F4CP honors first chiropractic student with Albert Schweitzer Fellowship

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May 18, 2012 — The Foundation for Chiropractic Progress (F4CP) recently honored Dana Madigan, the first chiropractic student to be awarded the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship. Currently enrolled at National University of Health Sciences (NUHS), Madigan was one of 243 multidisciplinary graduate students throughout the U.S. to be selected as a 2012-2013 Schweitzer Fellow.

“On behalf of the F4CP, we proudly extend our congratulations to Dana for this well-deserved recognition,” shares Kent S. Greenawalt, chairman, F4CP.  “Her commitment to advancing the chiropractic profession, specifically as it relates to public health, is exceptional, and we are confident that she will continue to serve as a role model and thought leader in this field.”

The fellowship program supports graduate students who are learning to effectively address the social factors that impact health, developing lifelong leadership skills and living the famous physician-humanitarian’s message of service. Madigan’s fellowship project aims to improve connections between the NUHS chiropractic clinic in Lombard, Ill., and community organizations that help the medically underserved, specifically in regard to low back pain.

Madigan is honored to accept the fellowship, and recognizes that her project has the potential to address one of the nation’s top priorities in healthcare: “Chiropractic care demonstrates tremendous clinical and economical value for patients with low-back pain, and by simplifying accessibility through my project, the results can potentially lead to more efficient healthcare systems implemented nationwide.”

In addition to studying chiropractic and playing an active role at NUHS as a research assistant and president of the university’s Public Health Club, Madigan also serves as a teaching assistant at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), where she is currently earning her Master of Public Health (MPH). Following graduation, she plans to conduct research in the area of advancing the involvement of complementary and alternative medicine practitioners in community organizations and increasing the overall availability of integrative healthcare.

“Today’s chiropractic students are largely responsible for helping to establish integrated healthcare systems,” adds Madigan. “I hope that my acceptance of this fellowship will encourage others to take advantage of the opportunities that exist, and continue to develop this profession as well as provide patients with accessibility to the care they need, like chiropractic.”

Source: Foundation for Chiropractic Progress, f4cp.org