Abstract
Introduction: The chiropractic profession encompasses diverse philosophical orientations, creating challenges in establishing a unified professional identity. The International Chiropractic Education Collaboration (ICEC) Education Position Statement promotes evidence-based practice (EBP), interprofessional collaboration, and the rejection of vitalistic, non-scientific paradigms. To date, no study has assessed student alignment with ICEC principles in a South African context. Methods: A web-based, cross-sectional survey was conducted among chiropractic students at the University of Johannesburg during the 2023 academic year. All enrolled students (first-year BHSc to second-year MHSc) were invited to participate. Participants rated their agreement with statements derived from the ICEC Education Position Statement, as well as items measuring attitudes towards EBP, vitalistic philosophy, and interprofessional collaboration, using a 10-point Likert scale. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's alpha and mean inter-item correlations. The Mann-Whitney U test compared attitudes between junior (first to third year) and senior (fourth to sixth year) students. Results: A total of 144 students participated (response rate: 58.78%). Students demonstrated high agreement with EBP (mean 7.87), interprofessional collaboration (mean 8.13), and most ICEC statements (mean 8.47), although agreement with the vertebral subluxation statement was neutral (mean 5.98). Vitalistic philosophy agreement was neutral overall (mean 5.23). Senior students exhibited significantly lower agreement with vitalistic philosophy (N < 0.001) and interprofessional collaboration (N = 0.04) compared to juniors. A significant difference was observed between groups regarding "Evidence-based Practice, Scope of Practice, Identity and Setting" (N < 0.001). No significant difference was found for the ICEC Education Position Statement (N = 0.84). Conclusion: Chiropractic students at the University of Johannesburg demonstrate strong alignment with evidence-based principles, interprofessional collaboration, and the majority of ICEC principles. Cross-sectional comparisons revealed lower agreement with vitalistic philosophy among senior students, suggesting an association with academic progression. These findings highlight the potential role of structured educational frameworks in shaping professional identity, although causal inferences cannot be drawn from this cross-sectional design.