Toronto, September 11, 2020. Professor Christine Goertz DC, PhD has been named as Interim Chair of the World Federation of Chiropractic (WFC) Research Committee.
Professor Goertz, a 1991 graduate of Northwestern Health Sciences University, serves as Professor and Director of System Development and Coordination for Spine Health Duke University School of Medicine and holds a position as adjunct professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the University of Iowa. She is also currently chairperson of the Board of Governors of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (U.S.). Prior to joining Duke University, Professor Goertz spent a decade at Palmer College of Chiropractic as Vice-chancellor of Research and Health Policy.
Professor Goertz’s appointment comes after Research Committee Chair, Professor Greg Kawchuk, informed the WFC of his decision to step down from the committee. Professor Kawchuk has served as Chair since 2015, having first been appointed to the committee in 2011. He is one of the founding members of the Chiropractic Academy for Research Leadership (CARL) and holds positions at the University of Alberta, the University of Southern Denmark and Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College.
Research Committee members, Iben Axén, Martin Descarreaux, Simon French, Jan Hartvigsen and Carolina Kolberg have also announced their resignations from the Research Committee.
WFC President Dr Vivian Kil commented, “We are grateful to Professor Kawchuk for his service as Research Committee Chair over the past five years. Under his dedicated leadership, the committee has made great strides forward and is an invaluable resource for the WFC Board. The scientific component of our congresses has been greatly transformed in large part due to his innovations. This includes launching the WFC Suggested Reading List, which has benefited both the profession and the patients we serve, around the world. At this time, we also recognize and thank the other departing members of the committee for their service.
“The WFC is committed to the promotion of evidence-based, patient-centered, interprofessional and collaborative chiropractic care – our EPIC principles – in supporting our national association members around the world and the many thousands of chiropractors they represent. Science and research are key elements of all health professions and our Research Committee continues to be a highly-valued resource of the WFC.”
The primary role of the WFC Research Committee is to advise the WFC Board on matters of science and research relevant to the practice of chiropractic, including quality, outcomes, and clinical relevance. It also serves as a resource for research-related questions arising from the WFC Board and our national association members.
Print this page
