Abstract
Background: The chiropractic profession is modelled by differing philosophical beliefs; one set of chiropractors are traditional, while the other is evidence-based. Chiropractic students may be subject to different beliefs and may not fully comprehend the concepts and implications of a vitalistic and/or evidence-based paradigm. The present-day chiropractic student represents the next generation of leaders shaping the profession going forward. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the backgrounds, expectations, and beliefs of chiropractic students and how they may contribute to the development of the profession, especially in South Africa.
Aim: The primary aim was to identify the background, expectations, and philosophical beliefs of students studying for the Bachelor of Health Science (BHSc) and Master of Health Sciences (MHSc) degrees in Chiropractic at a South African Institution. The secondary aim was to identify the factors influencing students’ expectations and philosophical beliefs.
Methodology: This study was a cross-sectional quantitative exploratory survey that used an online anonymous questionnaire using QuestionPro (QuestionPro, Austin, Texas, USA). The questionnaire was distributed to chiropractic students registered for the BHSc and MHSc degrees at a South African University. The survey was adapted and modified to the South African demographic. Section A collected demographic information; Section B included questions on future characteristics and Section C determined the philosophical beliefs of the respondents. All completed forms were collected and analysed with the assistance of a University of Johannesburg statistician.
Results: Of the sample size of 255 students, 132 valid responses were received (51.75%). The majority of the respondents were between 18-24 years of age, Caucasian ethnicity, and were female. Their career expectations include working in private practice as associates working under another chiropractic physician (34.80%) and earning over R80,000 monthly (40.20%) in the next five-ten years of graduating. Many also expressed an interest in obtaining specialized qualifications, particularly in sports (28.00%) and paediatric chiropractic (24.20%) post-graduation. The students largely indicated a trend to support new evolving scientific evidence over traditional chiropractic theory (36.50%).
Conclusion: Chiropractic students’ backgrounds was diverse with the student body mainly consisting of females, Caucasians, and aged between 18-24 years old. Students had a preference for working in private practice and earning at least R80,000 per month in the next
5-10 years after graduation. Students aligned with the evidence-based philosophy compared to the traditional chiropractic beliefs.