business, advanced aspects to insurance billing and collections, hiring and training office staff and support personnel, and the financial aspects of running a business. This course explores crucial issues such as insurance needs, money management and retirement accounts, tax considerations, and business structures.

This lab elective provides practical experience in acquiring those skills necessary for minor surgical services and is a requirement for chiropractic licensure in the state of Oregon. Students discuss establishing sterile fields, discuss pre & post-operative paperwork; practice appropriate administration of local anesthetics, practice common suturing techniques and discuss specialty skills/ procedures used in a minor surgery practice.