As we all know, chiropractors play an integral role in the healthcare system in Australia. The contribution made to the wider healthcare community and to the research base is vital in enhancing the stance of the profession and making an impact on the healthcare establishment.
ACA is committed to fostering the research and evidence base, especially through the practitioners we seek to serve. That is why we found it important to both highlight the chiropractors who have obtained PhDs and inspire future practitioners considering the higher learning journey themselves.
The first chiropractor in Australia to receive a PhD was Dr Lynton Giles in 1987, with Dr Philip Bolton the second. This milestone achievement by Lynton is honoured through the Giles Medal for Research Excellence. This prestigious award by the ACA acknowledges and recognises researchers with a sustained track record of excellence in scientific research, relevant to the practice of chiropractic.
To date, there have been 59 Australian chiropractors to receive a PhD, all in various aspects of study. A number of these have also been funded by the ACA through our PhD and MRes scholarships. As reported in the April 2021 edition of The Australian Chiropractor, ACA has provided just over $500,000 to a total of nine scholarship recipients, since 2014.
Over the last seven years, the ACA has provided PhD scholarships to Drs Craig Moore, Kelvin Murray, Julie Kendall, Samantha Harman, John Petrozzi and Carlo Rinaudo. Additionally, MRes scholarships have been granted to Drs Brad Morgan, Dan Hone and Anika Young.
The ACA is committed to supporting members to take that step and embark on a PhD journey, contributing to the research base, building a bank of literature and helping to move the profession forward. We thank the chiropractors who have paved the way for those to continue to build upon research, working in collaborative and multidisciplinary environments, breaking down barriers and creating a path for others to begin that journey themselves.
Australian Chiropractic PhD Recipients
Alan Kalamir, Alex Webb, Amanda Kimpton, Andrew Vitiello, Anne Jensen, Aaron Downie, Barry Draper, Barbara Polus, Ben Brown, Bruce Walker, Carlo Rinaudo, Craig Moore, David Shahar, Dein Vindigni, Dennis Richards, Donald McDowall, Gaery Barbery, Genevieve Keating, Gregory Parkin-Smith, Hazel Jenkins, Henry Pollard, J Keith Simpson, Jean Theroux, Joan van Rotterdam, John Dulhunty, John Petrozzi, Julie Kendall, Katie de Luca, Keith Charlton, Kelvin Murray, Kenneth Young, Lee Daffin, Lindsay Gorrell, Lynton Giles, Mario Pribicevic, Matt Fernandez, Matthew Stevens, Michael Azari, Michael Swain, Paul Noone, Peter Bablis, Peter McGlynn, Peter Tuchin, Philip Bolton, Phillip Ebrall, Randy Beck, Ray Hayek, Reidar Lystad, Rod Bonello, Roger Engel, Samantha Harman, Sandra Grace, Sasha Aspinall, Sharyn Eaton, Simon French, Stanley Innes, Stephanie Mathieson, Sue-Ellen McKelvey, Vince Cascioli
