Issue 10 - July2004

The making of a profession

When does an occupation or career reach the status and definition of a profession? A profession, according to Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary is “a calling requiring a specialized knowledge and often long and intensive academic preparation.” Chiropractic met this textbook definition long ago, yet it still had a “way to go” before it was truly considered a profession.

What was missing? A number of things, for example:

• Centralized testing,

• Research,

• Innovation and growth and

• A unified voice.

Most of these missing components have been achieved and continue to be enhanced. And strides are being made to realize the others.

In this section, we look at the beginnings of a number of "alphabet soup" organizations that have helped structure chiropractic, including the FCLB (the Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards), the FCER (the Foundation for Chiropractic Education and Research), the NBCE (the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners) and the AHC (the Association for the History of Chiropractic).

We also remember early public relations programs, such as World Posture Queen contests.

And we get insights into how today's professional organizations support the chiropractic cause.