Who is the WCCS
The World Congress of Chiropractic Students (W.C.C.S.) is an international forum representing the chiropractic profession. There are some 14,000 active WCCS members around the world that represent 31 different chiropractic colleges. Since its inception in 1979 the annual conference brings together an array of international student members to discuss issues pertinent to the chiropractic profession. The WCCS endeavors to accurately distinguish the international student consensus on issues vitally important to the chiropractic profession. The main objectives of the WCCS are to:
‘Unify the chiropractic profession from within and to unify the health care community with the interest of contributing to world health, well-being and to promote the exchange of new ideas from a student perspective.’
Every year the international WCCS chapters converge on one destination for a one week congress to collaborate on significant issues from all over the world.
Current Constitution | Roberts Rules
Objectives
- To actively work towards unity within the chiropractic profession and to eschew all organizations, individuals, or ideals contrary to this objective.
- To coordinate consensus of opinion on issues relating to chiropractic practice and the chiropractic profession, and to make recommendations to colleges, professional organizations, governmental agencies, and the general public, where applicable.
- To serve as a liaison between chiropractic students, student associations, governmental organizations, and private groups.
- To promote professional respect among chiropractic students and cooperation between chiropractic associations.
- To promote intercollegiate relationships thus facilitating the open exchange of information, combined efforts towards resolution of mutual problems, and the support of pro-chiropractic legislation.
- To protect, defend, and, where necessary, seek improvement in the quality of chiropractic education while enhancing accessibility to all chiropractic students and supporting chiropractic research.
- To promote and encourage the free and spirited exchange of ideas and methods between Affiliate Colleges through the delegates and at meetings.
- To improve student understanding of, and participation in, current chiropractic political and social issues.
- To encourage increased participation of chiropractic students through the provision of honorary status membership in WCCS.
- To enlighten the global population of chiropractic students about the function of WCCS through forums or exhibitions about WCCS proposals and accomplishments annually, at a minimum, by the delegations on their home campuses.
- To promote up-to-date information about the workings of WCCS through exposure to the student body.
- To support the inclusion of at least one first year student in each delegation through fundraising and other efforts.
Achievements
2008 - WHO Internship
In 2008, Dr Molly Meri Robinson was selected by the WCCS to apply for a WHO Internship position. As a successful applicant Dr Robinson spent 3 months with the Traditional Medicine Team in the Department for Technical Cooperation of Essential Drugs and Traditional Medicine. This WCCS initiative was the first time a member from the Chiropractic profession held such a position.
- Changed functional definition of chiropractic from that of “manual therapy” to “manual practice of health care”, recognizing the full scope of the practice of chiropractic around the world.
- Edited the second WHO Global Survey on Regulation of Traditional Medicine (TM) and Complementary/Alternative Medicine (CAM), creating a new section to better reflect the inclusion of chiropractic and other health care practices.
2007 - WCCS Research Website
An innovative research website purposely designed to bring together student research from around the world in the science, philosophy and art of chiropractic. The database provides a platform for chiropractic students from around the world to further build, enhance and expand the quality and type of research conducted in their respective chiropractic colleges. Additionally, the website encourages aspiring chiropractors to be continually involved in the journey of research that examines our understanding of the things that we already know and the things that we are yet to discover.
2003 - Defining Chiropractic in Japanese Dictionaries
In 2003 the WCCS successfully submitted a proposal to a Japanese dictionary suggesting the removal of ‘bone setters’ as a definition of Chiropractic and replacing it with that of the World Federation of Chiropractic.
History
Unique within chiropractic, the congress has always been student driven, inclusive, and strived to develop greater unity in the global profession. The congress’ first gathering was in the fall of 1974, with delegates meeting in Arlington Park Towers Hotel, Chicago, from the USA and Canada. The congress was inactive until 1979 but has been held annually for the past 30 years. Many of the current leaders of the profession have been involved with WCCS through their chiropractic education years.
Each year the hosting college has had an opportunity to show the global chiropractic student community their college, their history, their chiropractic perspective, and a taste of life in that country. A minimum of six hours is spent each of the five congress days debating proposals brought forward from the individual colleges. Each evening the delegates can network, experience local culture, and gain greater understanding of similarities and differences on perspectives of chiropractic from all over the world. In the past 10 years the congress has been held in Europe, Australasia, North America, and Africa - 4 different continents and 10 different chiropractic colleges.
These include:
• 2011: Southern California University of Health Sciences - Los Angeles, California
• 2010: Parker College of Chiropractic – Dallas, Texas
• 2009: New Zealand College of Chiropractic – Auckland, New Zealand
• 2008: Universidad Estatal del Valle de Ecatepec – Mexico City, Mexico
• 2007: University of Johannesburg – Johannesburg, South Africa
• 2006: Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology – Melbourne, Australia
• 2005: University of Southern Denmark – Odense, Denmark
• 2004: Sherman College of Straight Chiropractic – Spartanburg, U.S.A.
• 2003: Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières – Quebec, Canada
• 2002: Palmer School of Chiropractic – Davenport, U.S.A.
• 2001: Macquarie University – Sydney, Australia
• 2000: Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College – Toronto, Canada
From 65 delegates and 13 colleges in attendance in 2001, to 25 colleges attending in 2003, to over 120 delegates in 2008, the congress continues to grow. There now are greater numbers of chiropractic colleges established outside of North America than within. More than even before a growing need for the understanding of the profession with a global perspective, and ability to unify that voice, is essential. This has been, and continues to be, the goal of WCCS.
Affiliate Schools
Anglo European College of Chiropractic (UK)*
Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (Canada)*
Cleveland Chiropractic College Kansas City (USA)
Cleveland Chiropractic College Los Angeles (USA)*
Durban University of Technology (South Africa)*
Institut Franco-Europeen de Chiropratique (France)*
Life Chiropractic College West (USA)*
Life University (USA)*
Logan College of Chiropractic (USA)*
Macquarie University-Department of Health and Chiropractic (Australia)*
McTimoney College of Chiropractic (UK)*
Murdoch University (Australia)*
National University of Health Sciences (USA)
New York College of Chiropractic (USA)
New Zealand College of Chiropractic (New Zealand)*
Northwestern Health Sciences University (USA)*
Palmer College of Chiropractic (USA)*
Palmer College of Chiropractic West (USA)
Palmer College of Chiropractic Florida (USA)*
Parker College of Chiropractic (USA)*
Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology Japan (Japan)*
Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (Australia)*
Sherman College of Straight Chiropractic (USA)*
Southern California University of Health Sciences (USA)*
Syddansk Universitet (Denmark)*
Texas Chiropractic College (USA)*
University of Johannesburg (South Africa)*
Universidad Estatal del Valle de Ecatepec (Mexico) *
Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (Canada)*
Welsh Institute of Chiropractic (UK)*
Western States Chiropractic College (USA)
* = Active Member Schools
Back to top